The second-generation AirPods Pro was released in September 2022 to much acclaim, following on from the successful first-generation model in 2019. These mid-range wireless earbuds have already proven to be incredibly popular, with Apple reporting 4.2 million shipments during the third quarter of 2022.
Given the quality of these earbuds and the overall popularity of Apple as a brand, this statistic shouldn’t come as a surprise. If you are planning to buy AirPods Pro or have just received a pair (likely as a Christmas present), you may well be wondering how to get the most out of these wireless earbuds. Thankfully, this blog post has you covered.
Here, we will share practical information about things you should know about the new AirPods Pro. This includes everything from pairing and pressing to monitoring battery life and active noise cancellation. Let’s get started with this guide to the new AirPods Pro 2.
Pairing Is a Piece of Cake
When you get a pair of AirPods Pro, the very first thing you will want to do after unboxing (and after admiring their beauty, of course) is pair them to your smartphone, be that an iPhone or another device.
If you have an iPhone (or even an iPad), pairing is a piece of cake and takes just a few seconds. Simply unlock your device and open the earbuds’ charging case.
Within a second or two, you should receive a prompt asking if you would like to pair the earbuds to your device. Then, just tap Connect to begin pairing and you are all set.
The good news for Android users is that AirPods Pro are not iOS-exclusive. So even if you have purchased AirPods Pro, it doesn’t mean you need to say goodbye to your Android device, because they pair perfectly with any Bluetooth-enabled device. Simply go to the Bluetooth setting on your smartphone and follow the instructions to pair your new earbuds up.
Click here to learn more about pairing your AirPods to your other devices.
Press and Swipe Instead of Tap
If you have used other kinds of wireless earbuds before, you might be used to tapping on them when issuing instructions. This isn’t the case for the new AirPods Pro, however. Instead, you will simply press or swipe on your earbuds (as it features pressure-sensitive sections).
When you want to issue an instruction, such as play or pause, use two fingers to squeeze the flat indention on each AirPod. When you do this, you will hear a click. Here are the basic instructions for controlling your AirPods Pro:
- Play/Pause – single press
- Skip forward – double press
- Skip backward – triple press
- Switch between transparency and noise cancellation modes – long press
If you would like to change the volume on your AirPods Pro, all you need to do is swipe on the stems. To raise the volume, swipe up. To lower the volume, swipe down.
Keeping Tabs on Battery Life
The latest generation AirPods Pro, we are happy to say, comes with better battery life than its predecessor. These earbuds come with up to 6 hours of battery life along with 4 extra charges in the charging case (24 hours) for a combined (and very impressive) total of 30 hours.
If you switch off active noise cancellation, these numbers increase to 7 hours and 35 hours. If you find that you are running low on battery, you will be able to get an hour’s worth of battery life with just a quick five-minute charge.
When it comes to monitoring battery life, that is incredibly easy to do. Simply unlock your connected device (such as your iPhone) and open the charging case (ensure the case is nearby and the AirPods Pro are inside). On your device, you will then see a charge level for each AirPod Pro as well as the case itself.
We also recommend that you add a battery widget to your smartphone’s home screen. That way, when your AirPods Pro are paired to your device, you will be able to see the remaining battery right there in the widget. Very handy!
Using Active Noise Cancelation Mode
One of the best features of the second-generation AirPods Pro is active noise cancelation. When this feature is turned on, the majority of background noise will be blocked. This is a really useful feature, especially if you work in a noisy office and need the block out any distractions and chatter occurring in the background.
As we have highlighted above, active noise cancelation mode is turned on and off by long pressing on one of the AirPods. You can also use the Control Center on your paired device.
On an iPhone or iPad, long press the volume slider. When you do this, you will see 3 options at the bottom of the screen: 1) noise cancelation, 2) off, and 3) transparency. Simply tap the option that you wish to set on your AirPods Pro.
Things You Should Know About the New AirPods Pro
For their small and convenient size, the new AirPods Pro 2 delivers exceptionally good performance. We would recommend them to everyone. We’re confident that the many lucky people who have recently received these wireless earbuds will be very pleased with their present or purchase.
Note that Android users will lose some special features, such as Spatial Audio, so they are best suited to people with Apple smartphones. Like this blog post on things you should know about the new AirPods Pro 2? Be sure to check out our other informative articles on a wide range of interesting topics.
