- EQ controls are coming to AirPods…
- Available now for those using the iOS 27 Developer Beta…
- …which may be worth avoiding, for now
One of the biggest news from Apple’s annual WWDC 2026 event is that AirPods are getting a custom EQ mode with iOS 27. Better late than never, eh Apple?
The general release of iOS 27 is expected to fall in September, around the release of the iPhone 18, and before that we’ll likely see a public beta in July.
However, the Apple Developer Beta for iOS 27 is already available, allowing early adopters to test the EQ tools on any of the top AirPods they choose to use.
We’ll tell you how to enable it below, but you’re probably curious why you’re not already seeing lots of Reddit threads about the tool. Most people haven’t started using it yet, except for one user called NexxFlight. They posted a video with a system audio capture of what the AirPods’ EQ can do with the bass turned up to maximum, using #that power by will.i.am with Justin Bieber to illustrate this point. Interesting…
Mad! from r/airpods
The feature is only available through Developer Beta, a very early version of Apple’s new software, created for app designers so they can familiarize themselves with how it looks and works. This allows them to ensure their apps are ready for updates as soon as iOS 27 is released, but it is generally not recommended for general users.
Developer betas can be buggy and sometimes insecure: developers usually download them to work phones, not their main driver, and if you download them you run the risk of making your phone quite difficult to use. A Reddit comment I read about the developer’s beta put it bluntly: “it’s not for the faint of heart.”
I recommend waiting until the public beta is released before testing the EQ – or, if you manage to do so, twiddling your thumbs until the full release in September, so you know you’re getting a relatively bug-free experience.
More power than we should have? How to get this EQ – but be careful
OK, sure, do you really want to test the EQ? Well, fortunately, we have already written a guide on how to download iOS 27 developer beta, which presents it in nice and simple language.
But that is not enough. Your AirPods will also need to receive the developer beta, and at the time of writing, it’s only available for the AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3, as well as the AirPods 4. Sorry, early adopters of the AirPods Max 2: you’re missing out.
You can do this by going to the AirPods settings in your iPhone’s settings app and using the beta update menu to opt-in to this testing program as well. Again, I can’t help but think that this is more power than we should have allowed, right now.
In addition to introducing a custom EQ, the developer beta also overhauls the AirPods settings menu, which some testers say streamlines things. After seeing Apple’s idea of ”streamlining” things, don’t get your hopes up (yes, the millionth Liquid Glass dig, do I win a prize?).
The EQ-starved AirPods masses are eagerly awaiting the update (and it hasn’t arrived before its time), but once again, there’s a plot hoops to jump through right now. That said, if you’re a real bass player, it’s now possible to push your AirPods to the max. I’m not sure I would (does anyone crank the bass that high and expect anything other than a pumped-up performance?) but here we are.
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