How To Use AirPods 3 Controls (Conversation Boost Missing!)

AirPods 3 Controls

AirPods 3 Controls


Looking to learn how to use AirPods 3 controls? You landed in the right place! Apple has released the 3rd AirPods generation during the Unleashed event. The upgraded Bluetooth earbuds come with a force touch sensor. It allows a whole range of new controls when compared to the AirPods 2.

AirPods 3 Controls

AirPods 3 Force Sensor
There are five controls available on the 3rd AirPods gen. Four of them involve gestures and one requires voice control:

  • Press Once to answer phone calls or play and pause music playback.
  • Press Twice to skip forward and go for the next song in a playlist.
  • Press Thrice (3x) to skip back
  • Press & hold to invoke Siri when you want to perform voice commands.
    Fact: This is different from the AirPods Pro for which the press and hold gesture is used to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode!
  • “Hey Siri” allows you to summon the virtual assistant without touching the AirPods. Continue with your command. Anything like play [song name] or call [contact name] works.

How To Control AirPods 3

how to control airpods 3
To apply the above mentioned gesture taps you have to press the lower part of the left or right AirPod, where the force sensor is located.
The area is highlighted in the image embedded nearby.

AirPods 3 Features Missing

The 3rd AirPods generation have similar features when compared to the AirPods Pro. However, as mentioned above they’re missing:

  • Active Noise Cancellation Not Supported

    This feature uses microphones and speakers to reduce any background and surrounding noise to enhance music playback experience. Unfortunately, it’s not available with the 3rd AirPods generation.

  • Transparency Mode Missing

    Is the opposite of ANC. It allows environmental sounds to be heard naturally. However, this option is not available with the AirPods 3.

  • Conversation Boost Not Available

    Apparently the AirPods 3 lack the hardware (beam-forming microphones) used by the AirPods Pro to provide this important accessibility feature.

    Conversation Boost helps users with mild hearing problems to better listen and understand what the person in front of them is speaking!

    It’s been enabled with the released of the 4A400 AirPods firmware version!

Are you owning the AirPods 3rd gen? Do you intend to buy them? Do you have any questions about them? Use the comments section and share your feedback!

Related: For the complete AirPods 3 features and specs please read our extended review.