How to download the Apple AirPods firmware update

The latest Apple AirPods update is out now, but downloading it isn’t as straightforward as you may think, especially if you don’t own an iPhone or Mac.

For the uninitiated, AirPods are one of the best wireless headphones you can currently buy. They come in three models: the £179 Airpods 3rd gen, the £249 AirPods Pro 2nd gen, and the £549 over-ear Airpods Max.

All three boast spatial audio (a 3D audio technology that tracks your head movements to deliver surround sound). The AirPods Pro and Max also pack active noise cancellation, among other perks. Best of all, they connect seamlessly with Apple devices out of the box, and can switch between iPhones, iPads and Macbooks automatically.

As convenient as they are for Apple fans, the same doesn’t apply for Android phone owners or Windows users. Nowhere is this issue more apparent than when it comes to updating the headphones.

Here’s what you need to know about the process, whether you’re an iPhone diehard or an Android acolyte.

Apple regularly releases AirPods firmware updates complete with bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements.

If you own the headphones, these updates are critical to ensure they continue to run smoothly.

Unfortunately, the update process is a bit of a mess. Firstly, you can’t manually update the headphones. Instead, it’s an automatic process that happens wirelessly over the internet. This may seem like a blessing at first, but is actually slightly convoluted.

Here’s the important part: to download the firmware update, your AirPods need to be charging and within Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Bizarrely, if you don’t own one of those devices, Apple says that you should book an appointment at an Apple Store or an authorised Apple service provider to get the update. Of course, you could just borrow someone’s iPhone or MacBook instead.

Granted, most AirPods owners probably already have one of those gadgets, so that likely leaves a small subset of affected users. Still, it’s clearly a notable enough issue for Apple to address it on its support page.

It could also impact those users who are still stuck on an old firmware version.

Each AirPods firmware update has its own version number. We’ve listed the latest updates below for each AirPods model.

AirPods Pro (2nd generation): 5E133

AirPods Pro (1st generation): 5E133

AirPods (2nd and 3rd generation): 5E133

AirPods Max: 5E133

AirPods (1st generation): 6.8.8

You can check how up-to-date your AirPods are by using an Apple device. Again, you’re out of luck if you own an Android phone or Windows laptop, unless you can borrow someone’s iPhone, iPad or Macbook. Here’s what you need to do:

On iPhone or iPad

First, make sure that you have the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.

Next, go to Settings > Bluetooth, then tap the Info button next to the name of your AirPods.

Now, scroll down to the About section to find the firmware version.

On Mac

Make sure you have the latest version of MacOS

Press and hold the Option key while choosing Apple menu > System Information.

Click Bluetooth, then look under your AirPods for the firmware version.

On macOS Ventura, you can also choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Bluetooth, then click the Info button next to the name of your AirPods.