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
Related Forums: AirPods, iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...

Top Rated Comments

anthogag Avatar
14 months 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
14 months 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)
anthogag Avatar
14 months 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: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
techyOS Avatar
14 months 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
14 months 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)
SDJim Avatar
14 months 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)