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Open your AirPods settings
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Put on your AirPods and connect them to your Mac.
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Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
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Select your AirPods’ name in the sidebar. Scroll the sidebar if needed.
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Look under Controls & Gestures or Audio & Routing for the option you want. The categories and controls shown depend on your model.
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Apple’s guide to changing AirPods settings describes the device-specific options available for supported models.
#1 Best Overall
- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- PERSONALIZED SPATIAL AUDIO — Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience for music, TV shows, movies, games, and more.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — AirPods 4 feature the Apple-designed H2 chip. Voice Isolation improves the quality of phone calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
- LONG BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge. And get up to 30 hours of total listening time using the case.*
Change microphone, ear detection, or gestures
Choose the microphone
In the AirPods settings, choose whether the microphone switches automatically or is always assigned to the left or right AirPod. With automatic switching, either AirPod can act as the microphone.
Turn Automatic Ear Detection on or off
This setting controls whether audio pauses or resumes automatically as you remove AirPods from your ears or put them back in. The setting is available on supported models.
Rank #2
- WORLD’S BEST IN-EAR ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — Removes up to 2x more unwanted noise than AirPods Pro 2* so you can stay fully immersed in the moment.*
- BREAKTHROUGH AUDIO PERFORMANCE — Experience breathtaking, three-dimensional audio with AirPods Pro 3. A new acoustic architecture delivers transformed bass, detailed clarity so you can hear every instrument, and stunningly vivid vocals.
- HEART RATE SENSING — Built-in heart rate sensing lets you track your heart rate and calories burned for up to 50 different workout types.* With iPhone, you will have access to the Move ring, step count, and the new Workout Buddy,* powered by Apple Intelligence.*
- LIVE TRANSLATION — Communicate across language barriers using Live Translation,* enabled by Apple Intelligence.*
- EXTENDED BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 8 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge. Or up to 10 hours in Transparency using the Hearing Aid feature.*
Customize gestures
For models that support it, customize the action triggered by a double-tap or a press and hold. The gesture choices vary by model; if you don’t see a control, it may not be supported by your AirPods.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIf your AirPods aren’t listed or Mac audio still plays through speakers
Connect or pair your AirPods
AirPods set up with an iPhone may connect automatically when your Mac uses the same Apple Account. Otherwise, pair them from System Settings > Bluetooth:
Rank #3
- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation help reduce outside noise before it reaches your ears, so you can immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.*
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — The powerful H2 chip comes to AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio seamlessly blends ANC and Transparency mode — which lets you comfortably hear and interact with the world around you exactly as it sounds — to provide the best listening experience in any environment.* And when you’re speaking with someone nearby, Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — Voice Isolation improves the quality of calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
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Make sure Bluetooth is on.
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Put your AirPods in pairing mode using the instructions for that model.
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Select the AirPods and choose Connect.
See Apple’s instructions for setting up AirPods with a Mac and other Bluetooth devices.
Rank #4
- Automatically on, automatically connected
- Easy setup for all your Apple devices
- Quick access to Siri by saying “Hey Siri”
- Double-tap to play or skip forward
- New Apple H1 headphone chip delivers faster wireless connection to your devices
Select AirPods as the sound output
Connecting AirPods and changing their device settings are separate from selecting where the Mac plays audio. If sound still comes from the Mac speakers, open Control Center and select your AirPods as the output device.
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Find Mac sound options with model or software requirements
Headphone Accommodations
For supported AirPods, go to System Settings > Accessibility > Audio > Headphone Accommodations. Apple documents this feature for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 on macOS Sequoia or later. Options include applying accommodations to calls, using Custom Audio Setup where available, and customizing Transparency mode.
Best Value
- Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside noise, so you can immerse yourself in music
- Transparency mode for hearing and interacting with the world around you
- Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you
- Adaptive EQ automatically tunes music to your ears
- Three sizes of soft, tapered silicone tips for a customizable fit
Custom EQ
Apple documents a three-band Custom EQ on Mac for AirPods 4 or later, AirPods Pro 2 or later, and AirPods Max 2. This is a model-specific option, not a setting available for every AirPods model.
For current instructions and eligibility details, see Apple’s guide to customizing AirPods sound on Mac.
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