iOS 18 Adds More Control Over Adaptive Audio on AirPods Pro 2

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro have an Adaptive Audio feature that includes Adaptive Noise Control, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness, which are all features that adjust sound and Active Noise Cancellation in response to the environment around you.

airpods adaptive audio
Right now, Adaptive Audio is an all or nothing setting, but that's set to change in iOS 18. Apple added a "Customize Adaptive Audio" menu that lets you adjust the setting to allow for more or less noise.

When the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 with the latest beta firmware are connected to an iPhone running ‌iOS 18‌, you can open up the AirPods section of the Settings app to see a new Adaptive Audio section.

Tapping into it presents a slider bar where you can adjust Adaptive Audio for Less Noise or More Noise, impacting the Adaptive Audio settings. The feature will mostly apply to Adaptive Noise Control, a feature that blends Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation. It is designed to tweak the level of noise control based on changing conditions in the environment, so being able to set it to allow for more noise or less noise will come in handy.

The setting will also impact Personalized Volume, an option that adjusts the volume of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 based on your personal volume preferences and environmental conditions.

These settings will be widely available to ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 owners when ‌iOS 18‌ launches in the fall. The earbuds will also be able to be adjusted using iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia.

Related Roundups: AirPods Pro, iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forums: AirPods, iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
macbook pro bb cyber

Apple's M3 MacBook Pro Gets Up to $1,000 Off In Major New Sales, Starting at $1,299 [Updated]

Sunday August 11, 2024 1:54 pm PDT by
Apple's M3 MacBook Pro is seeing multiple high value discounts on Best Buy and Amazon today, with up to $1,000 off select models. This includes a new all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch model exclusively for Best Buy members. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 2 and iOS 18 Beta 6

Monday August 12, 2024 2:32 pm PDT by
Apple is beta testing iOS 18 and the first update to iOS 18 concurrently, and we got the second betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 today alongside the sixth betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia 15. Many of the changes in iOS 18.1 are focused on bringing the .1 betas in line with the standard betas, which recently received updates to Photos and Safari, while...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Thursday August 8, 2024 4:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

Monday August 12, 2024 8:43 am PDT by
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model,...

Top Rated Comments

anthogag Avatar
9 weeks ago
There should be a list of things you can tune-out when wearing AirPods Pro. "Siri, silence stupid loud vehicles and motorbikes", "Siri, silence the barking dog", "Siri, silence the leaf blower",...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
9 weeks ago

There should be a list of things you can tune-out when wearing AirPods Pro. "Siri, silence stupid loud vehicles and motorbikes", "Siri, silence the barking dog", "Siri, silence the leaf blower",...
Why?

I think its phenomenal that variable and automatic ambient was enabled long before announcement, even in the AirPods Pro 1, that brakes, public transit buses and even electric car reverse sounds came through even when I had ANC enabled. Its literary saved my ass while cycling on public roads about 3 times back in fall of 2022.

This is literary a life saving feature ... but I agree having the end user disable it would be nice. choice.

Probably one of THE most underrated announcements at WWDC 2024 is the simple head-tracking gesture of "no" and "yes" to deny or answer calls. It'll be JUST as hilarious to randomly see people in public not having any conversation or stoick voices nodding yes or no lol. Almost as funny as when Ericsson launched the first Bluetooth headsets and walking behind someone using one and thinking they've gone mad talking to themselves before they became publicly more common.

I recall walking 7 blocks behind some dude in a suit having the worst argument with his GF/mistress and finally at a stop sign approach him saying 'man you ok?' and him pointing to this HUGE honker of a headset. Then on the long intercity bus ride seeing him asking what headset was that, and through brief convo let me pair it with my Ericsson T28W. I was hooked on Bluetooth ever since. I think as more gifted programmers use the headtracking API we'll see more intuitive features we'd have wondered what we would've done without them over time.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
techyOS Avatar
9 weeks ago

Does anyone know how to install the beta for AirPods Pro 2? There is no more "developer mode" in settings as some instructions online have pointed out to do as a step.....?
You have to plug your iPhone into a Mac with Xcode to see the Developer tab in your iPhone Settings app.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Haiku_Oezu Avatar
9 weeks ago
Looks like the keyword this year was "customization" lol
Can't remember the last time so many news articles on MacRumors involved the word "customize" in one way or the other
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthogag Avatar
9 weeks ago

Why?

I think its phenomenal that variable and automatic ambient was enabled long before announcement, even in the AirPods Pro 1, that brakes, public transit buses and even electric car reverse sounds came through even when I had ANC enabled. Its literary saved my ass while cycling on public roads about 3 times back in fall of 2022.

This is literary a life saving feature ... but I agree having the end user disable it would be nice. choice.

Probably one of THE most underrated announcements at WWDC 2024 is the simple head-tracking gesture of "no" and "yes" to deny or answer calls. It'll be JUST as hilarious to randomly see people in public not having any conversation or stoick voices nodding yes or no lol. Almost as funny as when Ericsson launched the first Bluetooth headsets and walking behind someone using one and thinking they've gone mad talking to themselves before they became publicly more common.

I recall walking 7 blocks behind some dude in a suit having the worst argument with his GF/mistress and finally at a stop sign approach him saying 'man you ok?' and him pointing to this HUGE honker of a headset. Then on the long intercity bus ride seeing him asking what headset was that, and through brief convo let me pair it with my Ericsson T28W. I was hooked on Bluetooth ever since. I think as more gifted programmers use the headtracking API we'll see more intuitive features we'd have wondered what we would've done without them over time.
If you're cycling you probably should hear all the noises. If I am walking or sitting somewhere I would cancel squealing brakes, loud diesel buses, EV low-speed beeping,...if I could. Give me a list I can check-off and AirPods Pro can target these noises.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SDJim Avatar
9 weeks ago
I'm actually really excited about this. Conversation Awareness sucks because it triggers anytime I start singing along, but I need to be able to at least notice if someone is calling my name from the house while doing yard work. Adaptive often seems to let in too much noise as it is, so I welcome this ability!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)