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To adjust the built-in AirPods equalizer on an iPhone, connect and wear a supported pair, then open Settings > [your AirPods name] > Audio & Routing > Equalizer > Custom. Adjust the Low, Mid, and High sliders. Choose Recommended to restore Apple’s default profile.
Adjust the AirPods EQ on your iPhone
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Connect your AirPods to the iPhone and put them in your ears.
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Open Settings and tap your AirPods name near the top of the screen. The AirPods settings appear when the pair is connected.
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Tap Audio & Routing > Equalizer > Custom.
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Move the Low, Mid, and High sliders up or down until the sound suits you. The three controls adjust broad frequency ranges rather than individual songs or instruments.
#1 Best Overall
Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- PERSONALIZED SPATIAL AUDIO — Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience for music, TV shows, movies, games, and more.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — AirPods 4 feature the Apple-designed H2 chip. Voice Isolation improves the quality of phone calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
- LONG BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge. And get up to 30 hours of total listening time using the case.*
Apple says custom EQ settings are stored on supported AirPods and carry over when you use them with other paired devices. See Apple’s AirPods User Guide.
Restore the recommended sound profile
Return to Settings > [your AirPods name] > Audio & Routing > Equalizer, then select Recommended. This turns off your custom EQ and restores Apple’s recommended profile.
Rank #2
- WORLD’S BEST IN-EAR ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — Removes up to 2x more unwanted noise than AirPods Pro 2* so you can stay fully immersed in the moment.*
- BREAKTHROUGH AUDIO PERFORMANCE — Experience breathtaking, three-dimensional audio with AirPods Pro 3. A new acoustic architecture delivers transformed bass, detailed clarity so you can hear every instrument, and stunningly vivid vocals.
- HEART RATE SENSING — Built-in heart rate sensing lets you track your heart rate and calories burned for up to 50 different workout types.* With iPhone, you will have access to the Move ring, step count, and the new Workout Buddy,* powered by Apple Intelligence.*
- LIVE TRANSLATION — Communicate across language barriers using Live Translation,* enabled by Apple Intelligence.*
- EXTENDED BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 8 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge. Or up to 10 hours in Transparency using the Hearing Aid feature.*
Check whether your AirPods support Custom EQ
Apple lists these compatible models:
- AirPods 4 or later
- AirPods Pro 2 or later
- AirPods Max 2
The feature is not available on every AirPods generation; Apple’s compatibility list does not include the original AirPods Max. If you do not see Equalizer in the connected AirPods settings, check your model against Apple’s compatibility and setup information.
How AirPods EQ differs from Music EQ and Headphone Accommodations
AirPods Custom EQ
This is the Low, Mid, and High control in the settings for supported AirPods. It is associated with the AirPods rather than being a general iPhone equalizer for all Bluetooth headphones.
Rank #3
- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation help reduce outside noise before it reaches your ears, so you can immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.*
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — The powerful H2 chip comes to AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio seamlessly blends ANC and Transparency mode — which lets you comfortably hear and interact with the world around you exactly as it sounds — to provide the best listening experience in any environment.* And when you’re speaking with someone nearby, Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — Voice Isolation improves the quality of calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
Music EQ
Music EQ is a separate playback setting for Apple Music. Changing it is not the same as changing the AirPods’ Custom EQ, and it does not provide the AirPods-specific three-slider control. Apple’s Headphone Accommodations setup instructions treat the two settings separately.
Headphone Accommodations
For hearing-oriented adjustments, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations. Apple describes this feature as a way to amplify soft sounds and adjust certain frequencies. It is separate from AirPods Custom EQ; Apple’s setup flow asks users to set Music EQ to Off and AirPods Equalizer to Recommended before starting its custom hearing setup. See Apple’s Headphone Accommodations guide.
Rank #4
- Automatically on, automatically connected
- Easy setup for all your Apple devices
- Quick access to Siri by saying “Hey Siri”
- Double-tap to play or skip forward
- New Apple H1 headphone chip delivers faster wireless connection to your devices
Apple’s documentation describes the AirPods control as a three-band equalizer for personalizing the sound signature on supported models. Menu names and compatibility may change with later software releases; the guidance here reflects Apple’s documentation reviewed on October 7, 2026.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside noise, so you can immerse yourself in music
- Transparency mode for hearing and interacting with the world around you
- Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you
- Adaptive EQ automatically tunes music to your ears
- Three sizes of soft, tapered silicone tips for a customizable fit
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