Apple has refined its guidance on updating the firmware of AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, providing a more detailed step-by-step process on its support page. While the update mechanism remains automatic, the enhanced instructions offer greater clarity and address some common issues users might encounter. This is a significant improvement over the previous, less comprehensive guidance, which often left users unsure if their AirPods were updating correctly. The new instructions, while still relying on an automatic background process, offer more control and assurance to the user, minimizing the frustration of unseen updates.
Unlike other Apple devices like the iPhone or Apple Watch, which allow users to initiate updates manually through settings, AirPods updates occur automatically in the background. This automatic process relies on several preconditions being met. The AirPods must be in their charging case (or connected to the Smart Case for AirPods Max), the charging case itself needs to be connected to power, either through a wired connection or a wireless charging pad, and the AirPods need to be within Bluetooth range of a paired iPhone or iPad. These requirements are essential for the update process to commence, and the new guidelines emphasize their importance, particularly the use of a wired connection for charging.
The updated support page retains the original summary of update conditions but expands upon them with a detailed step-by-step guide. This guide explicitly recommends using a Lightning to USB cable for charging the AirPods case, rather than relying solely on wireless charging, a nuance that may resolve some update failures. Furthermore, it advises waiting at least 30 minutes after placing the AirPods in their charging case for the update to complete. This specific timeframe offers users a tangible benchmark to gauge the progress of the update, even though the process itself remains invisible to the user.
For AirPods and AirPods Pro, the steps involve placing the earbuds in their charging case, connecting the case to a power source using a Lightning to USB cable (wireless charging is also mentioned but a wired connection is preferred), and ensuring the charging case is within Bluetooth range of a paired iPhone or iPad. After these conditions are met, the update should trigger automatically, although there is no visible notification on the connected device. Users are instructed to wait at least 30 minutes to allow the update to complete. This explicit timeframe addresses a common point of confusion regarding update duration, providing users with a more concrete expectation.
The process for updating AirPods Max is similar, albeit simplified due to the absence of a charging case. The headphones need to be connected to their Smart Case and placed near a paired iPhone or iPad. The Smart Case then needs to be connected to power via a Lightning to USB cable. Again, a wired connection is preferred over wireless charging for a more reliable update. As with the AirPods and AirPods Pro, users should wait at least 30 minutes after initiating these steps for the update to complete. No on-screen notification will confirm the update, maintaining the invisible nature of the firmware upgrade process.
Despite the improved guidance, Apple continues to omit any audible or visual cues on connected devices to indicate the successful completion of an AirPods firmware update. This omission can leave users uncertain about the status of the update, necessitating a manual check. To verify the firmware version, users must navigate to the Bluetooth settings on their paired iPhone, iPad, or Mac, locate their AirPods in the list of devices, click the “Info” button, and scroll to the “About” section. This manual verification process remains the only way to definitively confirm a successful firmware update, a potential area for improvement in future AirPods software updates. Ideally, a future update could include a notification feature to inform users when their AirPods firmware has been successfully updated, removing the need for manual verification.
