iOS 26 will not just make your iPhone better. It will also add several new features to AirPods, improving the already excellent experience of using Apple’s super-popular earbuds.
The changes will further deepen the AirPods integration with the iPhone. Find out all the ways iOS 26 will improve your AirPods experience.
How iOS 26 will upgrade your AirPods experience
After launching AirPods in 2016, Apple has added new features to its earbuds with every major iOS release. The AirPods Pro 2 in particular — which Cult of Mac’s review called “a must-have for Apple users” — continue to benefit from software upgrades that unlock exciting new features.
No wonder AirPods remain the best earbuds for the iPhone. While newer earbuds from Samsung and Sony can rival the AirPods’ sound quality, none offer features like hearing aid support and answering calls by nodding your head.
With iOS 26, Apple will add several more handy features to AirPods, but only for models that have an H2 wireless chipset inside. Unfortunately, that means only the AirPods 4 (models with or without active noise cancellation) and AirPods Pro 2 and will get these upgrades. (Apple reportedly plans to launch AirPods Pro 3, with even more advanced features, next year.)
Table of contents: How iOS 26 will upgrade your AirPods experience
- Camera remote
- Superior audio recording
- Audio auto-pause when sleeping
- CarPlay integration
- Manually update AirPods firmware
- Low-battery alerts
- Public beta testing
- New features coming to your AirPods this fall
Camera remote
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
iOS 26 will turn the AirPods into a remote camera shutter release button. With the iPhone’s Camera app open, you can capture a photo or start recording a video by pressing (or pressing and holding) one of the AirPods’ stems.
Superior audio recording
Apple will finally let you use your AirPods as an external microphone when recording videos. This will enable you to capture higher-quality audio with less background noise. You can also capture audio using the AirPods in video calls, including using third-party apps as well as Apple apps like Messages, Voice Memos, etc.
This opens the door to several new possibilities, including using AirPods for recording on-the-go podcasts with superior audio quality.
Audio auto-pause when sleeping
iOS 26 will enable your AirPods to automatically pause music or audio playback when they detect you have fallen asleep. You won’t have to set up a sleep timer separately for this.
CarPlay integration
Screenshot: Apple
In iOS 26, when you get in your car while listening to music on your AirPods, the earbuds will seamlessly hand off audio playback to CarPlay when your car’s infotainment system boots. Alternatively, a new option lets you keep the AirPods as your primary audio output.
Manually update AirPods firmware
Apple doesn’t provide a manual way to update AirPods firmware. Instead, the earbuds automatically update in the background. This will change with iOS 26, which adds a new Software update page.
Low-battery alerts
When your AirPods’ battery level drops below a certain threshold, iOS 26 will let you know. An alert will pop up so you can charge your earbuds and/or their case. (This new AirPods feature made our list of hidden iOS 26 features Apple didn’t talk about at WWDC25.)
Public beta testing
For the first time, Apple will also allow the public to beta test upcoming AirPods firmware. It will release the first public beta containing at least some of the features mentioned above with the iOS 26 public beta in July.
New features coming to your AirPods this fall
As mentioned above, all these new features will come only to AirPods equipped with Apple’s H2 chip (AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4). Apple might not launch all the new AirPods features as part of the initial iOS 26 release, either. Some could arrive later in an iOS 26 point upgrade.
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
