AirPods Custom EQ: Everything You Need to Know About the iOS 27 Update

Nearly ten years after AirPods debuted, Apple is putting users in charge of the sound. At WWDC 2026, the company announced that iOS 27 will include a customizable equalizer for AirPods — one of the most requested features in the product's history . For the first time, you won't be stuck with Apple's default tuning or forced to rely solely on the automatic Adaptive EQ. Instead, a new manual control panel inside the AirPods settings will let you shape the audio profile exactly the way you want .

The feature arrived in the first iOS 27 developer beta alongside a new AirPods firmware update (build 9A5292e), giving us an early look at how it works .

What the custom EQ actually does

Apple's existing Adaptive EQ is invisible — it listens to your environment and adjusts the sound profile on the fly, but you never see a slider or make a choice. The new Custom EQ flips that model. It gives you direct, manual control over three frequency bands:

• Highs (treble): Bring vocals and cymbals forward for more clarity.
• Mids: Shape the body of guitars, pianos, and most instruments.
• Lows (bass): Add thump or dial back boominess to your preference .

The interface shows a frequency graph with a real-time waveform that moves as your music plays, so you can hear and see the effect of your adjustments instantly . When you tap into the "Custom" setting, a draggable blue line appears over the graph, letting you boost or cut specific ranges .

Crucially, this is a system-wide EQ. It applies to everything you hear through your AirPods — Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, podcasts — unlike per-app equalizer tools that work only inside a single streaming service . The profile is linked to the AirPods hardware itself, meaning your custom tuning follows you across iPhone, iPad, and Mac .

Which AirPods models are supported?

The first beta supports three models: AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3 . Engadget reports that the public release will also include AirPods Max 2, noting that all supported models use Apple's H2 audio chip . However, Apple's own release notes confirm a known issue in the current beta: AirPods Max 2 cannot update to the beta firmware in iOS 27 Beta 1, with support planned for Beta 2 .

Apple has not yet published a complete compatibility list for the final public release this fall .

Who can try it now — and how to install it

Right now, the custom EQ beta is a developer-only preview. It is not available through Apple's public Beta Software Program .

To test it, you need two things installed simultaneously:

1. iOS 27 developer beta on your iPhone (build 24A5355q, released June 8, 2026) .
2. AirPods beta firmware (build 9A5292e) installed on your AirPods .

Installing the firmware has become much easier compared to the old days. Before iOS 26, putting beta firmware on AirPods required a Mac with Xcode — a convoluted process that kept most users away . Now, when your AirPods are connected to an iPhone running the beta OS, you simply open Settings → [your AirPods] → AirPods Beta Updates and toggle it on . The firmware then installs automatically over the coming hours while your AirPods are charging near the iPhone .

How iOS 26 built the foundation for this

This streamlined beta experience is a direct result of what Apple started at WWDC 2025. With iOS 26, Apple launched the first dedicated AirPods beta firmware channel, releasing beta firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 alongside the iOS 26 developer beta .

That program introduced two lasting changes:

• A simplified installation flow inside Settings that removed the Xcode requirement .
• A predictable beta-to-release pipeline — developers test features early in the summer, and Apple ships them to all users in the fall update. During the iOS 26 cycle, this pipeline was used to preview AirPods Live Translation ahead of its public debut in iOS 26.2 .

iOS 27's custom EQ beta follows the exact same pattern. The infrastructure Apple built last year is what made it possible to ship a new AirPods firmware update on day one of the iOS 27 beta .

The bigger WWDC 2026 picture

While custom EQ is a highlight for AirPods users, Apple's keynote was dominated by a much larger story: the reinvention of Siri. The company unveiled Siri AI, a conversational assistant with screen awareness that can dig through your messages, emails, and photos to answer questions . It's the centerpiece of the next Apple Intelligence generation .

Other notable audio and fitness announcements include:

• AirPods Pro 3 biometrics: An upgraded GymKit protocol will let AirPods Pro 3 sync real-time heart rate data directly from the earbuds to compatible gym equipment .
• visionOS 27: Gains Spatial Scene Generation capabilities .
• Platform refreshes: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 "Golden Gate" all receive Liquid Glass visual design tweaks, expanded Screen Time and child-safety features, and deeper Apple Intelligence hooks .

Notably, the WWDC 2026 keynote featured no new hardware product launches — it was an all-software show .

For AirPods owners, the takeaway is clear: after a decade of waiting, manual audio control is finally arriving. Developers can start testing it now, and everyone else should expect it this fall alongside the public iOS 27 release.