Apple in July 2021 began offering beta firmware for the AirPods Pro, with the software available for Apple Developer program members.

AirPods Pro Beta Firmware
‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware betas are limited to developers and are quite tricky to install, with an installation guide available below.

Note: Installing the firmware in an unauthorized way can put the ‌AirPods Pro‌ into an unusable state that necessitates an out-of-warranty repair, so non-developers should not attempt to install the software.

Install the AirPods Pro Firmware Profile on iPhone

  1. On your iPhone, go to the Apple Developer website, log in, and navigate to the downloads section.
  2. Tap on the carrot in the upper right corner and then tap on "More."
  3. Scroll down to "‌AirPods Pro‌ beta" and tap on "View Details."
  4. Tap on the iOSAirPodsProSeed.mobileconfig configuration profile.
  5. Tap on "Allow" to install it, and select the ‌iPhone‌. airpods firmware configuration profile
  6. Open up the Settings app and tap on "Profile Downloaded," then tap on "Install" and enter your passcode.
  7. Tap on "Install" again then tap on "Done."

Connect AirPods Pro to iPhone

  1. With the ‌AirPods Pro‌ near the ‌iPhone‌, open up the ‌AirPods Pro‌ case.
  2. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ should pair automatically to the ‌iPhone‌.

Use Xcode to Allow AirPods Pro to Receive Beta Software

  1. Make sure you have the latest beta version of Xcode installed. It can be downloaded from the Apple Developer website.
  2. After installing the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware configuration profile and then connecting the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to the ‌iPhone‌, connect the ‌iPhone‌ to a Mac with the appropriate USB to Lightning cable.
  3. Launch the Xcode beta app. You don't actually need to do anything with the Xcode app beyond opening it up.
  4. On the ‌iPhone‌, open up the Settings app, tap on the Developer section, and choose Pre-Release Beta Firmware.
  5. Locate the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the list of paired devices. airpods pro pre release firmware
  6. Tap to turn on automatic beta software updates for the appropriate ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the list.

Install the Beta Firmware

After tapping to turn on software updates, tap on "Agree" to agree to Apple's Legal Consent form. From there, your ‌AirPods Pro‌ will be ready to receive the firmware.

pre release firmware toggle on
Firmware installation is not automatic and it can take up to 24 hours for the beta firmware to be installed on ‌AirPods Pro‌ after opting in.

To get the firmware to install, Apple says that the AirPods should be connected to the ‌iPhone‌ and then the case hinge should be closed to trigger the update.

You can check to see if your ‌AirPods Pro‌ have been updated with the new firmware by connecting them, tapping into the "Bluetooth" section of the Settings app and tapping on the "i" button. The number under version will let you know which update you have installed.

Removing AirPods Pro Firmware

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Tap on General.
  3. Tap on "Profiles & Device Management."
  4. Tap "‌AirPods Pro‌ Firmware Profile." airpods pro firmware remove
  5. Tap "Remove Profile."

Once you uninstall the profile, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ will not receive new beta software updates, but will continue to have beta software installed until the next release of nonbeta software is available.

AirPods Firmware Warnings

After installing beta firmware on the ‌AirPods Pro‌, there is no way to downgrade to a release version of the firmware.

Apple says that once the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware has been installed, it's important not to put un-updated earbuds into the charging case because they may be updated with the firmware.

As mentioned above, Apple also warns that attempting to install the ‌AirPods Pro‌ firmware in an unauthorized manner could put the AirPods in an unusable state, which would necessitate an out-of-warranty repair.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Top Rated Comments

calys Avatar
calys
27 weeks ago
step 1: don’t.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ytk Avatar
ytk
27 weeks ago
You all seriously gotta try this, I installed this firmware on my AirPods and now I can hear colors!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bazooka-joe Avatar
Bazooka-joe
27 weeks ago
I think I will be giving this a miss
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Biglethal69 Avatar
Biglethal69
27 weeks ago
Macrumors REALLY why would you even post this its for Developers and if you’re a developer you would know how to install it Already so I can’t understand why you would want to give this to the general public and could end up bricking their Airpods. POOR choice of story……. Just my 2 cents.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RunningWarm Avatar
RunningWarm
27 weeks ago
Since developers know where to find documentation and how to install betas, why do so many tech websites, including this one, post articles hyping beta software and glamorizing it?

I get it. It generates traffic. But it’s misleading to the average consumer/reader.

