AirPod Tap Controls

Airpods are exclusive earbuds designed by apple inc. In this article, I am going to tell you everything you want to know about the apple AirPods tap controls. Airpods were launched in the year 2016 and is in craze since then. I am going to also cover the AirPod 2, and the difference between them. Many people get confused over how to use them especially because the AirPods don’t have quite visible buttons and symbols. There are so many consequences you can face if don’t know how the AirPod tap controls.

For example, you can just call someone without being aware of it, play a song, and many more. Airpods were developed for iPhones and iPads but since they run on Bluetooth they can be connected to any device. If we talk about the size of AirPods, it is smaller than our fingers and can be carried easily anywhere. They can fit in pockets with other things. This much less space they take and they come with their own case. (it also recharges them) so you don’t have to worry about that where are you going to keep them. Let’s start discussing briefly about, AirPods and its tap controls.

What is the difference between Airpods and normal earbuds?

Before the year 2020 apple used to deliver their product iPhone along with a single pair of wired earbuds. In the year 2022, it stopped giving wired earbuds with the iPods too. The obvious difference between AirPods and earbuds is that earbuds have a wired connection whereas AirPods work on Bluetooth. Earbuds have a Y-shaped wire connection which was hard to manage. Especially since the wires can easily be broken Compared to AirPods. The Airpods don’t have any wire (at least outside, not talking about the in-built structure, lol) and are more long-lasting.

Earbuds did not need to charge, you just connect them to your phone and play audio. On the other hand, the AirPods need to charge on the basis of their battery life. Also, you can charge AirPods wirelessly because it has a wireless charger too. You have to carry earbuds with care because the wire gets destroyed. Also, you don’t get any case to carry them. Whereas, as I said AirPods come along with a charging case which you can use to keep and carry them. If we talk about the design difference between apple earbuds and AirPods then I must say that they both look identical, and it looks like someone took the apple wired earbuds removed their wire, and presented them as a design for the AirPods.

How many types of apple AirPods are there?

There are four different models available for apple Airpods in the market and they are:

• AirPods 2nd generation       
• Airpods 3rd generation
• AirPods Pro
• AirPods Max 

There was also a 1st generation of AirPods available before but now, apple has discontinued it. Well, the 1st generation and 2nd generation are pretty much similar so you can get the idea of the 1st generation from the 2nd generation of AirPods. Alright let’s discuss the different models of AirPods:

Firstly let’s take a look at how long each AirPods battery lasts because this is the most concerning (after or before price) thing when buying an AirPod.

• AirPods 2nd generation: You can listen for up to five hours or can go for 3 hours of talk time in a single charge. If you charge it multiple times with the case then you can have up to 18 hours of talk time or 24 hours of listening time. A single charge period of 15 minutes will give you enough battery that can last three hours of listening time or two hours of talk time.                            
• Airpods 3rd generation: Its battery can stand six hours of listening time or talk time period of four hours. If you use it in spatial audio mode then it will last five hours of listening time. 10 minutes of charging will last for 2 hours of listening or 2 hours of talk time. The results can vary but not much by a big margin. If you charge your AirPod multiple times (I mean if you keep them in case time to time) then it can withstand 20 hours of talk time or 30 hours of the listening session.      
• AirPods Pro: The difference in battery backup of AirPod 3rd generation and AirPods Pro is not much, charging AirPods Pro for 10 minutes will also roughly give you about 2 hours of listening session or about 2 hours of talk time. The AirPods Pro can last for three and half hours of talk time or four and half hours of listening time. If you are wondering how much it will last with multiple charges in the case then to answer you, they are going to last about more than eighteen hours of talk time or twenty-four hours of a listening session.       
• AirPods Pro Max: This pair can withstand twenty hours of time in just a single charge. It doesn’t depend on your usage, you can watch movies, listen to music, or call this is claimed by Apple. But, as they mentioned the approx time is not accurate so the battery’s lasting time can vary. It wouldn’t be a big difference though. Keeping them in the smart case can save more battery too as they go under ultra-low power state. Charging them for about 5 minutes can provide enough battery to survive about one and a half hour  

What’s the cost of each apple AirPods?

