Control AirPods with the pressure sensor: these useful options are available

You operate the AirPods Pro (2) and the AirPods 3 with the pressure sensor, but you have several options. This is how the earphone controls work!

AirPods with pressure sensor

Apple introduced a new way of operating the AirPods Pro with the pressure sensor. You switch between different listening modes on the earphones by pressing the stems. Switching between songs or pausing audio is also possible via this push control. The second generation of the AirPods Pro and the AirPods 3 adopted the same controls, so you no longer have to use your iPhone for certain functions.

You can press the stems of the AirPods once, twice or three times in quick succession. This allows you to activate various functions, such as the audio or noise control of the AirPods. Apple has set these features by default, but you can change them later. Curious about the actions that are performed when you use the pressure control of the AirPods? These four options are available for the pressure sensor of the AirPods:

• Press once: pause or resume audio, record or reject phone call;
• Press twice: play next song;
• Press three times: play previous song;
• Long press once: Switch listening mode or activate Siri.

Set the pressure sensor on the AirPods

Apple has set these functions by default, but as a user you have the freedom to link other actions to the pressure control. Do you want to adjust the settings? To do this, you must first remove the AirPods Pro (2) or AirPods 3 from the case and put them in your ears. Then use your iPhone or iPad to adjust the settings for the pressure sensor of the AirPods. It goes like this:

The functions you can select depend on the AirPods you have. With the AirPods 3 you can activate Siri with the touch control, with the AirPods Pro (2) it is also possible to adjust the noise control in this way. With the Pro models you can choose between ‘Off’, ‘Transparency’, ‘Adaptive’ and/or ‘Noise reduction’. You can connect multiple types of noise control to each earphone, all you have to do is tap the option in the settings.

AirPods call controls

With the AirPods 3 and the AirPods Pro (2) it is also possible to answer your telephone calls with the pressure sensor. By default, you answer the call by pressing the earphones once, but you can set other functions yourself. You can find these options in the same menu of the AirPods as described above. Under ‘Call controls’ you determine which actions you link to the pressure sensor. You can change ‘Sound on’ and ‘End call’ to ‘Press once’ or ‘Press twice’.

It is advisable to link functions that you often use to the pressure sensor of your AirPods. Do you often sit in a busy space? Then you can activate noise reduction with the pressure sensor on the AirPods Pro, so that annoying ambient noise is blocked. Do you use Siri often? In that case, it is smart to connect Apple’s voice assistant to one of your earphones.

Buy new AirPods

Apple has equipped the AirPods Pro (first and second generation) and the AirPods 3 with the pressure sensor. On other models you have to tap the side of the earphones to control the audio. Are you still looking for new earphones? Apple’s best earphones are currently the AirPods Pro 2, with active noise cancellation, silicone tips and various types of noise control.

Do you think the AirPods Pro 2 are too expensive? The AirPods 3 also have a pressure sensor, with which you activate useful functions. In addition, the earphones do not have silicone attachments, which is an important advantage if you do not like the Pro models. View the best prices of the AirPods 3 and the AirPods Pro 2 in our price comparator, so that you never pay too much for the earphones!