Apple teased a bunch of new AirPods features for iOS 26 at WWDC25. Some of the most exciting features include the ability to record studio-quality audio on AirPods Pro and Max or use the squeeze gesture to control your iPhone’s camera. However, Apple left out many other things during the keynote, like improved call quality, camera remote control, automatic CarPlay switching, and sleep detection with auto-pause. Here’s a peek at all these and more!
New AirPods Features Coming to iOS 26
1. Improved Call Quality
iOS 26 brings new advanced noise cancellation algorithms to AirPods. They can now isolate voices more effectively during cellular or FaceTime calls. This should result in clear audio, even in noisy environments like busy cafes or crowded streets. Apart from working across native apps on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, this feature will also be available for all third-party CallKit-enabled apps. For example, Zoom and Webex.
2. Camera Remote Control
AirPods will now double as a remote shutter for your iPhone’s camera. With a simple Siri voice command or a custom tap gesture, you can now snap photos or start/stop video recording hands-free. This feature is perfect for AirPods users who want to snap photos from a distance without needing extra accessories.
The default gesture requires you to press and hold or squeeze the stem to capture photos or start/stop recording. However, if you dislike the current implementation, you can easily change the gesture to a single tap or turn the feature off from Settings > Your AirPods > Camera Remote on your iPhone.
3. Automatic CarPlay Switching
Automatic CarPlay switching is one of the smallest yet pretty useful AirPods features available in iOS 26, that can be useful when you’re about to start driving. AirPods can now automatically switch to CarPlay when you enter your vehicle, routing navigation prompts, calls, or music through your car’s speakers.
4. Easier Beta Firmware Updates
Apple is streamlining the process of installing AirPods beta firmware updates with iOS 26. Users enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program can now access a dedicated AirPods update section in the Settings app. This makes it easier to manually install and test the latest firmware. With this option, you no longer have to wait for the beta updates to install automatically without any clear sign of when it might happen.
5. Studio-Quality Audio Recording
With iOS 26, Apple is introducing the ability to record studio-quality audio recording on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max models. This feature allows podcasters, music producers, and content creators to capture high-fidelity audio directly through their AirPods without needing external microphones. Moreover, this feature will also allow you to use Voice Isolation to get rid of unwanted frequencies in your recordings.
6. Sleep Detection with Auto-Pause
AirPods get a sleep detection feature with iOS 26 that can automatically pause playback whenever you fall asleep while listening to music or podcasts. You can toggle sleep detection on or off by tapping the new Pause Media When Falling Asleep option located under Settings > Your AirPods on your iPhone.
7. Low Battery & Charging Reminders
Have you ever been in a situation where you need to go out or take calls, only to find that your AirPods aren’t charged? iOS 26 fixes this issue with low-battery reminders. You now get alerts reminding you to charge your AirPods when they’re running low on battery. These alerts can be customized to appear on your iPhone or Apple Watch. It’s a nice addition to the low-battery audio cue that plays on your earbuds.