How to Change AirPods Settings: 6 Useful Ways to Customize Your Earbuds

To change AirPods settings, connect your earbuds to an iPhone or iPad, then open Settings and tap the AirPods name near the top of the screen. If it is not there, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the info button beside your AirPods, and open the available controls. Wear the AirPods for settings that require an active connection. The exact options depend on the model: AirPods 1 and 2 use double-tap controls, while newer models use stem presses or other model-specific controls.

The six adjustments below cover the settings most people look for: the AirPods name, playback gestures, microphone, automatic ear detection, press timing, and noise cancellation with one earbud. The interface pictures are simplified illustrations; menu labels and available choices can vary by AirPods model and software version.

1. Rename your AirPods

A custom name makes your earbuds easier to identify in Bluetooth menus and when switching between devices. Keep the charging case open, then on your iPhone or iPad open Settings > Bluetooth. Tap the info button next to the AirPods, tap Name, enter the new label, and tap Done. On some software versions, you can open the AirPods page directly from the top of Settings and edit the same Name field there.

2. Customize double-tap or stem controls

Control gestures depend on which AirPods you own. With AirPods 1 or AirPods 2, open the AirPods details page in Bluetooth settings and choose Left or Right under the double-tap control. You can assign Siri, play or pause, skip to the next track, or return to the previous track. The two earbuds can have different assignments.

With AirPods 3 or later, AirPods Pro, or other supported newer models, open the AirPods page in Settings and look for Press and Hold AirPods or Controls & Gestures. Choose the left or right AirPod, then select an available action, such as Siri or switching listening modes. For models with noise control, you can choose which modes are included in the press-and-hold cycle. If the menu is missing, that gesture or setting may not be supported by your model.

3. Choose which AirPod microphone to use

Each AirPod has a microphone. The default Automatically Switch AirPods option lets either earbud act as the microphone and uses the one you wear if you are using only one. To set a fixed side, wear the connected AirPods, open their Settings page, and tap Microphone. If it is not visible, open Audio & Routing first. Choose Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod to keep that microphone selected. Apple notes that a fixed choice stays selected even if that AirPod is removed or placed in its case, so Automatic is usually the flexible setting.

4. Turn Automatic Ear Detection on or off

With Automatic Ear Detection enabled, AirPods sense when they are in your ears and route audio accordingly. Playback pauses or resumes as you remove or put back an earbud; when both are removed, playback stops. To change this, wear the connected AirPods, open their Settings page, and switch Automatic Ear Detection on or off. If the toggle is not shown, check Audio & Routing.

When you turn this feature off, audio continues to play to the AirPods whether or not you are wearing them, rather than automatically switching to the device speaker. Keep it on if you want the usual pause and resume behavior.

5. Adjust press speed and press-and-hold duration

If repeated taps or a long press are difficult to register, use the accessibility controls. On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, select your AirPods if prompted, and adjust Press Speed or Press and Hold Duration. Press Speed changes how quickly you must press two or three times; duration changes how long you must hold before the action occurs. These options are available with AirPods 3 or later, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, though the exact controls may differ by model.

6. Use noise cancellation with one AirPod

Supported AirPods Pro models can use noise cancellation while you wear just one earbud. Go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, select your AirPods Pro, and turn on Noise Cancellation with One AirPod. This option is model-specific and will not appear for AirPods that do not support it.

If an AirPods setting is missing

First confirm that the AirPods are charged and connected, then open the device page from Settings or Bluetooth. Some controls only appear while the earbuds are connected, and some are exclusive to particular generations. If a menu in this guide does not match your screen, check the model-specific instructions in Apple’s AirPods settings guide. Apple also documents AirPods accessibility settings and playback controls and gestures.