AirPods Pro and AirPods Max Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode

AirPods Pro and AirPods Max have three noise control modes: Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode and Off. You can switch between them, depending on how much of your surroundings you want to hear.

What are Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode?

With Active Noise Cancellation, an outwards-facing microphone or microphones will detect external sounds, which your AirPods Pro (1st or 2nd generation) or AirPods Max can then counter with anti-noise, cancelling the external sounds before you hear them. An inward-facing microphone listens inside your ear for unwanted internal sounds, which your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max also counter with anti-noise.

Transparency mode lets outside sound in, so you can hear what's going on around you. Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode work best when your AirPods Pro fit well.

If you have AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, you can also use Adaptive Audio, which adjusts noise control settings based on your surroundings.

Switch between noise control modes

You can switch between noise control modes directly from your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, or you can use your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac. When you switch between modes, you will hear a chime.

When you use iOS, iPadOS, watchOS or macOS to switch between noise control modes, you will see Active Noise Cancellation available as Noise Cancellation.

Switch between noise control modes on your AirPods Max

When you're wearing your AirPods Max, press the noise control button to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. You can customize which modes to switch between (Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode and Off) in Bluetooth settings on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

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Switch between noise control modes on your AirPods Pro

Press and hold the force sensor on the stem of an AirPod until a chime plays.

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When you’re wearing both AirPods, press and hold the force sensor on either AirPod to switch between Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode and Off. With AirPods Pro (2nd generation), you can also switch to Adaptive Audio. You can customise which modes to switch between in Bluetooth settings on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

To use Active Noise Cancellation with one AirPod only, use your iPhone or iPad to go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, and turn on “Noise Cancellation with One AirPod”. Then press and hold the force sensor to switch between noise control modes.

Switch between noise control modes on your iPhone or iPad

  1. Open Control Centre on your iOS or iPadOS device.

  2. While wearing your AirPods Max or both AirPods, touch and hold the volume slider until you see the additional controls.

  3. Tap the Noise Control icon in the bottom left-hand corner.

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  4. Tap Noise Cancellation, Transparency or Off.

You can also customise and switch between noise control modes in Settings:

  1. With your AirPods in your ears and connected to your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings.

  2. Tap the name of your AirPods.

  3. To switch between noise control modes, tap Noise Cancellation, Transparency or Off. To select the noise control modes that you want to use with the force sensor on your AirPods Pro or the noise control button on your AirPods Max, select two or three modes under Button Cycles Between.

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Switch between noise control modes on your Apple Watch

  1. When you're listening to audio through your watch, tap the AirPlay icon .

  2. Tap Noise Cancellation, Transparency or Off.

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Switch between noise control modes on your Mac

  1. With your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max connected to your Mac, click Control Centre in the menu bar.

  2. Click Bluetooth.

  3. Choose your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, then choose Noise Cancellation, Transparency or Off.

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You can also choose the two or three noise control modes that you want to use with the force sensor on your AirPods Pro or the noise control button on your AirPods Max:

  1. With your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max connected to your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings.

  2. Click "Press and hold to cycle between" to select the two or three noise-control modes that you want to cycle between.

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Find out what to do if Active Noise Cancellation isn’t working as expected on your AirPods Pro.

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