With Beats Studio Buds+ connected and in your ears, press and hold the button above the “b” logo on either earbud to switch listening modes. A tone confirms the change. By default, the cycle includes Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency; Off is not included until you add it in the connected-device settings.
What the press-and-hold control does
The button on each Studio Buds+ earbud can perform different actions when you press and hold it. Its default listening-mode assignment lets you move between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency without reaching for your phone. The earbuds play a tone each time the listening mode changes, so you can confirm the selection while they are in your ears.
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There are two separate choices to configure:
- Listening-mode cycle: choose which modes the press-and-hold gesture can reach, including whether Off appears in the cycle.
- Press-and-hold assignment: decide whether the left or right earbud controls listening modes, invokes Siri or another voice assistant, or adjusts volume.
You can also change the listening mode from the connected device or from the Beats app on Android. The physical button is quicker once configured, while the on-screen controls are useful when you want to see the current selection.
Switch between Noise Cancellation and Transparency from the earbuds
- Put both Studio Buds+ earbuds in your ears.
- Make sure they are connected to your phone or tablet.
- Press and hold the button above the “b” logo on either earbud.
- Listen for the confirmation tone. The tone indicates that the listening mode has changed.
With the standard setup, repeating the press-and-hold gesture alternates between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency. If you have reassigned the gesture, pressing and holding may instead activate a voice assistant or change volume.
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Add Off to the listening-mode cycle
Noise Cancellation and Transparency are the default listening-mode choices in Apple’s current Studio Buds+ guide. Off is not enabled by default. To make Off available from the earbud button, edit the listening-mode selection on the connected device and include Off alongside the modes you want to cycle through.
Once Off is selected, the press-and-hold gesture rotates through every mode you enabled. For example, selecting Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off creates a three-step cycle. The exact order and on-screen wording can vary with the operating-system or app release, so use the current connected-device settings if your labels differ.
Change button controls on iPhone or iPad
Apple’s current instructions cover iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 or later. Menu names can differ on older software or with another connected Beats model, but the control is located in the Beats device settings.
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- Open Settings.
- Tap the name of your Beats near the top of the screen.
- Tap Press and Hold.
- Choose Left Earbud or Right Earbud. Some supported Beats settings show the left and right choices directly.
- Select the action for that earbud.
Assign listening modes
Choose Listening Mode when you want press-and-hold to switch among the modes you select. In the mode list, enable Noise Cancellation and Transparency, and add Off if you want a no-processing option in the cycle. Only the modes selected there are available from the physical-button gesture.
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Assign Siri instead
Select Siri if you want pressing and holding that earbud to call Apple’s assistant rather than change listening modes. The other earbud can retain Listening Mode, giving you one side for mode changes and the other for the assistant.
Assign volume control
Apple also provides a Volume Control option under Press and Hold. Enable it, then assign Volume Up to one earbud and Volume Down to the other. The opposing volume action is automatically assigned to the other earbud.
When Volume Control is enabled, Apple says that listening modes and Siri (or another voice assistant) are unavailable through the press-and-hold action. This is a trade-off rather than an additional control layer: use the gesture for volume, or use it for mode changes and the assistant.
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On Android, use the Beats app connected to your Studio Buds+. The app provides the device-specific Press and Hold assignments and also exposes listening-mode controls.
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- BEATS’ CUSTOM ACOUSTIC PLATFORM delivers rich, immersive sound whether you’re listening to music or taking calls.
- HEAR WHAT YOU WANT with two distinct listening modes: personalized Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Transparency mode.
- MORE MUSIC, LESS CHARGING with up to 36 hours of listening time.
- ENHANCED COMPATIBILITY with one-touch pairing and a robust set of native Apple and Android features.
- FIND YOUR FIT with four pairs of silicone tip sizes to fit a wider range of ears. The tips create a comfortable seal for the best acoustic performance while keeping noise out.
- Install the Beats app and connect the Studio Buds+ to it.
- Open the app menu and tap My Beats.
- Open the Studio Buds+ device screen.
- Scroll to Press and Hold.
- Choose Left or Right.
- Assign Noise Control or Voice Assistant, depending on the action you want.
Select a listening mode in the Android app
From the device screen, tap Transparency or the Noise Cancellation control to change the active listening mode. Some connected devices display a separate Noise Control section. If your app shows a mode-selection list, choose the modes you want available for the press-and-hold cycle and include Off if you want it to appear.
