It’s always a good idea to keep your devices updated — it fixes bugs and, more importantly, unlocks new features. Case in point, if you heard about Apple’s new spatial audio feature on the AirPods Max, maybe you didn’t realize that if you already own the AirPods Pro, you now get this feature without having to spend the bigger bucks on a headphone upgrade.
Additionally, Apple’s latest AirPods firmware update adds the automatic switching feature to your second-gen AirPods and AirPods Pro. We’ll get into both of these below, but for now, here’s how to update your earbuds to get the most of these cool features.
See more
- How to connect AirPods to your MacBook
- Common AirPods problems and how to fix them
- How to find your lost AirPods or AirPods Pro
How to update your firmware
To get spatial audio on your AirPods Pro, you need to make sure the firmware on your pods is updated.
The good news is that for most users, this firmware update will happen automatically without any intervention on your part. AirPods updates don’t happen in quite the same way as they do for the iPhone (where you may need to manually install it), so the easiest thing to do is to check if your AirPods Pro are running the latest firmware. Here’s how.
First, make sure your phone is running the most recent version of iOS 14 (at the moment, it’s iOS 14.3).
Next, check your AirPods or AirPods Pro firmware. Go to Settings > General > About. You’ll probably need to scroll way down to see it, but you should see AirPods Pro or your AirPods in the list. If your iPhone isn’t up to date, you may not even see this setting, particularly if you have AirPods Pro. Tap them, and if the firmware version shows 3A283, you have the latest update. That’s it; you’re all set.
What is spatial audio?
Apple spatial audio is a new feature for AirPods Pro and Max that makes it seem like the sound is coming from more places in 3D space; that may be from the screen of your iPhone or from elsewhere in the space around you. It’s Apple’s take on Dolby Atmos surround sound. When you watch TV, for example, you can hear the sound coming directly from the set or your soundbar. Spatial audio mimics this sensation even though you’re wearing headphones, and using the AirPods’ on-board gyroscopes and accelerometers, Apple’s “dynamic head-tracking” can even track the motion of your head, anchoring sounds to your device so it seems like the audio is coming right from the screen to your ears.
This is a difficult concept to put into words, so keep reading to see how you can test it out right on your phone. Yes, Apple helpfully includes a demo!
Apple
How do I know spatial audio is working?
Naturally, you’ll want to know exactly what this update gets you and try it on for size. Here’s how to get a quick and easy demonstration.
First, make sure spatial audio is enabled in your settings. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, and click on your AirPods Pro (or AirPods Max) in the list, and then tap the Info (i) button. Make sure Spatial Audio is toggled on and shows green.
Right below that setting is a blue line of text that says, “See and Hear How it Works.” Click it and then choose Spatial Audio from the slider bar near the top. The feature is especially noticeable if you toggle between Stereo Audio and Spatial Audio. It absolutely adds another dimension to the sound. Inside this setting, you can also turn on spatial audio for supported videos.
What is automatic switching?
The most recent AirPods Pro firmware update also adds automatic switching. This means your AirPods will connect automatically to the device you’re using at any given moment, rather than you needing to manually switch them from your MacBook to your iPhone or work phone to your personal phone. This feature works on AirPods Pro, second-generation AirPods, Powerbeats, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro.
Apple