Apple AirPods
How To: The Not-So-Obvious Way to Use AirPods with Your Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite
The Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite are console gaming on the go — with zero regards for modern audio features. Headphone jack? Check. Bluetooth connectivity? Not so much. While Nintendo seems to think we're all happy to live like it's 2015, there's a way to use your AirPods with your Switch or Switch Lite for wireless and convenient entertainment.
How To: Make Sure Your AirPods Pro Are Always Fully Charged by Turning Off This Setting
Your AirPods Pro can run up to 4.5 hours when 100% charged up. However, they're programmed to stop charging at 80%, and it won't kick back in until they think you'll need that extra 20%. That means they won't last as long in your ears before needing put back in the case. And you could end up with dead AirPods Pro if you're out, can't hit up a charger, and your case is out of juice.
How To: 14 Ways iOS 14 Makes Listening to Music Even Better on Your iPhone
Even though the Music app took a backseat during Apple's initial iOS 14 announcements, there's a lot going on in the updated app. Some of the new features and changes apply only to Apple Music subscribers, while others apply to your own music library, so there's something for everyone.
How To: The Fastest Way to Connect AirPods from Another Device to Your iPhone
Apple's AirPods are convenient because you can easily switch which Apple device is connected to your AirPods with just a few taps. But unless you're using Shortcuts to make the connection, you aren't using the fastest method possible.
How To: Switch the Default AirPods Microphone to Stick to Your Preferred Ear
AirPods are not only a great way to listen to music on your iPhone, but you can also use them as a headset for phone calls, videoconference, Siri, voice memos, audio messages, and more. While each 'Pod has a built-in microphone, they aren't used simultaneously, and your AirPods will automatically choose which to use. If you want to only use the mic from one 'Pod or the other, there's a way to do that.
How To: Customize Your AirPods' Double-Tap or Long-Press Gestures to Make Them More Useful
AirPods are not only a great way to listen to audio on your iPhone, but they're also a great way to activate Siri and control your music using simple gestures. If the default actions aren't quite what you're looking for, you can easily change them, and each AirPod can perform a different action.
How To: Stop Your AirPods from Pausing Music & Other Audio When You Take Them Out of Your Ears
AirPods not only let you listen to music on your iPhone — they let you quickly stop listening to your iPhone's audio by pulling out a single AirPod to pause. If, however, you'd rather have music, audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio files continue playing when you pull out one AirPod — or both AirPods — one settings tweak can get the job done.
How To: Change Your AirPods' Name to Something More Unique — Right from Your iPhone or Android Phone
AirPods are starting to show up everywhere, and with more and more people owning them, it can be fun to make yours a little more personalized. One way you can do that is by giving your AirPods a unique name, something a bit more fun than "John's" or "Jane's AirPods." With just a few taps, you can change your AirPod's name right from your iPhone or Android phone.
How To: Use Your iPhone to Hear the World Around You Better, Spy on Conversations, Listen to Your Heartbeat, and More
What started as an accessibility setting for hearing aids turned out to be a super helpful tool for anyone with a good set of Bluetooth headphones. The problem is that most iPhone and iPad users still don't know about it. If you're one of them, you need to see what this underrated gem in iOS and iPadOS can offer you.
How To: Turn Transparency or Noise Cancellation Off Using the AirPods Pro Stem
Apple's AirPods Pro offer three different audio modes for your convenience: "Transparency," which pumps in sound around you,"Noise Cancellation," which actively blocks out surrounding sounds, and "Off," which uses neither mode. Off saves battery, and does a decent job at passively cancelling noise on its own, but you can't seem to be able to use it with the AirPods Pro stem. Here's how.
How To: Why Your Lost AirPods Say 'Offline' or 'No Location Found' in the Find My App
If you lose your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, you can turn to Find My to locate them. But sometimes, things don't go according to plan, and many things can go wrong. For example:
How To: Stop AirPods from Annoyingly Auto-Switching Between iPhone, iPad & Mac So They Stick to One Device
You're watching a YouTube video on your Mac, then go to check something on your iPhone. Of course, because you had a video queued on iOS, your AirPods automatically switch from your Mac to your iPhone. Now, your Mac's YouTube video is playing out loud, and you have to reroute your AirPods back over to macOS. Luckily, there's a hidden setting you can change that fixes this whole issue.
How To: 11 Ways to Check the Battery Life of Your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max
If you're an AirPods owner, you know the sound — that decrescendo of little beeps and boops means imminent "death" for your wireless earbuds. Other than that infamous chime, however, it's not overly clear how to check your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max power levels. That's why we've listed all the ways to do so.
How To: Reply to Texts on Your AirPods Without Siri Reading Out Your Messages
Your iPhone's "Announce Messages with Siri" feature is pure Apple. If you have a pair of connected AirPods (2nd generation or newer), Siri can read your messages to you as they come in, and you can say "Reply" to send one back. However, that natural flow is disrupted once Siri reads back your drafted text — but you can disable it to make the process smooth all the way through.
Grab It Fast: 2nd Generation AirPods with Wireless Charging Case Drop to Lowest Price Since Black Friday
Second-generation AirPods just went on sale with the best prices since Black Friday's deals. So if you missed your shot at snagging a set of AirPods with the Charging Case or Wireless Charging Case, you've got another chance. But you'll need to act quickly to take advantage.
News: Keep Your AirPods Case from Getting Dirty in Your Pocket or Bag with This Dust-Tight Cover
We love our set of Apple AirPods. The battery could last a little longer, but overall, there's only one gripe we really have: the dirt that builds up inside the case. Whether you stick it in your pocket, a backpack, or your purse, the inside of the case's lid and main base will get dirty in a week, give or take. But there's a way to stop that from happening.
How To: Make Your AirPods Pro Fit Better by Testing the Rubber Tips
Everybody loves AirPods, right? Well, maybe everybody whose ears fit AirPods. That was the issue with the first two generations — one size doesn't fit all. But the new AirPods Pro come with three rubber ear tips of different sizes. While you can experiment on your own to figure out which fits best, Apple programmed your AirPods Pro to make that determination itself.
How To: Enable Active Noise Cancellation on Your AirPod Pros
Apple unveiled the latest generation of its flagship earbuds, AirPods Pro, on Monday, Oct. 28. Aside from the increased price tag, new in-ear design, and wider charging case, the biggest change by far is in Active Noise Cancellation. Finally, we can listen to AirPods on a plane, walking by a busy road, anywhere with a lot of noise pollution. But how does it work?
How To: iOS 13 Has Radically Improved Connecting to AirPods & Bluetooth Devices
Not long ago, connecting your iPhone to Bluetooth devices was a true pain in the neck. Control Center's AirPlay button made connecting to certain devices much easier, but it was with iOS 13 that Apple finally made connecting to wireless acceessories like AirPods, speakers, and keyboards so much better.
How To: Announce Messages with Siri Not Working on iOS 13.2? Here's the Fix
Apple added "Announce Messages with Siri" with the release of iOS 13.2, and it came as a welcome surprise for me; I missed the feature from its initial run during iOS 13 beta testing. However, while users online gleefully showed off their newfound Announce Messages with Siri capabilities, I was frustrated to see that I didn't have the setting, even though I just updated my iPhone to 13.2. So, what's the fix?