AirPods are a convenient, albeit somewhat confusing technological innovation that countless users enjoy. They ensure consistent clarity and sound quality that is hard to compete with in the world of headphones. Even still, many new users ask themselves: can you control volume with AirPods?
You can control volume with AirPods if you tap their sides and say “Hey Siri” and make a volume command. Otherwise, you can use the slider bar on the far right of your iPhone’s Control Center to control the volume of your AirPods. Users with AirPod Pros get additional volume control with Force Sensors that can enable Noise Cancellation.
Androids users can control volume with AirPods as well, but they are unable to use Siri. You can also control the volume on your AirPods on your PC if you adjust the volume on your keyboard or home screen. Follow along as we explore how you can control the volume with AirPods no matter which device you are using or the generation you have.
How to Control Volume on AirPods
The easiest way to control the volume on AirPods for most generations is to use the Siri function. You can use Siri to control the volume on all AirPods as long as you’re connected to a Siri-enabled device. First and second-generation AirPods require you to tape the earbuds and say “Hey Siri” before you make a volume command.
Siri will also let you pause and skip songs and videos with your AirPods. Some users don’t want to use Siri to control the volume with AirPods. In that case, you will need to adjust the volume on your phone or connected device. This applies to the first 2 generations of AirPods in particular because it is the only option besides using Siri.
Otherwise, you can easily adjust the volume on your smartphone, PC, tablet, or television to control the volume of your AirPods. The volume bar on a connected device will raise or lower your AirPods volume as long as they are properly paired.
1. Force Sensor AirPods
AirPods have become more convenient than ever with the addition of Apple’s Force Sensor function. Force Sensors have made it easier than ever to control volume with AirPods. However, only the newer generations of AirPods include Force Sensors.
The Apple AirPods Pro feature Force Sensors which were among the biggest innovations of the generation. You can use the Force Sensors on your AirPods Pros to enable or disable the noise cancellation function. This will directly affect your AirPod’s volume and can come in handy if you’re in a loud area.
AirPods Pros come equipped with a Noise Transparency and Noise Cancellation Function. The Noise Transparency mode will let in outside sounds so that you can be aware of your surroundings. Conversely, Noise Cancellation helps increase the volume and uses your AirPods to block outside sounds.
Force Sensors are located at the bottom of your AirPod’s stem. You can manually tap the Force Sensors to skip forward in songs and playlists. Simply tap the Force Sensors twice to skip forwards and tap 3 times to skip backward.
2. Turn Volume up on AirPods Pro
Use Siri to turn the volume up on your AirPods Pro. Much like previous generations, Siri is the easiest and fastest way to control the volume with AirPods. Simply say “Hey Siri” and request to increase or decrease the volume.
The addition of Noise Cancellation and Noise Transparency with AirPods Pros gives you more volume freedom as well. Use the Force Sensors on your AirPods Pro in conjunction with Siri voice commands. Use your phone to control the volume on your AirPods Pro if you are unable to use Siri.
Pull up the Control Center on your iPhone and adjust the volume bar on the far right of the screen. You can also use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to turn the volume up on AirPods Pros. Nothing is as convenient as using Siri, but you can always use the volume control on your connected device if you aren’t using an Apple product.
AirPods Volume Control Without Siri
You can control your AirPods volume without Siri if your AirPods include a Digital Crown. The newer Digital Crown feature is only currently included with the AirPods Max. Granted, the AirPods Max is quite different from traditional AirPods as they go over your ears.
One of their most unique features is the Digital Crown knob that lets you increase and decrease the volume. You can control the volume by moving the knob clockwise or counterclockwise. Push the knob clockwise to raise the volume and counterclockwise to lower it.
There is currently no equivalent of the Digital Crown for older generations of AirPods. The only alternative to Siri besides using the Digital Crown is to control the volume via the connected device. This is the easiest alternative if you are using a phone, but it can be a hassle when using a PC or television.
Control AirPods Volume on PC
You can control your AirPod’s volume on your PC if the two devices are paired. Check to make sure that your PC is connected to your AirPods via the Bluetooth function. Pull up the page for whatever application you are using to stream audio to your AirPods.
Locate the volume bar on the page whether it be a YouTube video or Spotify. Use your mouse or touchscreen to slide the volume bar to your desired volume. You should hear the volume change reflected in the sound that comes out of your AirPods.
If that doesn’t work, then you may need to disconnect the devices and reconnect your PC to your AirPods. Otherwise, you can simply control the volume on your PC with Force Sensors if you have AirPods Pros.
AirPods Volume Control Android
While AirPods is an Apple product, you can use and control them using an Android device. You can control the volume, skip songs, and make phone calls with your AirPods as long as it’s paired with your Android. First, enable the Bluetooth function on your Android phone and open the AirPods case.
Place the AirPods in the case and press the pairing button on the back of it for 5-10 seconds. You will hear a subtle noise when your AirPods pair with your Android device. Put in your AirPods, play a song, and adjust the volume using the bar on the touchscreen or buttons on the side of the phone.
You can control the volume on your Android with AirPods during phone calls in the same way. The only downside to using an Android is that you can’t control the volume using Siri. With that said, you still get impressive and accurate volume control and noise cancellation in most cases by pairing AirPods with an Android.
Can you Control Volume With AirPods Apple Watch?
You can your AirPod’s volume with your Apple Watch. All that you need to do is pull up the Now Playing screen on your Apple Watch. From there, the Digital Crown will appear on the screen and you can use it to control your AirPod’s volume.
You can also control the Noise Cancellation and Noise Transparency functions from there if you have AirPods Pros. This will give you better control over your AirPod’s volume and sound clarity. Alternatively, you can control the volume on your Apple Watch if you enter settings, select Sounds & Haptics, and raise or lower the volume bar.
How to Turn up Volume on AirPods When Connected to a TV
You can easily control your AirPod’s volume when connected to a TV using a lightning cable. Connect your phone or Mac to your TV via a lightning cable and the HDMI port. From there, you can control the volume of your AirPods using Siri, and the volume controls on either device.
You can also pair your AirPods with your Apple TV and control the volume using the remote. Android users can control their AirPod’s volume using the TV’s remote as well. You just need to pair your AirPods with the TV and adjust the volume with the remote accordingly.
Otherwise, you can control the volume using your phone or tablet if you cast a video onto your TV. Phones and devices with screen mirroring capabilities let you cast images on your TV from your phone. In that case, you would simply adjust the volume from the Control Center on your phone or audio settings on your PC or tablet.
So, What’s the Best Way to Control Volume With AirPods?
The best way to control volume with AirPods is to use Siri. You can simply tap your AirPods, say “Hey Siri”, and say to turn the volume up or down. It’s also possible to control the volume with AirPods using the volume slider on your iPhone’s control center.
Android users can control the volume with AirPods via the volume buttons on the side of the phone. Otherwise, you can raise or lower the volume bar on your Android home screen as well. You can use the Noise Transparency and Noise Cancellation function if you have a pair of AirPod Pros.
AirPod Pros come with Force Sensors near the stem of the earbuds that you can use to toggle the Noise Cancellation mode. This won’t give you full volume control, but it will improve the clarity and loudness of your AirPods. PC users can control the volume of their AirPods with the volume controls on their keyboard or settings.