The Android app’s labels can change as the app and phone software are updated. If you do not see the exact wording above, remain on the Studio Buds+ device page and look for Press and Hold, Noise Control, Transparency, or Noise Cancellation.
Choose the best control arrangement
| Goal | Recommended assignment | What happens when you press and hold |
|---|---|---|
| Switch between the two default listening modes | Listening Mode on one or both earbuds | Cycles through Noise Cancellation and Transparency; a tone signals each change |
| Include a no-mode option | Listening Mode with Off added to the selected modes | Cycles through every enabled mode, including Off |
| Use an assistant from an earbud | Siri on iPhone or iPad; Voice Assistant on Android | Press and hold launches the assigned assistant instead of changing modes |
| Control loudness from the earbuds | Volume Control, with Volume Up and Volume Down assigned to opposite sides | Each earbud changes volume in its assigned direction |
You do not have to assign the same action to both sides. A practical arrangement is Listening Mode on one earbud and an assistant on the other. If quick volume changes matter more, assign Volume Control to both sides as the paired up/down arrangement; remember that this removes listening-mode and assistant access from press-and-hold.
Physical button versus on-screen controls
| Control method | Where it works | Best use | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press and hold the earbud button | Connected Studio Buds+ | Fast changes while the earbuds are in your ears | Uses the action and mode list configured on the connected device |
| Connected-device settings | iPhone or iPad | Assigning each earbud and selecting the modes in the cycle | Settings > Beats name > Press and Hold |
| Beats app | Android | Assigning Noise Control or Voice Assistant and changing the active mode | Menu > My Beats > device screen |
The button is the convenience option; the phone or app is the configuration option. If you need to add Off, move an action from Listening Mode to Siri, or set up volume, use the settings screen first and then return to the physical control.
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- BEATS’ CUSTOM ACOUSTIC PLATFORM delivers rich, immersive sound whether you’re listening to music or taking calls.
- HEAR WHAT YOU WANT with two distinct listening modes: personalized Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Transparency mode.
- MORE MUSIC, LESS CHARGING with up to 36 hours of listening time.
- ENHANCED COMPATIBILITY with one-touch pairing and a robust set of native Apple and Android features.
- FIND YOUR FIT with four pairs of silicone tip sizes to fit a wider range of ears. The tips create a comfortable seal for the best acoustic performance while keeping noise out.
What happens when you turn both listening modes off
Apple’s Studio Buds+ guide states that turning Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency off maximizes battery life. It does not provide a duration, percentage, or other numeric estimate in the documented instructions, so the result should be understood as a general battery-saving setting rather than a guaranteed runtime figure.
To use this arrangement, add Off to the listening-mode choices and select it with the press-and-hold gesture or the connected-device control. Off is useful when you want neither of the two active listening modes, while Noise Cancellation and Transparency remain available whenever you need them.
Troubleshooting the controls
The press-and-hold action does not change modes
- Confirm that the earbuds are connected and being worn.
- Check the Press and Hold assignment. The earbud may be set to Siri, Voice Assistant, or Volume Control instead of Listening Mode.
- On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap the Beats name, and inspect each side under Press and Hold.
- On Android, open the Beats app, go to Menu > My Beats, and inspect Press and Hold on the Studio Buds+ device screen.
Off is missing
Off is not part of the default Noise Cancellation/Transparency cycle. Return to the listening-mode selection and explicitly add Off to the enabled modes. Merely pressing and holding repeatedly will not reveal it if it has not been selected.
The menu names do not match
Apple notes that wording can differ on older iOS or iPadOS versions and according to the connected Beats model. Android screens can also vary by app release and device. Look for the same functions under Press and Hold, Listening Mode, Noise Control, Transparency, or Noise Cancellation rather than relying on an identical label.
Volume control replaced mode switching
This is expected when Volume Control is enabled. Apple documents that listening modes and Siri or another voice assistant are unavailable through press-and-hold while volume control is active. Disable Volume Control and assign Listening Mode again if mode switching is your priority.
Quick Recap
A simple setup checklist
- Connect the Studio Buds+ before changing assignments.
- Decide whether press-and-hold should control modes, an assistant, or volume.
- Choose Left, Right, or both sides in the connected-device settings.
- Add Off manually if you want it in the cycle.
- Test the gesture while wearing the earbuds and listen for the confirmation tone.
- If the action behaves differently than expected, recheck the side assignment and the selected mode list.
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