Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2

Apple today introduced a new beta firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, both the USB-C and Lightning versions. The new firmware is version 6E188, up from the prior 6B34 firmware released in December.

airpods pro 2 pink
Apple does not often provide details or notes on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware, so it is unclear what's new. Note that this software is limited to developers at the current time.

There are no clear cut instructions on how to upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌‌AirPods‌‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌ to an iOS device or Mac should force the update.

You can check your ‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ firmware by following these steps:

  • Connect your ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ to your iOS device.
  • Open the Settings app.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap About.
  • Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌.
  • Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."

If we learn more about what's new in the firmware update, we'll update this article.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
macbook pro bb cyber

Apple's M3 MacBook Pro Gets Up to $1,000 Off In Major New Sales, Starting at $1,299 [Updated]

Sunday August 11, 2024 1:54 pm PDT by
Apple's M3 MacBook Pro is seeing multiple high value discounts on Best Buy and Amazon today, with up to $1,000 off select models. This includes a new all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch model exclusively for Best Buy members. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 2 and iOS 18 Beta 6

Monday August 12, 2024 2:32 pm PDT by
Apple is beta testing iOS 18 and the first update to iOS 18 concurrently, and we got the second betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 today alongside the sixth betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia 15. Many of the changes in iOS 18.1 are focused on bringing the .1 betas in line with the standard betas, which recently received updates to Photos and Safari, while...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Thursday August 8, 2024 4:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

Monday August 12, 2024 8:43 am PDT by
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model,...

Top Rated Comments

zorinlynx Avatar
24 weeks ago
What is even the point of making a beta available if they tell us NOTHING about what is changed or fixed in this release? As someone who frequently runs beta software, I'm not going to touch this one because there's *no point*. I don't know what to test or what to look for!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FasterQuieter Avatar
24 weeks ago
Mine lost 90% of their ANC abilities since I bought them. There is only a very slight difference between ANC and transparency now. It would be nice if a software update would fix that.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TracesOfArsenic Avatar
24 weeks ago
Likely an ANC nerf to entice people to buy an upcoming new model.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
24 weeks ago

However, thousands of Amazon reviews do NOT make much reference to any such problem (and there are plenty of Apple people offering reviews too).
It's great that you are having a good experience with those earbuds, and at that price it's certainly worth taking a chance on them. However, according to the analysis of the Amazon product page by Fakespot, most of those thousands of reviews are bogus. So I'd take what is (or is not) written there with a grain of salt.

Here's the link the full analysis:

https://www.fakespot.com/product/wireless-earbuds-2023-wireless-headphones-hifi-stereo-earphones-with-4-enc-noise-canceling-mic-42hs-playtime-in-ear-earbud-bluetooth-5-3-sport-earphones-with-led-power-display-for-android-ios-white

Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boswald Avatar
24 weeks ago
I’m probably in the minority because I actually get excited for APP updates. I’m always shocked when Apple manages to make my favorite earbuds sound even better.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tobybrut Avatar
24 weeks ago

I see no changes to ANC. As poor as it was before.
For those of you having trouble with ANC, are you all sure you’re not in Adaptive mode where ANC is less than half of what it is in pure ANC mode? I have two sets, a Lightning and USB-C version, and both of them have ANC so good they can practically eliminate the sound of leaf blowers right outside my window where the people using them are no more than 15 feet away from me. I’ve never heard ANC so good on any device. I can actually sleep through that awful noise with the APP 2’s in my ears.

I don’t see any point for Adaptive mode, which to me is very close to Transparency mode, which makes me think you’re all using Adaptive mode instead of Noise Cancellation mode. What I’m getting out of ANC seems radically different from what at least three of you are hearing.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)