Adaptive Transparency Feature Works for AirPods Max Users in iOS 16.1 Beta

Last week, Apple's third iOS 16.1 beta expanded the Adaptive Transparency feature introduced with the second-generation AirPods Pro to the original AirPods Pro, and several users have now confirmed it works on AirPods Max, too.

airpods max blue image
Owners of Apple's premium over-ear headphones running the latest 5A304a firmware have reported access to the new Adaptive Transparency toggle in the AirPods Max section of the Settings app in both iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 betas.

Unveiled with the debut of AirPods Pro 2, Adaptive Transparency is designed to allow the AirPods to block out loud sounds, such loud speakers at a concert, sirens, construction work, without blocking out all noise.

The feature is confirmed to be working on AirPods Max, even though the description beneath the toggle in Settings still only refers to AirPods Pro, so Apple still needs to update the menu. We're still waiting for confirmation that the feature also works on Beats Fit Pro, which like first-generation AirPods Pro include Apple's H1 chip.

(Thanks, Grady!)

Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

Top Rated Comments

Reason077 Avatar
21 months ago
I really want AirPods Max. Can't wait till they come out with a USB-C version.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
21 months ago
Nice , add feature without additional cost
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alfredo_Delgado Avatar
21 months ago

Same. I want to get them but at this point they have been on the market long enough that a v2 may be around the corner, so I'll wait for that.
That was my strategy for the HomePod. ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
21 months ago

That was my strategy for the HomePod. ?
And what happened there was that Apple introduced a cheaper HomePod with much worse sound quality. I've got both and there's no comparison at all.

I just hope they don't do the same with the AirPods Max.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
21 months ago

I get most of what they are trying to do except sirens. That seems like a safety problem. Also what happens if this blocks out fire alarms too…
That’s not how it works.
It just turns down really loud sounds to make them more safe for your ears, it doesn’t disable them entirely.
Even with noise cancellation on if a fire alarm goes off nearby, you’re still definitely going to hear it.
Noise canceling headphones have Existed for literal decades, why is this only an issue now that Apple is doing it?
It’s the AirTags thing all over again
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TonyC28 Avatar
21 months ago

Was it just me or did Apple act like only the new APP could do this? They didn’t outright say others would be supported.
At the September event they strongly suggested it was dependent on the H2 chip.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Apple Music Messages and Notes Feature 1

iOS 18 Rumored to Add New Features to These 16 Apps on Your iPhone

Tuesday April 30, 2024 10:44 am PDT by
Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, and new features have already been rumored for many apps, including Apple Music, Apple Maps, Calculator, Messages, Notes, Safari, and others. Below, we recap iOS 18 rumors on a per-app basis, based on reports from MacRumors, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and others: Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are...
apple watch ipad demo 1

Check Out This Apple Watch iPad Demo Unit From 2014

Wednesday May 1, 2024 1:46 pm PDT by
With the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch approaching, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at an interesting bit of Apple Watch history. After the Apple Watch was announced in 2014, and before it became available in 2015, Apple sent out custom Apple Watch iPad demo kiosks to retail stores. The Apple Watch and iPad units used for these devices were specially designed, had custom ...
maxresdefault

Will the New iPad Pro Really Have the M4 Chip?

Wednesday May 1, 2024 8:30 am PDT by
While Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models have been expected to feature the M3 chip for over a year, recent reports have unexpectedly suggested that the new devices will instead feature the as-yet-unannounced M4 chip. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that he now believes there is a "strong possibility" that the upcoming iPad Pro ...
Apple CarPlay Dash

Report Examines GM's Controversial Move to Abandon Apple CarPlay

Wednesday May 1, 2024 4:53 am PDT by
An in-depth Bloomberg report today resurfaced General Motors' decision to replace Apple CarPlay with its own software. Last year, GM announced that it planned to forgo Apple CarPlay in its new electric vehicles, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV. Instead, the automaker introduced a proprietary infotainment platform, aiming to control and customize the digital experience within its...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 hero feature blorange

Kuo: Apple Watch Ultra to Get 'Almost No' Hardware Upgrades This Year

Wednesday May 1, 2024 6:53 am PDT by
Just over six months ago, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the likelihood of a new Apple Watch Ultra being released in 2024 was "decreasing," but it now sounds like there will be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year after all. In a direct message shared with MacRumors today, Kuo said that while the Apple Watch Ultra will be updated this year, the new model will have "almost no"...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...