Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Beta Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features

Apple today released new beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The updated firmware has a build number of 7A5220e, and it is available to developers at the current time.

AirPods Pro Beta Firmware
At today's keynote event, Apple introduced several new features that are coming to the AirPods Pro 2 as part of iOS 18, including head gestures, and these features may be included in the firmware update.

With head gestures, users can control Siri on the AirPods Pro with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don't want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. ‌Siri‌ interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.

Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the AirPods Pro to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

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...
Finder Siri Feature

Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini

Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google. For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More

Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.1 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:34 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
Early Black Friday Deals 2

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals

Sunday November 2, 2025 10:04 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 ...
tvOS 26 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 26.1

Monday November 3, 2025 1:07 pm PST by
Apple today released tvOS 26.1, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.1 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models, but Liquid Glass is only available on the second-generation Apple TV 4K or later. tvOS 26 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the ...
apple one  cpqesecbv342 upscaled feature

Apple One Gets New Colorful Logo Following Apple TV Rebrand [Updated]

Monday November 3, 2025 3:22 pm PST by
Apple updated the logo and name for its Apple TV streaming service today, and it looks like Apple One might be next. On the revamped Apple TV website, there's a new, more colorful Apple One logo available. The logo features an Apple icon that's split into six slices, and each slice includes the color that Apple uses for one of the services included in Apple One Premium. Apple One is...
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

Halopend Avatar
18 months ago

It is. I'm wondering the same thing.

I can make a phone call, pull down Control Center, and turn on Voice Isolation while using AirPods Pro. I fail to see how this is anything different than what I can do today.
Apple is moving the processing onto the AirPods themselves on the H2 chips as opposed to the phone.

Not too soon as well since I use my airpods at work on a windows laptop and am constant being told my microphone barely picks me up and seems to enhance the background noise. Looking forward to seeing this in action.

(I've confirmed this info on apple.com which mentions the new voice isolation being done direct on the H2 chip).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djlythium Avatar
18 months ago
Anyone else NOT getting their AirPods to update? Trying to force the update isn’t working. Ideas?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shaquu Avatar
18 months ago
How is this Voice Isolation a new thing? Honestly I feel like it was already there!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xpxp2002 Avatar
18 months ago

How is this Voice Isolation a new thing? Honestly I feel like it was already there!
It is. I'm wondering the same thing.

I can make a phone call, pull down Control Center, and turn on Voice Isolation while using AirPods Pro. I fail to see how this is anything different than what I can do today.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticSoda Avatar
18 months ago
Nodding...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UnbreakableAlex Avatar
18 months ago
AirPods Pro 2 need wind noise cancelation. They are unusable in windy conditions. how do you guys deal with it? My Sony MX4 could eliminate it very well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)