How to Update AirPods Firmware from an iPhone
To check what firmware version your AirPods are running, and to update AirPods firmware, follow these steps:
Connect your AirPods to your iPhone. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Tap the i icon next to your AirPods. Scroll down to the About section. The Version line tells you what version of the AirPods firmware you’re using. (For earlier models or earlier versions of the iOS, you may need to tap on the name of your AirPods and then look for the Firmware Version line. ) If you think there’s an update available, you can try to force it to be installed. Notice that there’s no button to update AirPods firmware like there is to update the iOS. That’s because Apple doesn’t allow users to perform this update. Instead, AirPods firmware is automatically updated whenever a new version is available.
How to Update AirPods Manually
You can also try to force an update. If an AirPods firmware update is available, it will be installed after you follow the instructions below.
Put your AirPods in their charging case. Connect the charging case to a power source. Make sure that your AirPods and case are physically close to your iPhone.
Do AirPods Need to Be Updated?
Yes, AirPods do need updates. However, unlike the iOS and iPhone, it’s not as easy to update them, and Apple doesn’t release new AirPods firmware versions nearly as often.
Firmware is the software that runs on some gadgets and devices to provide their features and functionality. Think of firmware as being like the operating system for devices like AirPods. In the same way that new versions of the iOS deliver features, bug fixes, and updated functionality to the iPhone, new versions of AirPods firmware do the same thing for Apple’s wireless earbuds.