I wonder how many devices out there have been bricked, and how much data has been lost, due to the incessant pushing of beta software.

I see there’s a “Note” in this article. That’s good. Generally, there should be a disclaimer or a warning early on in the article. That warning shouldn’t be buried a few paragraphs down. A lot of websites do that, and include a declaimer deep within the article.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
Tagbert
27 weeks ago

apple using their followers as guinea pigs in the most glaring example. cannot see any reason to install this.
This is not Apple telling end users to install this. This is from the developer documentation and even then it is only relevant to devs who are doing unusual things with AirPods.

And I agree, unless you know that you have a very specific need for this, just don't.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Related Stories

airpods pro black background

How to Find Your AirPods Pro Using the Find My Network in iOS 15

Monday October 11, 2021 9:35 am PDT by
Apple in October 2021 updated the firmware on ‌AirPods Pro‌‌ to enable the wireless earphones to take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ network and allow them to be located through connections with the Apple devices owned by other people. This article explains how to make sure your AirPods Pro have the latest firmware and how to find your AirPods Pro using the Find My Network. Prior to...
Read Full Article
airpods pro black background

iOS 15: How to Get Notified If You Leave Your AirPods Pro Behind

Monday October 11, 2021 9:41 am PDT by
In iOS 15, Apple added separation alerts to the Find My app, which let you know when you leave an AirTag or other Apple device behind. Thanks to an October 2021 firmware update, AirPods Pro now also support separation alerts. This article explains more about how they work and how you can set them up. Called "Notify When Left Behind," the ‌Find My‌ separation alerts in iOS 15 let you know ...
Read Full Article • 90 comments
airpods pro conversation boost

How to Enable Conversation Boost on AirPods Pro

Friday October 8, 2021 3:32 pm PDT by
Apple's AirPods Pro in October 2021 received a software update that adds a Conversation Boost feature to the wireless earphones. This article explains what Conversation Boost does and how to enable it. Designed to help people with mild hearing challenges hear conversations better, the Conversation Boost feature uses the beam-forming microphones on the AirPods Pro to boost the volume of a...
Read Full Article
spatialaudiofeature

How to Listen to Spatial Audio on a MacBook Pro

Monday December 6, 2021 4:28 pm PST by
Spatial audio is a sonic feature exclusive to AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, Beats Fit Pro, and AirPods Max that adds surround sound to Apple's premium audio wearables. By utilizing dynamic head tracking, it brings a theater-like audio experience to the movie or video you're watching, so that it seems as if the sound is coming from all around you. This article explains how to listen to...
Read Full Article
airpodschargingcase

What to Do If You See an 'AirPods Mismatch' Alert

Wednesday September 22, 2021 4:09 pm PDT by
If you have a set of AirPods that accidentally get mixed up with AirPods owned by a friend or family member, you might get an "AirPods Mismatch" error when attempting to connect the AirPods to your iPhone. When using your AirPods, if you see an "AirPods Mismatch alert, Apple recommends that you try to get your AirPod back from the person who you might have gotten your AirPods mixed up with....
Read Full Article
airtag with cup

How to Check Your AirTags Firmware Version

Thursday June 3, 2021 1:30 pm PDT by
Like most Apple products, AirTags are able to be updated with new software over-the-air, with Apple able to push new firmware when required. Apple in June released the first AirTags firmware update with anti-stalking security enhancements that will decrease the intervals in which an AirTag separated from its owner will play a sound. You can see if you have new firmware installed by checking...
Read Full Article • 64 comments
airpods audio switching

How to Stop AirPods From Automatically Switching to Other Devices

Friday April 2, 2021 10:40 am PDT by
Apple in 2020 issued an update for AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and some Beats-branded headphones that allows them to automatically switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac depending on which device you want to listen to. Say you're listening to another device with your ‌AirPods‌ but you want to listen to your ‌iPhone‌ instead. If you start playing music, a podcast, or other...
Read Full Article
Instagram Feature 2

How to Hide Your Instagram Online Status

Wednesday January 12, 2022 9:43 am PST by
Most social media networks and chat platforms these days include a feature that shows when a user was last online or last active on the service, which can be either helpful or a hindrance, depending on your personal or business situation. WhatsApp includes an optional "Last Seen" status for the person you're chatting with in a conversation thread, while Instagram tells you how long it was...
Read Full Article

