Starting with iOS 13, two people, each with their own set of AirPods, can listen to audio at the same time. This is useful for listening to music or when watching a movie. This is how Audio Sharing works in iOS 13.
AirPods Audio Sharing in iOS 13
A small but useful addition to iOS 13 is the ability to listen to the same audio with two pairs of AirPods. This is useful if you have the same taste in music, or, for example, watch a movie on the iPad on public transport. The feature is officially called ‘Audio Sharing’ and that’s how it works.
Here’s how Audio Sharing works in iOS 13:
- Connect the second set of AirPods to the iPhone as usual. Check our article about connecting AirPods for a detailed explanation;
- Open the app where you want to share the sound, such as Netflix or Spotify;
- Open the Control Panel and tap AirPlay;
- Select the two sets of AirPods and you’re done.
You can control the audio settings in pairs. With Audio Sharing, it doesn’t matter whether you have first or second generation AirPods: it works on both versions. Unfortunately, other headsets are not (yet) supported. So you really both need a set of AirPods to listen together.
Once the final version of iOS 13 rolls out, it will be even easier to listen to the same audio together. From September, you only have to keep the two iPhones, to which the AirPods are linked, together. Then the audio settings are transferred without having to connect them manually.
About iOS 13
Pay attention: Connecting two pairs of AirPods to one iPhone or iPad only works in iOS 13. Currently, the first public trial version is available, with the final software rolling out in September. Check out our article on installing the iOS 13 beta for a detailed explanation. iOS 13 is packed with new features including a dark mode, data saver mode and much more.