Let’s be honest: when you bought your AirPods Pro, you probably bought them for two main reasons. First, the noise cancellation is absolutely magical for shutting out the roar of a commute or a noisy office. Second, they just work seamlessly with your iPhone. You pop them in, the music starts, and life is good.
But here is the secret that most everyday Apple users miss: your AirPods Pro are actually tiny, wearable computers packed with features that go far beyond just playing music and blocking noise. Apple has tucked away some incredible utilities deep in the Settings menu that can help you focus better, hear conversations more clearly, and even share a movie moment with a friend.
If you are strictly using your AirPods for Spotify and Zoom calls, you are only scratching the surface. We have rounded up seven hidden features that will completely change how you use your earbuds. Let’s dive in.
1. Supercharge Your Focus with Built-in Background Sounds
We all have those moments where we need to buckle down and focus, but the silence is too deafening, or the environment is just distracting enough to be annoying. Many of us pay for subscriptions to apps like Calm or Headspace to get "white noise" or rain sounds. You might be surprised to learn that Apple built a high-quality white noise machine right into your AirPods Pro.
This feature, simply called Background Sounds, allows you to mask unwanted environmental noise and minimize distractions. It is perfect for reading, meditating, or trying to fall asleep on a plane. You can choose from balanced noise, bright noise, dark noise, ocean, rain, or stream.
Pro Tip: You don't need to stop your music to use this. You can layer the rain sounds underneath your favorite podcast or playlist for a cozy, immersive audio environment.
Here is how to turn your AirPods into a focus machine:
- Put your AirPods Pro in your ears.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
- Tap on Background Sounds and toggle it on.
- Tap Sound to choose your preferred soundscape (the "Rain" and "Stream" options are particularly realistic).
Once you have set it up once, you can quickly toggle it on and off from the Control Center by adding the "Hearing" icon (it looks like an ear).
2. The "Spy" Mode: Live Listen and Conversation Awareness
There are two distinct features that help you interact with the world around you, and they sit on opposite ends of the spectrum. The first is a bit of a hidden gem called Live Listen. Originally designed as an accessibility feature, Live Listen turns your iPhone into a remote microphone that beams audio directly to your AirPods.
Imagine you are at a crowded dinner table and can’t hear the person sitting at the far end. You can slide your iPhone down the table near them, enable Live Listen, and their voice will come through crystal clear in your ears. It is also incredibly useful in large lecture halls.
On the flip side, if you have the newer AirPods Pro (2nd Generation), you need to know about Conversation Awareness. We have all been there: you are jamming to a song, and the barista asks for your order. Usually, you have to fumble to pause the music or take an earbud out. With Conversation Awareness, the AirPods detect when you start speaking. They automatically lower the music volume and amplify the voices in front of you. Once you stop talking, the music fades back in.
To enable Conversation Awareness:
- Open Settings on your iPhone with your AirPods connected.
- Tap the AirPods tab near the top of the screen.
- Scroll down to the Audio section and toggle on Conversation Awareness.
3. Share the Vibe with Audio Sharing
Remember the old days of splitting a pair of wired headphones with a friend to listen to a song, with each of you awkwardly holding one earbud? Those days are over, yet so few people utilize the Audio Sharing feature.
Audio Sharing allows you to connect two different pairs of AirPods to a single iPhone or iPad. This is an absolute game-changer for travel. If you are on a flight with your partner, you can prop up one iPad, connect both pairs of AirPods, and watch a movie together with full noise cancellation and independent volume control. It creates a private theater experience in the middle of a public space.
Using this feature is surprisingly simple:
- Put your AirPods in and start playing audio on your iPhone.
- Open the Control Center (swipe down from the top right) and tap the AirPlay icon (the triangle with circles) in the music box.
- Tap Share Audio.
- Hold the second pair of AirPods (inside their case with the lid open) close to your iPhone.
- When they appear on the screen, tap Share Audio.
4. Let Siri Be Your Personal Assistant (Announce Notifications)
For those who are constantly on the go—whether you are cooking dinner, running on a treadmill, or carrying heavy grocery bags—looking at your phone screen isn't always an option. This is where Announce Notifications becomes indispensable.
When enabled, Siri will softly lower the volume of your media and read your incoming messages to you. But the real magic is that you can reply instantly without saying "Hey Siri" first. After Siri reads the text, the AirPods listen for a brief moment. You can simply say, "I'll be there in five minutes," and Siri will confirm and send the reply.
Note: You can customize this so Siri only interrupts you for "Time Sensitive" apps or messages from Favorites, ensuring you aren't bombarded by spam emails while trying to relax.
To customize this experience:
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Tap Announce Notifications.
- Turn it on, and then select the specific apps you want to hear from (like Messages, Calendar, or Reminders).
5. Perfecting the Hardware: Fit Tests and Precision Finding
The final two features are about ensuring your hardware is working for you, not against you. First, we have the Ear Tip Fit Test. Many users complain that their noise cancellation feels weak or the bass is lacking. 90% of the time, this is because they are using the wrong size ear tip. Apple included a software test that plays a brief clip of music and uses the internal microphones to measure if sound is leaking out.
If the seal isn't tight, you aren't getting the full AirPods Pro experience. Run this test (found in your AirPods Bluetooth settings) anytime you feel the sound quality has dipped.
Lastly, for owners of the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation), there is the life-saving Precision Finding. The case for the newer pros has a U1 Ultra Wideband chip inside. If you lose your case in the couch cushions, you can open the "Find My" app on your iPhone. Instead of just showing you a map, the interface will turn into a compass that points you exactly to the case, telling you "4 feet to your right" and giving you haptic feedback as you get closer. The case also has a speaker to chirp loudly if it's buried deep in a bag.
Your AirPods Pro are capable of much more than passive listening. By taking five minutes to set up these features, you transform them from simple headphones into a smart hearing assistant, a focus tool, and a social device. Go ahead and try the Background Sounds right now—your brain will thank you.