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

Tuesday December 12, 2023 11:35 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today introduced a new beta firmware update for the original AirPods Pro, AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Max. The new firmware is 6A307, up from the prior 6A300 firmware released in September. The updates are limited to developers at the current time.

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.

Apple does not offer 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 or ‌‌‌‌‌‌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 Roundups: AirPods 5, AirPods Max 2, AirPods Pro 3

Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now), AirPods Max (Buy Now), AirPods Pro (Neutral)

Related Forum: AirPods

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Top Rated Comments

grantishere

37 months ago

Complaints about ANC and Adaptive Audio incoming

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

msackey

37 months ago

Ok, back to some seriousness:

I have noticed what looks to be a few bugs that have to do with battery drain and battery charging. Once in a while, I notice that after one earpod charges to 100%, the other earpod which might be at 80% will stop charging. You'd think that it should level out so that both pods attain the same level of charge.

I also notice that there sometimes is a drastic difference in battery usage between the two. I think it's reasonable to think that there could be a 5% or so difference in battery charge when being used since one pod is doing the supposedly heavily lifting of communicating to the phone (my assumption; I could be wrong). But sometimes I see a difference of maybe 10% or close to 15% or more! That doesn't seem right.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

msackey

37 months ago

Complaints about ANC and Adaptive Audio incoming

WHAT DID YOU SAY? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

I think my ANC is so good it cancels out everything......

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

deebinem

37 months ago

You can check your ‌‌‌AirPods‌‌ or ‌‌‌‌‌‌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."

I'm pretty sure since iOS16 (maybe earlier?) there is now a dedicated AirPods section that appears directly after your profile info in Settings, once the AirPods have been connected, that lists the Firmware without having to dig into General.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bradman83

37 months ago

I can't speak for others but the Bluetooth connection on my 2nd generation AirPods Pros has been really flaky lately, regardless of which device it's connected to. Hopefully part of what Apple is trying to do with these firmware updates is improve reliability. Today it randomly skipped part of a song (like two parts were mushed together) and then stopped entirely. I never have this problem with Apple Music played through speaker or CarPlay.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)