Let’s see the budget required for each AirPod-

• AirPods 2nd generation: this piece of buds will cost you $129
• Airpods 3rd generation: you have to an amount of $179 for the 3rd generation AirPods
• AirPods Pro: AirPods Pro is available for $249
• AirPods Pro Max: the costliest AirPods on the list, if you wish to buy this one then get ready to pay $549

The list of apple AirPod tap controls I will be covering

With the touch control of AirPod, you can perform the following activities:

1. Activate the Siri
2. Play the next audio
3. Play the previous track you listened
4. Pause and play an audio track
5. Answer a phone call
6. Decline a phone call
7. Activate noise cancellation or transparency mode
8. Tune the soundtrack
9. Switch between two phone calls

These were the following activities you could do with your AirPods. The activities also include the features of other AirPods. So, they may not be available on your version of AirPods. Now, let’s go and discuss how to use these tap controls on your pair of AirPod.

How to activate or deactivate Siri with the help of AirPods   

Want to know how to switch on Siri using your AirPod? I am here to tell you but first, in order to access Siri through the AirPods, you will have to turn Siri on. If you don’t know how to activate Siri then follow these steps written below:

1. Go to the Settings of your iPhone or iPad
2. Scroll a little down and click on the Siri and Search option
3. You will get the Listen for Hey Siri option. Toggle it on by dragging it to the right side. it will turn green once it is on.
4. Then you will get the Press side button for Siri or Press Home for Siri option, turn the option on and it will activate Siri no matter what version of AirPods.

Now, configure Siri to have its AirPod tap controls according to your desired. Follow these steps to configure our AirPods to press double times for AirPods and press and hold for AirPods pro: 

1. Go to the Settings of your iPhone or iPad
2. Open the Bluetooth section. Click on the top of the menu to access it
3. Next to your AirPod, there will be an “i.”  click on it 
4. On the new menu scroll down and click on the option of your choice, well there are only two options Left or Right.
5. Then, select Siri and you are done configuring.

Now, let’s move to Siri controls from your AirPod by tap

As, that you have enabled Siri and configured it too then you are capable of activating Siri either by touching or saying “Hey Siri.”  summoning Siri also depends on the model of the AirPods, different versions of AirPods have different ways to access Siri. so, I have listed the way for every AirPod I have discussed in this article.

1. AirPods 2nd generation: to access Siri on this version of AirPod just say “Hey Siri” (do not forget to enable the “Hey Siri” feature first and also to connect them.) if you want to control its touch controls then double tap the AirPod you have configured with Siri then wait to hear the chime and you are done, order Siri what you wish for.  
2. AirPods 3rd generation: connect your AirPods 3rd generation first to your iPhone or iPad then press and hold AirPod’s (the chosen ones) force sensor, once you hear a chime release your finger and proceed to give your instructions to Siri. I guess I don’t have to remind you all but please make sure to configure your AirPods 3rd generation first. You can also say “Hey Siri” to command it.  
3. AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro Max: there is not much of a difference in accessing Siri on different versions of AirPods, to access Siri on AirPods Pro you have to go through the same steps that we followed for AirPod 3rd generation. That is press and hold the force sensor of your chosen (configured) AirPod then wait for a chime and release your finger. Yes! You can also use the “Hey Siri” command to fulfill your wished requests.  

Now, that I have discussed every latest AirPod version except the AirPods 1st generation then I guess there is no point in leaving it behind. To access Siri from the AirPod 1st generation do the following:

Connect your AirPods with the device. The difference in tap controls to access Siri from other latest AirPod and AirPods 1st generation is that you don’t need to press and hold in the AirPods 1st generation. You have to double-tap your configured AirPod then do the same that is once you hear the chime, give your instructions.

How to answer and decline an incoming phone call in AirPod through tap controls

Answering and declining a phone call also varies on the version of AirPods you own. The old generation and the new generation work on different types of tap controls.

