Apple Releases AirPods Pro 3 Firmware With iOS 27 Features: How To Install

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Apple released the first public beta version of iOS 27 for the iPhone on Monday, July 13. Now, beta firmware for select AirPods has become available with new features on board, so users on the iOS 27 beta can try them out. Here’s what’s coming and how to install the firmware.

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AirPods New Firmware: Who It’s For

There are four sets of AirPods which support the new firmware: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3 and the recently released AirPods Max 2. The firmware will go on general release when iOS 27 does, that is in September — read this for exactly when. But in the meantime, if you have installed either the developer beta or the newly released public beta of iOS 27 on your iPhone, you can install the firmware. Read this for whether you should install the beta on your phone or not.

AirPods New Firmware: What It Does

The biggest-ticket item here is the arrival of custom equalizer settings. Until now, Apple has taken care of this with something called Adaptive EQ but with the new firmware, manual tuning is landing in this new software.

Other changes coming to AirPods users with iOS 27 (and, by the way, iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate), include a new interface for AirPods and a slider for Adaptive mode.

Siri AI, one of the tentpole features in iOS 27, is also usable on AirPods once they have the new firmware on board.

How To Install AirPods New Firmware

You need to be on iOS 27 — read this for full details of how to install it. For the new public beta on your iPhone, go online and sign up for beta releases at beta.apple.com, Then, on your iPhone, open the Settings app and choose General, then Software Update. You’ll see Beta Updates on the next page. Tap this to see all the beta options and pick iOS 27 Public Beta to download the software.

With that done, this is the step-by step process.

1. Connect your AirPods

Bluetooth Pairing

Connect your AirPods to your iPhone as you normally would.

2. Navigate to AirPods Settings

Settings App

Go to Settings and tap the dedicated AirPods section right at the top of the screen.

3. Enable Beta Updates

Toggle On

Scroll to the bottom, find AirPods Beta Updates, and swipe the toggle to On.

4. Prepare for the Update

Case and Charger

For AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3, put them in their charging case and place them near the paired iPhone. For AirPods Max, place them into the Smart Case, plug them in to charge, and leave them close to your device. Make sure the case remains within Bluetooth range.