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AirPods Audio Customization Guide: From Listening Modes to Custom EQ

Engadget's guide covers AirPods audio customization, including listening modes, volume controls, and the upcoming Custom EQ in iOS 27.

AI News Feed · 2026-08-31 04:17

For models like AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro, pressing and holding the force sensor on the earbud stem toggles between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. This switch is enabled by default, but users can alter the behavior via the Settings app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. They can choose to include Adaptive mode, which automatically adjusts external noise based on surroundings, or select the "Off" option to disable advanced noise control entirely. If more than two modes are selected, pressing and holding cycles through all of them.

Users can also assign different actions to each earbud. For example, one AirPod can be set to summon Siri while the other switches listening modes. In the AirPods Control Center, additional toggles include Personalized Volume, which adjusts playback volume according to the environment, and Conversation Awareness, which lowers media volume and reduces background noise when the user starts speaking. Loud Sound Reduction minimizes exposure to loud sounds, and Personalized Spatial Audio creates a 3D listening experience.

Hearing Assistance can be activated on compatible AirPods, allowing them to function as a hearing aid for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. This requires adding hearing test results or using Apple's built-in hearing test feature, which asks for personal information and recommends a quiet environment for accuracy.

Currently, users can adjust sound quality through Headphone Accommodations on AirPods 2, 3, 4, all AirPods Max and AirPods Pro models. This feature offers three tuning presets — Balanced Tone, Vocal Range, and Brightness — each with a slider for boosting sounds slightly, moderately, or strongly. A sample player lets users hear changes in real time.

With the arrival of iOS 27, Apple will add Custom EQ, a native equalizer for adjusting low, mid, and high frequencies. Those eager to try it can install the beta version, though Apple warns that beta software may contain unresolved bugs. As the guide notes, even without the beta, users already have several ways to personalize their audio.