July 17 update. This post, first published on Wednesday, July 15, was updated with more details of the installation process and of what’s in the update.
Apple released the first public beta version of iOS 27 for the iPhone on Monday, July 13. Now, beta firmware for select AirPods has become available with new features on board, so users on the iOS 27 beta can try them out. Here’s what’s coming and how to install the firmware.
AirPods New Firmware: Who It’s For
There are four sets of AirPods which support the new firmware: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3 and the recently released AirPods Max 2. The firmware will go on general release when iOS 27 does, that is in September — read this for exactly when. But in the meantime, if you have installed either the developer beta or the newly released public beta of iOS 27 on your iPhone, you can install the firmware. Read this for whether you should install the beta on your phone or not.
AirPods New Firmware: What It Does
The biggest-ticket item here is the arrival of custom equalizer settings. Until now, Apple has taken care of this with something called Adaptive EQ but with the new firmware, manual tuning is landing in this new software.
It includes a three-band equalizer which you can adjust between low, mid and high directly from AirPods Settings. It has an interactive preview of how the changes will sound. Also, you can set a custom EQ and switch back and forth between that and Apple’s default tuning, Apple says.
Other changes coming to AirPods users with iOS 27 (and, by the way, iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate), include a new interface for AirPods and a slider for Adaptive mode.
Siri AI, one of the tentpole features in iOS 27, is also usable on AirPods once they have the new firmware on board.
How To Install AirPods New Firmware
You need to be on iOS 27 — read this for full details of how to install it. For the new public beta on your iPhone, go online and sign up for beta releases at beta.apple.com, Then, on your iPhone, open the Settings app and choose General, then Software Update. You’ll see Beta Updates on the next page. Tap this to see all the beta options and pick iOS 27 Public Beta to download the software.
With that done, this is the step-by step process.
1. Connect your AirPods
Bluetooth Pairing
Connect your AirPods to your iPhone as you normally would.
2. Navigate to AirPods Settings
Settings App
Go to Settings and tap the dedicated AirPods section right at the top of the screen.
3. Enable Beta Updates
Toggle On
Scroll to the bottom, find AirPods Beta Updates, and swipe the toggle to On.
Alternatively, from Settings go to Bluetooth and when you find the AirPods, tap the i in a circle next to it. Again, you’ll find AirPods Beta Updates and can turn this on.
4. Prepare for the Update
Case and Charger
For AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3, put them in their charging case and place them near the paired iPhone. For AirPods Max, place them into the Smart Case, plug them in to charge, and leave them close to your device. Make sure the case remains within Bluetooth range.
5. Wait for the install
30 Minutes
Practice patience. Apple recommends waiting at least 30 minutes for the update to automatically download and install in the background. That timing seems to me to be spot-on. Note that sometimes not every part of the AirPods package updates in the same moment. For instance, in a recent firmware update, my AirPods buds updated in 20 minutes while the charging case took an extra 15 minutes on top.
AirPods New Firmware: How To Check If Yours Have Updated
After a reasonable period of time has elapsed, open the lid of the AirPods charging case so the AirPods reconnect to your device. Apple recommends that you should then check the build number. On the iPhone this is done by opening Settings where you’ll see the AirPods listed on the first page. If they’re not, they’re not connected. Tap the AirPods listing and scroll to the end of the page that opens. Under About you’ll see the version listed.
If the update was successful, this build number will be different. In this case, the number you’re looking for is 9A5314b.
