How to update AirPods firmware

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Your AirPods are great for music and phone calls, but sometimes Apple needs to push updates to improve them. That’s where firmware updates come in.

Apple pushes updates for a variety of reasons. That includes new features, bug fixes, and more. But how do you trigger the update?

The simple answer is that you can’t manually update your AirPods or AirPods Pro, no matter which version you own. It’s not a question of compatibility but one of trust. Trust between Apple and, well, anyone.

Apple does have a manual update tool for AirPods Pro firmware, but it’s internal only, so only Apple-approved technicians can access it.

READ MORE: How to check your AirPods battery level

But all hope is not lost. Some users have found a trick that they claim helps spur updates. If you’re not an Apple-approved technician, here’s how you can try to update your AirPods’ firmware.

How to (possibly) speed up your AirPods firmware update

While there is no official way to speed up the updating process, some users have reported success using the following method.

Remove your AirPods from their case and connect them to your iPhone

Put them back into the case, then plug the case into a charging cable

Now plug your iPhone into its charger

From there, you’ll just need to wait. Admittedly, we don’t have high hopes for this method, but it is worth trying.

READ MORE: AirPods microphone not working? Here’s how to fix it

The only thing you really can do to trigger a firmware update on your AirPods is to wait. Can we suggest some meditation podcasts on Apple Music while you wait?

They won’t help you get a firmware update, but they’ll teach you how to be okay with waiting, and that’s invaluable.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.