How to use iOS 11’s New Track Controls in your AirPods
AirPods put a little AI inside your ears
AirPod users are in for a new feature once they install iOS 11 — better music controls when they tap their Earbuds. Here is what is coming and how to use it:
At the moment the default setting means that double-tapping one of the earbuds activates Siri, which you can then use for music playback control. Otherwise you can set this to Play/Pause your music.
iOS 11 improves this. Now you can assign different controls to both earbuds. A double tap on your right earbud can activate Siri, while the same double tap on the left can activate another function. (Or the other way round if you like).
How it Works
Set up is so simple. Just open Bluetooth Settings on your iPhone while your AirPods are connected.
- Look for the AirPods in the list of Bluetooth devices and tap the encircled blue i icon beside their name
- In the “Double-Tap on AirPod” section you must set what you want the taps to accomplish on each of your right and left buds.
- Choose between: Siri, Play/Pause, Next Track, Previous, Off.
This way you can play and pause taps with a double-click on one earbud, while interrogating Siri with the other, or any combination thereof.
It is a shame we still can’t get the same level of functionality from AirPods as we can from this jailbreak app, which provides so many more gesture controls. Why can’t a double tap on one set followed by a single tap on the opposite bud perform additional actions?
Now take a look at some of the accessories you can get for these things.
