The AirPods 4 were so cheap over Black Friday (still are at $99) that a massive chunk of our readership have grabbed a pair. Now I want to help you make the most of them with some key expert tips.
With all the music, podcasts, TV shows and audiobooks you'll be listening to with these, there are five extra features you should use to get the most out of your shiny new Apple earbuds.
Bear in mind that these are all using an iPhone, but will work with both the ANC and non ANC models of the AirPods 4
1. Activate Spatial Audio
It's one of the most important features of the buds, after all. For Apple Music listeners, it enhances your listening experience with a widened soundstage, so that the music sounds like it's coming from all around you. That provides a more immersive experience, with specially designed mixes tailored for the AirPods line.
You can set it up by heading to Settings > Airpods > Personalized Spatial Audio. From there, you can dial in the Spatial Audio settings. You'll also need to turn on Spatial Audio in your Audio settings.
Head to the Apps section of the settings menu, and find Music. Scroll down until you find the Audio section. In the Dolby Atmos section, you'll want to select Automatic. This ensures your music plays in Spatial Audio when applicable. Remember, not every track is Atmos-optimized, so you won't always find the little Atmos logo in your now-playing screen.
2. Activate Lossless listening
Your new AirPods are capable of impressive lossless listening, bringing more detail to the table for enhanced sound quality. There is a slight difference in sound quality, and I think it's worth it. It's also really easy to set up.
WARNING! Before you go ahead and turn on lossless listening, be prepared for a hefty data bill if you don't have loads of gigabytes ready to use.
To find the Lossless audio setting, head to the settings menu, then click on the Apps page on the bottom. From there, navigate to Music, followed by Audio Quality in the Audio menu.
On the next screen, you'll find some options. You can choose to play lossless audio over your mobile data (not recommended if you've not got much data), with Wi-Fi (recommended) and with your downloaded tracks (also recommended, unless you've not got much storage).
After that you'll find the Lossless logo under the progress bar of compatible tracks.
3. Use head gestures to control them
You can control your AirPods with your head. When it's cold, you'll never have to pull them from your pocket, or when you've got your hands full of shopping, you don't have to drop the watermelon to answer an emergency call from your mom.
When someone calls you, shake your head to reject the call, and nod your head to accept it. It's simple and very effective.
To turn it on, head to the Settings menu. Then, select the AirPods option. From there, you can find the Head Gestures menu, where you'll find a toggle switch.
4. Pair them to other devices
Did you know that there's a touch sensitive pairing button on your AirPods 4 case? It's hidden away, but it's there. While pairing with an iPhone is as easy as opening your buds near your case, pairing with other devices requires you to use this "pairing panel." I can't really call it a button, can I?
Tap the front of the case once to check the battery status, and then tap twice to activate pairing mode. Then you can connect them to other devices like any other pair of wireless earbuds.
5. Use them to watch your Apple TV
Watching a movie while you're up late, and don't want to wake the rest of the family? Pop your AirPods 4 in your ears and enjoy the sound without stirring your nearest and dearest.
They connect pretty much automatically, as long as you use the same Apple account on your Apple TV 4K as your iPhone or iPad. You might need to select them in the sound menu in the quick menu on the Apple TV — hit the power button, and there's the "sound" menu, where you can select the earbuds — but it otherwise works seamlessly.
They also play Surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes, where applicable.
More from Tom's Guide
- Spotify Wrapped 2025 is here — Why I crave the stats every year
- Sony 'True RGB' TVs are coming — and they could be an OLED-killer
- Over 4 million users hit with spyware that can turn your browser extensions into malware — how to stay safe
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
