With the release of Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 26, AirPods are gaining a range of new features. These include gesture controls via head movements, automatic music pausing during sleep, camera triggering, and enhanced audio modes.

Airpods gain new features with iOS 26

One of the key updates coming with iOS 26 is improved control via head gestures. Users can already nod their head to answer calls or respond to notifications. Now, these gestures are becoming more advanced and customizable.

For example, the volume level of the Conversation Awareness feature can now be adjusted using head movements. To take advantage of these enhancements, the “Announce Calls” and “Announce Notifications” settings must be enabled. Another standout feature introduced with the update is the ability to automatically pause music when the user falls asleep.

When listening to music through AirPods, if the user dozes off, the playback can automatically stop. This function is believed to rely on sleep data from the Apple Watch, as AirPods themselves do not have built-in sleep detection sensors.

With iOS 26, AirPods also gain the ability to control the iPhone camera physically. Users can trigger the iPhone’s camera by tapping the stem of the earbuds, essentially turning AirPods into a remote shutter control.

Another new feature is a microphone mode similar to iPhone’s Audio Mix, allowing users to choose sound profiles such as “studio” or “cinematic” while recording audio through the earbuds.