Now that Apple has removed the headphone jack from the latest iPhone, it’s time for the Apple faithful to embrace the future of wireless audio. You’ve decided against bulkier on-ear and over-ear headphone options and opted to buy the company’s first-ever fully wireless earbuds. Awesome! Now you just need to learn how to use them to their full potential.
More: Simple and reliable, Apple’s Airpods are the best fully-wireless earbuds
That’s where we come in. Here are some tips and tricks to help you master your new wireless wonders straight out of the box. These options may well increase with time, so we’ll be updating this piece as new features come on board.
Connecting to your iPhone
The easiest task in getting to know your new AirPods is pairing them with your iPhone or iPad, which is accomplished by opening the charging case near your phone, then tapping the connect button that appears on the screen. That’s it. Seriously.
Connecting to Android phones and other devices
AirPods aren’t just for iPhone users, they’ll work with Android gear and other Bluetooth-enabled devices as well. A small button on the back of the charging case allows you to connect to anything from Android phones to computers — anything that doesn’t work directly with Apple’s W1 chip. Simply open the charging case and press and hold the button until the indicator light between the AirPods begins blinking white, then find the AirPods in the Bluetooth menu of your chosen device.
Battery life info
Information about the battery life of each earbud, as well as how much juice you have left in the charging case, can be immediately displayed by opening the case within a few inches of your phone. Once opened, a battery status menu indicates how much power you’ve got to work with.
Changing the name
To change the name of your AirPods, simply navigate to the Settings menu of your iPhone, then tap into the Bluetooth menu and select your AirPods from the list of devices. Once selected, you can change the name of your headphones by clicking the Name section and editing it.