Connect and use your AirPods Max
Listen to music, make phone calls, use Siri, and more with your AirPods Max.
Use your iPhone or iPad to set up your AirPods Max
Make sure your iPhone or iPad is updated to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
Go to the Home screen.
Take your AirPods Max out of the Smart Case, and within 60 seconds, hold them next to the device that you want to pair with your AirPods Max until you see a setup animation on the device. If you don't see the animation, you can pair your AirPods Max manually.
Tap Connect to pair your AirPods Max with your device, or to set up features such as Siri if you haven't yet set it up.
If you want to experience spatial audio, tap See & Hear How It Works to start the setup.
Tap Done. If you're signed in to iCloud, your AirPods Max are set up automatically with any of your supported devices that are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account.1
Learn how to set up your AirPods Max with a Mac or a non-Apple device, such as an Android phone.
Listen and control audio with your AirPods Max
When you put your AirPods Max on your head while you're playing audio on your device, your AirPods Max play the audio from your device automatically. If you remove AirPods Max from your head, audio pauses. If you put them back on your head within 15 seconds, play resumes automatically. AirPods Max also pause audio if you lift one earphone off of your head.
Your AirPods Max ear cushions are marked with L and R. Make sure to place the left earphone on your left ear and the right earphone on your right ear to enjoy the best sound quality and performance.
To adjust the volume, turn up the volume using the Digital Crown
. If the volume doesn't seem to get louder, adjust the volume on your phone.2 To adjust the direction in which you turn the Digital Crown to increase and decrease the volume, go to Settings > Bluetooth > AirPods Max > Digital Crown.
If you have Hey Siri set up, you can say "Siri" or "Hey Siri" to ask questions and make phone calls, and control your music. You can also press and hold the Digital Crown
to use Siri.
Store your AirPods Max in the Smart Case to help preserve battery charge. Storing AirPods Max loose in your bag can result in damage.
Switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode
AirPods Max let you control whether you hear your surroundings. Press the noise control button to toggle between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. You can select which modes that the press action switches between in Settings > Bluetooth > AirPods Max > Button Cycles Between.
Control audio
To play and pause audio or mute yourself during a phone call, press the Digital Crown once. To resume playback or unmute yourself, press it again.
To skip forward, press the Digital Crown twice.
To skip back, press the Digital Crown three times.
Use AirPods Max for audio with a 3.5mm audio source
You can use your AirPods Max in wired mode to connect to analog sources:
To use your AirPods Max in wired mode, plug a Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Cable into your AirPods Max (Lightning) or plug a USB-C to 3.5 mm Audio Cable into your AirPods Max (USB-C).
Use AirPods Max (USB-C) for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio
You can listen to lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with AirPods Max (USB-C):
Update your device to the most recent software version.
Update your AirPods Max to the most recent firmware version.
Use the included USB-C to USB-C cable to connect your AirPods Max to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with a USB-C port.
Use a USB-C to USB-A cable to connect your AirPods Max to a Mac with a USB-A port.
When AirPods Max are connected to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, turn on Bluetooth to use features such as Siri and Spatial Audio or to make audio calls.
Use the phone and get messages with AirPods Max
To answer a call, press the Digital Crown once.
To end a call or reject an incoming call, press the Digital Crown twice.
To answer a second incoming call and put the first call on hold, press the Digital Crown once.
When two calls are active, press the Digital Crown twice to end the current call and switch to another call.
To reject a second incoming call, press and hold the Digital Crown.
To stop listening through your headphones and send the call to your phone, press the Digital Crown twice.
When a call comes in while you're wearing your AirPods Max, Siri can announce the call. Siri can also read your incoming messages through your AirPods Max.
Learn more
Switch your AirPods to another device
How to charge your AirPods Max and learn about battery life
AirPods Max can be associated with one Apple Account to take advantage of features like automatic device switching and Find My. If you want to use AirPods Max that someone else has used, they need to first remove them from their Apple Account.
If you don't see the volume control in the menu bar, learn how to add it.
Sound shouldn't switch from one device to another automatically if you're in a conversation, like a phone call, a FaceTime call, or a video conference.