• Answer a phone call from the AirPods 1st generation: to answer an incoming phone call you need to double-tap on any AirPods side. 
• Answer a phone call from the AirPods 2nd generation: in the 2nd generation, you don’t need to double tap whenever you receive a call, pressing the side of anyone AirPod just once will do the job.
• Answer a phone call from the AirPods Pro and Pro Max: to answer a phone call in the AirPods Proyou need to squeeze or press the flat touch-sensitive surface (to put it in simple words, the force sensor) you get the touch sensor on both AirPod’s stem. To answer a phone call with AirPods Pro Max tap on the digital crown button once, tap one time in between a phone call and it will put it to hold.

Declining a phone Call

If you want to decline a phone call you need to do nothing, the call will end on its own like usual. In Case you want to decline and send it to voicemail, press twice on the force sensor (only for AirPods Pro and Pro Max) and it will direct it to a voicemail. If you wish to reject an incoming call on AirPod Pro Max then tap the digital crown button three times.

• End a phone call from the AirPods 1st generation: just like you tapped twice in AirPods 1st generation to answer the phone call, tap it twice again when you are done taking and it will end the call. 
• End a phone call from the AirPods 2nd and 3rd generation: to end a call using AirPod 2nd and 3rd generation you just have to press on the side of any AirPod, same as answering a call.
• End a phone call from the AirPods Pro and Pro Max: when you are done with the phone call press or squeeze the force sensor and it will end the phone call, and to end a phone call on AirPod Pro Max press the digital crown button two times. 

How to manage audio track activities using tap controls on AirPod

To manage audio track activities you need to enable Siri if you don’t know how to enable read the upper section of the article (I have mentioned it.) I have also mentioned how to configure it, you are going to need it too.

Tap controls of the track with the AirPod 1st and 2nd generation

Connect your AirPods to a Bluetooth connection and wear them. In order to pause a track take off one of your AirPods and it will pause the track, and if you wish to continue it put back your AirPod again in your ear and the tack will start playing again from where it stopped. If you wish to skip a track then tap twice and it will do it. The AirPod 2nd generation will skip to the next track and in AirPod 1st generation you will have to customize (go to the configure section for it) whether skip it to the next track or the previously played. You can also customize tap activities in your AirPod 2nd generation to control audio.   

Tap controls of the track with the AirPod 3rd generation

Can’t forget to wear and connect them before listening to an audio right? Stopping a song is pretty simple, you remove your AirPods and it will also remove the stop playing. Removing just one of them will also do the job. If you wish to skip a track to the next one then tap twice on the force sensor and if you wish to go back to the previous one then tap it thrice.

Tap controls of the track with the AirPod Pro

As usual, connect it to a Bluetooth device and put them on in your ears. The steps to skip a track are the same as the AirPod 3rd generation which is to tap twice the force sensor to skip to the next song and tap thrice to skip to the previous track. Now you got two ways to pause and resume a track which is to remove them and put them back to pause and resume the song or you can press the force sensor once to pause a track and pause it again to start playing it again.

Control the track with the AirPods Pro Max

The AirPod Pro Max tap controls for audio are similar too. But there is a difference in the way of skipping the track. In the AirPods Pro Max, you need to tap the digital crown button twice, also quickly in order to skip to the next track and tap the same button three times (this time also quickly) to go back to the previously played track.

How to activate noise cancellation or transparency mode from AirPods Pro Max or AirPods Pro

Noise cancellation- What is noise cancellation? Well, the answer is simple, as the name suggests it cancels outs the voice but not the one you are playing, the noises coming from the surrounding. This feature lets you listen to your audio without any disturbance from the outside voice. If you wanna know how it works then let me tell you the in-built microphones in the AirPods releases a new waveform and whenever it comes in contact with the sound wave, it starts to cancel it out. The waveform that AirPods creates is nothing similar to the sound wave which is why it is able to cancel out them. With this feature either you experience no disturbing listening or it keeps the disturbance to a negligible amount. The mode is great for times like when you are gaming or on a flight.

