You can finally adjust the sound of your AirPods.
If you use an iPhone or Mac every day and need to meet your wireless audio needs, a set of Apple AirPods is your best bet. You even get a few different options, so it’s not like they’re just for those who are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of headphones or earphones. With features like active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and solid battery life, AirPods 4 with ANC offer many of the same benefits as the more expensive AirPods Pro 3. Additionally, Apple has refined the listening experience in a way that appeals to most casual listeners.
With iOS 27, however, Apple is giving users more control over the sound on their AirPods. iOS 27 beta releases offer a new Custom EQ feature that lets you adjust different frequencies to boost vocals or bring out more bass. You’ll need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running Apple’s latest beta software and a pair of compatible AirPods also running the latest beta firmware. Apple hasn’t explicitly mentioned which AirPod models are expected to receive the custom EQ treatment, but reports suggest the feature is currently available on newer models powered by Apple’s H2 chip. This includes AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2.
To get started, connect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Open it Settings and go to your AirPods settings page. Go to Audio and routing > Equalizer. If you don’t see this submenu, go back, scroll down, tap AirPods beta updates and activate the toggle. Firmware updates are automatically installed when you place AirPods in their charging case and place them near the connected device.
This is how the AirPods equalizer works
Adnan Ahmed for Woozad
If you clicked on this article, chances are you’ve already messed with the EQ settings. That’s why Apple’s 3-band EQ for AirPods might seem a little basic at first – because, in typical Apple fashion, it actually is. However, don’t let the simplicity of this feature fool you into thinking that it can’t make a noticeable difference in the way your music sounds. By default, the AirPods equalizer is set to “Recommended,” which, depending on your AirPods model, may sound very different. For example, AirPods Pro 3 pump out deeper bass and fuller sound than AirPods 4, which lack a proper in-ear seal.
When you switch to the “Custom” profile, the equalizer allows you to adjust three frequency ranges: low, mid and high. The low frequency range is where you would describe feeling a lot of the music rather than just hearing it. Bass instruments and kick drums are largely in this range. The mids cover most of the instruments and vocals you hear in a song, while the highs are responsible for brighter sounds and finer details like hi-hats, cymbals, and upper vocal range.
The 3-band EQ provided by iOS 27 gives you less control than a traditional multi-band EQ, but it helps the average consumer find a sound they like without needing a lot of knowledge about what the different frequencies represent. Personally, I’m a basshead and found the AirPods EQ to be surprisingly effective at adding extra bass punch.
How effective is the custom EQ on AirPods?
Adnan Ahmed for Woozad
Finding the right EQ settings doesn’t have to be a challenge, which is why I understand Apple’s approach of keeping things simple. The best way to get the most out of this feature is to play a track you like, fire up the AirPods EQ settings, and play around with each slider while listening for the differences. Some prefer to have the bass (low frequency) pushed to the maximum, while others prefer to boost the mids or highs to make vocals and other instruments stand out with more clarity. If you make a mistake, there is a handy tool Reset button that brings the three bands to a flat EQ.
There is one thing to note here, however. These EQ settings for your AirPods are separate from the EQ settings available in Apple Music. If this is your favorite music streaming service, go to Settings > Apps > Music > EQ and make sure to turn it off if you don’t want to apply two different EQ settings at the same time. Also check if other audio effects are applied by going to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & visual > Headphone adaptations.
Changes you make to your AirPods’ equalizer are saved to the AirPods themselves. This means they will use the same audio profile no matter what device you pair them with. This was a welcome addition that I wasn’t expecting: being able to enjoy ear-splitting bass when connected to my Android phone makes the feature considerably more effective for me. In addition to iOS 27, you can change these EQ settings at any time on a connected Mac by launching System Settings or an iPad via the Settings app.
