With iOS 27, Apple is introducing a built-in custom equalizer for AirPods, giving users direct control over how their music, podcasts, movies, and calls sound. The update marks a major shift for AirPods, which have long relied on Apple’s Adaptive EQ system with no way for users to manually adjust audio settings.
For years, AirPods users have had to accept Apple’s default sound tuning or rely on limited accessibility settings and app-specific EQ options. That is changing with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
The new feature adds a customizable 3-band EQ directly inside AirPods settings. Users will be able to adjust lows, mids, and highs to create a sound profile that better matches their listening preferences.
Apple says the feature includes an interactive preview, allowing users to hear changes in real time before applying them. There is also a quick option to switch back to the default AirPods sound profile whenever needed.
While a three-band equalizer is simpler than the advanced EQ systems offered by some competing headphones and earbuds, it gives AirPods owners something they have been asking for since the product first launched nearly a decade ago.
The update is especially important because the custom EQ works across the entire operating system rather than inside a single app. Once configured, the audio adjustments apply throughout the listening experience, whether users are streaming music, watching videos, gaming, or taking calls.
Apple currently uses Adaptive EQ to automatically adjust audio output based on ear shape and fit. That feature will remain available, but users who prefer more bass, clearer vocals, or brighter treble will now have the freedom to customize the sound themselves.
The new AirPods EQ feature will be available on devices powered by Apple’s H2 chip. Supported models include AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2.
Some early reports also point to a redesigned AirPods settings interface in iOS 27. The updated layout makes it easier to manage audio preferences and other AirPods controls from a single location.
Beyond the custom EQ, Apple is expanding AirPods capabilities with additional software enhancements in iOS 27. These include improvements to device switching, accessibility features, and deeper Apple Intelligence integration across the ecosystem.
For many users, however, the custom EQ is likely to be the headline feature. It removes one of the biggest limitations of AirPods and brings Apple closer to feature parity with premium earbuds from Sony, Bose, Samsung, and other competitors that have offered customizable sound profiles for years.