Transparency mode-  To explain this mode in simple words, understand it as the complete opposite of what I discussed about noise cancellation mode. This feature keeps you aware of what’s going around you (for example you can find out whether your mom is calling for you or not, we always wonder about this while listening to music right?) the microphone was canceling out any outside voice in the noise cancellation mode but here it is likely to bring the outside voice in. No, need to worry about that you will not be able to enjoy your audio, this mode keeps a perfect balance between the outside voice and the inside. This mode is great for times like when you want to drive and listen at the same time.

How to activate noise cancellation or transparency mode by tapping on AirPods Pro and Pro Max

Sadly, the noise cancellation feature is only available for the apple AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro Max. The other versions neither have the noise cancellation feature nor the transparency mode. To access the modes by tapping follow these instructions:   

1. Hold on to the force sensor (the force sensor is located on the stem, it is a little groove you can feel it by touching), remember to don’t press it accidentally because tapping them will simply pause or play the audio track you were playing. 
2. Now, if your AirPods were on Noise canceling mode then it will switch to the transparency mode and if it were in transparency mode it will switch to noise canceling mode.
3. You will get a chime signal of a high pitch to ensure that you have now switched to transparency mode and if you receive a chime of a low pitch then it is an indication that you have switched to noise cancelation mode. You can both feel and hear the chime. 
4. To switch back to your previous mode, repeating the above steps is going to do the job. 

To switch between transparency mode and noise cancelation mode on AirPods Max

You just have to tap on the noise control button one time. The noise tap controls button is located at the top of the AirPod, besides the digital crown button. And once you have clicked on it then wait for the chime signal to ensure that you have switched between modes. If you wish to go back to the previous mode then again tap on the noise control button.  

How to switch between noise cancelation and transparency mode using Siri-

Well, it is the simplest option to switch between modes, it does not even require you to touch your AirPods. All you have to do is tell Siri to turn on a particular mode and it will do it. Before doing this make sure that you have enabled Siri from the settings (I have discussed how to do it.) command Siri like:

1. “Hey Siri, switch to the noise cancelation mode.” 
2.  “Hey Siri, switch off the noise cancelation mode.” 
3. “Hey Siri, switch to the transparency mode.” 
4. “Hey Siri, switch off the transparency mode.” 

See it was this easy. And if you are looking for other ways to switch between noise cancelation and transparency mode besides tapping on the force sensor when using an android or windows device then to inform you, this is the only way when using a non-apple device. 

How to control the audio of a track using AirPods-

To adjust the volume of audio using your AirPods you will need to access Siri and to access Siri you need to enable it first, (if you have enabled it already then there is no need) then you can command Siri to adjust the volume for you. To access Siri with your AirPods, double tap on the side of your AirPods (the side you configured)  Like for example, you can say:

• “Hey Siri, increase the volume”
• “Hey Siri, decrease the volume” 

You can also set the volume to a particular percentage. For this say something like- “Hey Siri, adjust the volume to 50 percent”  

How to Switch between two active phone calls by tap

If you are on a phone call already and receive another call then to answer the second call you do the following: 

On AirPods 1st and 2nd generation: first, tap twice whenever you receive a call while you are already on a call, it will put the first call on hold and answer the second one and then tap twice again so you can switch between them.

On AirPods 3rd generation and AirPods Pro: tap on the force sensor of your AirPods 3rd generation or AirPods Pro when you are in a call and the second one comes, it is going to keep the first one on hold and answer the next one. Now, if you want to switch between them touch the force sensor again, and touching the force sensor times will end the current call.

On AirPods Max: you need to click the digital crown button in order to answer the next call and put the previous one on hold. In order to switch between your calls tap the digital crown button again and to end the current call, tap twice the digital crown button.

Final words  

So, this was it on AirPods tap controls, I have listed the few tap controls there are other tap controls too depending on the version of AirPods. Talking about the version of AirPods, what do you think? Which AirPod model/version one should go for? That provides them with the best experience. AirPods are like a walking flexing, if you own one you are already considered cool. AirPods are really worth the price too because the listening experience they offer is outstanding. Do let me know if you want to know anything else about the AirPods, I will try to cover it for you all.  

Some frequently asked questions-