Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max

Apple today provided developers with a new beta firmware update for the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max. The new beta has a version number of 5B5040c.

AirPods Pro Beta Firmware
Apple has been providing beta updates for the AirPods since the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and the firmware is limited to developers who can download it from the Developer Center. Installing the beta requires an iPhone running iOS 16, a Mac running the macOS Ventura beta, Xcode 14, and supported AirPods.

Developers are required to pair the AirPods with an ‌‌iPhone‌‌, connect the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ to a Mac with a Lightning cable, launch Xcode 14 beta on the Mac, navigate to Settings > Developer, and choose Pre-Release Beta Firmware under the AirPods Testing section. Subsequent updates are delivered over the air once the pre-release testing option is enabled.

There is no word on what is included in the beta firmware at this time. The prior version of the AirPods firmware added improvements to Automatic Switching and stability fixes.

Following testing, the software will come to all AirPods and it could potentially see a launch alongside iOS 16.1, which is also in testing.

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
ikea smart home devices

IKEA Debuts 21 HomeKit-Compatible Smart Bulbs, Sensors, and Controls

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered. There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
maxresdefault

In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging

Friday November 7, 2025 1:19 pm PST by
HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time. Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged. Another set of iPhones underwent...
apple watch se 3 always on

Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...

Top Rated Comments

tgwaste Avatar
40 months ago
Automatic Switching is STILL an absolutely utter and horrific tragedy.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
choppsv1 Avatar
40 months ago
Doesn't anyone else think it's ridiculous that apple expects developers to test new software w/o providing any indication of what changed?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Grayburn Avatar
40 months ago

Nope, ANC is one thing Apple got right on the AP2!
They got it right on the very first firmware for the Gen 1 Pro’s but then ****ed it up gradually in every subsequent firmware "upgrade" afterwards.

It’s better in the Gen 2’s then it is in the Gen 1’s but it’s not totally amazing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macmac30 Avatar
40 months ago

Downgrading “old” AirPods ANC so the new feel like a true improvement
Nope, ANC is one thing Apple got right on the AP2!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MaaK Avatar
40 months ago

The main problem of ANC is that it can fully isolate you from the environment.

good if you are busy studying/working in a loud environment, but bad if you are walking across the city and isolate from anything around you.
True, but isn’t that what ANC is all about? If you are walking on a street with full ANC on and get into an accident it‘s kind of your won fault.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whcchief Avatar
40 months ago

Downgrading “old” AirPods ANC so the new feel like a true improvement
Nah they already nerfed them a year or two ago.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)