6 AirPods Changes Coming in iOS 26

Utsanjan Maity
July 06, 2025
Six Amazing AirPods Upgrades with iOS 26

Six Amazing AirPods Upgrades with iOS 26

AirPods and iPhone showcasing new iOS 26 features

Apple's upcoming iOS 26 update, releasing this fall, brings a wave of exciting new features to your AirPods. This isn't just a minor tweak; it's a significant upgrade that enhances functionality, audio quality, and overall user experience. Let's dive into the six key improvements you can expect.

1. Transform Your AirPods into a Camera Remote

Imagine controlling your iPhone camera with a simple gesture. With iOS 26, this becomes reality. Simply connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or begin video recording. A second press and hold will stop the recording. This offers a faster, more intuitive alternative to using your Apple Watch for remote camera control.

2. Unleash Studio-Quality Recording Capabilities

AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 users are in for a treat. iOS 26 empowers these earbuds with studio-quality audio recording. Whether you're capturing interviews, podcasts, songs, or videos, the enhanced audio fidelity will elevate your projects. Apple's Voice Isolation technology filters out background noise, ensuring crystal-clear recordings, even in noisy environments. This feature is perfect for creating high-quality audio content on the go.

3. Experience Significantly Improved Audio Quality

The powerful H2 chip within AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 drives a noticeable improvement in call clarity. Enjoy richer, more natural vocal texture during iPhone calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom. This enhanced audio experience extends beyond calls, benefiting your recordings and dictation. This improvement in audio quality is available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices and is compatible with the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing platforms.

4. Streamlined AirPods Beta Updates

Installing beta updates on your AirPods just got easier. iOS 26 introduces a simplified update interface. Simply connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Settings app, and navigate to your AirPods settings to access the update. This streamlined approach makes keeping your AirPods firmware up-to-date a breeze.

5. Automatically Pause Audio When You Fall Asleep

Listening to music or podcasts in bed? iOS 26's new "Pause Media When Falling Asleep" option automatically pauses your audio when it detects you've fallen asleep. This handy feature preserves battery life by turning off your AirPods and ensures you don't waste battery power all night. It also saves your progress in audiobooks and podcasts, allowing you to pick up right where you left off. This feature works seamlessly with both AirPods and Beats earbuds.

To enable this feature, locate the "Pause Media When Falling Asleep" option within your AirPods settings after connecting your AirPods to your iPhone. Remember, you'll need the new AirPods firmware and iOS 26 for this to work.

6. Keep Audio Playing in Your AirPods, Even in the Car

iOS 26 tackles a common annoyance experienced with CarPlay and AirPods. A new "Keep Audio in Headphones" option prevents audio from automatically switching to your car's speakers or other Bluetooth devices. With this option enabled, your music will continue playing uninterrupted in your AirPods, providing a seamless listening experience as you transition from one device to another. You can enable this feature by navigating to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity in iOS 26.

Learn More and Stay Connected

This blog post only scratches the surface of the exciting improvements coming with iOS 26 and its enhanced AirPods functionality. For a comprehensive overview of all the new features in iOS 26, check out our dedicated roundup: iOS 26 Roundup.

For more details on AirPods and other related Apple products and their features, see the following links:



from MacRumors
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