Popular Stories

airpodsinear 1

AirPods Save Woman's Life With Feature Everyone Should Know

Friday January 21, 2022 2:13 am PST by
Apple's AirPods have been credited with saving a woman's life after a potentially fatal fall, People reports. When a 60-year-old florist in New Jersey tripped and hit her head in her studio, she lost consciousness and awoke heavily bleeding. With nobody around to call for help, she realized she had her AirPods in, and used a "Hey Siri" command to call 911. An operator was able to stay on the ...
Read Full Article
iphone 13 earpods

Apple to Stop Including EarPods With Every iPhone Sold in France From Next Week

Friday January 21, 2022 3:21 am PST by
Apple will no longer include EarPods with every iPhone sold in France, starting on January 24, according to a notice posted by a French carrier (via iGeneration). Apple was previously required to include EarPods in the box with the iPhone due to a French law that required every smartphone sold in the country to come with a "handsfree kit," but the law has now been changed in favor of reducing the ...
Read Full Article • 193 comments
peloton tv workout cardio

Apple Floated as Potential Buyer of Peloton

Friday January 21, 2022 6:11 am PST by
Following months of bleak news about Peloton's "precarious state," including the revelation that it has halted production of its bikes and treadmills, Apple is being floated as a potential buyer of Peloton's troubled fitness business. Yesterday, CNBC reported that Peloton will temporarily stop production of its connected fitness products due to a "significant reduction" in consumer demand, a ...
Read Full Article • 335 comments
Questionable Design Decisions

Apple's Most Questionable Design Decisions in Recent Memory

Sunday January 23, 2022 2:59 am PST by
Apple has always emphasized the depth of thought that goes into the design of its products. In the foreword to Designed by Apple in California, a photo book released by the company in 2016, Jony Ive explains how Apple strives "to define objects that appear effortless" and "so simple, coherent and inevitable that there could be no rational alternative." But every once in a while even Apple...
Read Full Article • 350 comments
Spring 2022 Apple Products Feature

New iPad Air, Macs, and iPhone SE With 5G Likely to Be Announced at Apple Event This Spring

Thursday January 20, 2022 8:32 am PST by
Earlier this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman tweeted that Apple "will be holding a spring event" to announce a new iPhone SE and other hardware. In a recent edition of his newsletter, Gurman said the event is likely to occur in March or April. Gurman did not elaborate on what "other hardware" will be announced at Apple's purported spring event, but rumors suggest at least four products are...
Read Full Article • 80 comments
Upcoming Products 2022 Feature

Gurman: Apple Preparing 'Widest Array of New Hardware Products in Its History' for Fall

Sunday January 23, 2022 10:32 am PST by
Apple is working on a number of new products that are set to launch this fall, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that it will be "the widest array" of new devices that Apple has introduced in its history. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explains that Apple is working on four new iPhones (5G iPhone SE, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max), an updated low-end MacBook Pro,...
Read Full Article • 199 comments
apple watch series 7 aluminum colors yellowbg

Apple Watch Charging Bug Fixed in watchOS 8.4 Release Candidate

Thursday January 20, 2022 4:01 pm PST by
The watchOS 8.4 release candidate that was seeded to developers and beta testers this morning addresses an ongoing bug that could cause some Apple Watch chargers not to work properly with the Apple Watch. Back in December, we reported on a growing number of charging issues that Apple Watch Series 7 owners were facing. Since watchOS 8.3, there have been a number of complaints about...
Read Full Article • 26 comments
safari icon blue banner

macOS Monterey 12.2 and iOS 15.3 Release Candidates Fix Safari Bug That Leaks Browsing Activity

Thursday January 20, 2022 1:30 pm PST by
The macOS Monterey 12.2 and iOS 15.3 release candidates that came out today appear to address a Safari bug that could cause your recent browsing history and details about your identity to be leaked to malicious entities. As shared last week by browser fingerprinting service FingerprintJS, there is an issue with the WebKit implementation of the IndexedDB JavaScript API. Any website that uses...
Read Full Article • 44 comments
apple college discounts

Apple Walks Back UNiDAYS Verification Requirement for U.S. Education Store

Friday January 21, 2022 12:43 pm PST by
Earlier this week, Apple began requiring that customers taking advantage of educational discounts in the United States verify their status as a teacher, student, or school staff member through UNiDAYS. The requirement was a major change as Apple had never asked customers to go through a verification process in the United States before, and now, just three days after verification was added,...
Read Full Article • 218 comments