How to Use AirPods Controls: Tap, Press and Swipe

By Suraj Giri, reviewed by Suraj Giri on September 26, 2026
Published September 26, 2026. 5 min read.

To skip a song on AirPods 4, double-press the stem; triple-press to go back. The same presses skip tracks on AirPods 3, AirPods 5 and every AirPods Pro, and on models with noise cancelling a press and hold on the stem also switches listening modes, as explained in What Is Noise Cancelling and How Does It Work on Earbuds.

If nothing happens when you press, check that your AirPods are connected first. How to Connect and Pair AirPods With Any Device covers every device.

Hand holding a single white earbud between thumb and finger in soft window light — Learning the controls starts with the earbud in your hand. Illustration: Gadget247News, generated with Runway

AirPods Controls by Model

AirPods 1 and 2 use a double-tap, AirPods Max use the Digital Crown, and every other model uses presses on the stem. The table shows the control for each action, model by model:

Model	Play or pause	Next track	Previous track	Answer a call	Volume	Listening mode
AirPods 1 and 2	Double-tap, if set	Double-tap, if set	Double-tap, if set	Double-tap	Your device (no AirPods control listed)	None
AirPods 3, AirPods 4 (both models), AirPods 5	Press the stem	Double-press	Triple-press	Press	Siri or your device	Press and hold (AirPods 4 (ANC), AirPods 5)
AirPods Pro 1	Press the stem	Double-press	Triple-press	Press	Siri or your device	Press and hold
AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case	Press the stem	Double-press	Triple-press	Press	Swipe up or down on the stem	Press and hold
AirPods Max 1 and 2	Press the Digital Crown	Double-click the Digital Crown	Triple-click the Digital Crown	Press the Digital Crown	Turn the Digital Crown	Press the listening mode button

On AirPods 1 and 2, each AirPod does one job when you double-tap it: Siri, play and pause, next track or previous track, chosen in Settings. Apple's controls page says a double-tap plays audio or skips forward on AirPods 2 and activates Siri on AirPods 1.

How to Answer or Decline a Call

Press the stem once to answer a call on AirPods 3, AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro, and double-press it to decline. On AirPods 1 and 2, double-tap to answer and decline with the controls on your iPhone. On AirPods Max, press the Digital Crown to answer and double-click it to decline. During a call, one press mutes or unmutes you and a double-press ends the call; Settings lets you swap the two under Mute & Unmute or End Call.

How to Change the Volume

Swipe up or down on the stem to change the volume on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case. Apple's method: press the bud into your ear with your index finger, rest your thumb on the stem, then swipe with your index or middle finger. On AirPods Max, turn the Digital Crown. On AirPods 3, AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 1, say "Hey Siri," then "Turn up the volume," or drag the volume slider in your app, on the Lock Screen or in Control Center.

How to Switch Noise Cancelling and Transparency

Press and hold the stem until a chime plays. This works on AirPods 4 (ANC), AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro. By default, the hold switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. In Settings you can pick two or three modes, including Adaptive Audio on AirPods 4 (ANC), AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. On AirPods Max, press the listening mode button instead.

How to Use Head Gestures

Nod your head up and down to accept a call or reply, and shake it side to side to decline or dismiss. Head gestures respond to Siri announcements, so you answer without your voice or hands. They work on AirPods 4, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2, and only while Announce Calls and Announce Notifications are turned on.

How to Customize AirPods Controls

You customize AirPods controls under Controls & Gestures in the settings for your AirPods:

Wear your AirPods and make sure they're connected to your device.
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap the name of your AirPods near the top of the screen. On a Mac, open System Settings and click your AirPods in the sidebar. If the controls aren't shown, tap or click Controls & Gestures.
Below Press and Hold AirPods, choose Left or Right, then choose the action, such as listening modes or Siri. On AirPods 1 and 2, choose what each AirPod's double-tap does instead.

One AirPod can use Siri while the other changes listening modes. For motor needs, Settings > Accessibility > AirPods adds Press Speed, Press and Hold Duration and, on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, Volume Swipe.

Settings path to customize AirPods controls on iPhone or iPad: Settings, the name of your AirPods, Controls & Gestures, Press and Hold AirPods, then Left or Right and an action. — Where the press-and-hold action for each AirPod lives in iPhone and iPad Settings. Diagram: Gadget247News

How to Check Your Controls Work

Play a song and double-press the stem, or double-click the Digital Crown on AirPods Max: the next track should start. Then press and hold to test the action you chose. If it switches listening modes, you hear a chime.

Why Aren't My AirPods Controls Working?

Check these five things when your AirPods controls don't respond:

Connection: the AirPods aren't connected to your device; the connection guide linked at the top covers every device.
Timing or swipe settings: a double- or triple-press is too slow, or a hold too short, for your settings. Adjust Press Speed and Press and Hold Duration in Settings > Accessibility > AirPods; if swiping does nothing, check that Volume Swipe is on there.
Position: the force sensor is on the stem, not the bud. On AirPods 1 and 2, double-tap at the top of the stem.
Camera Remote: with Press Once chosen, media control gestures are unavailable while a supported camera app is open; with Press and Hold, listening modes and Siri gestures are unavailable instead.
Another device: your AirPods moved to your Mac or iPad; see What Is AirPods Automatic Switching.

Why Is Double Tap Not Working on AirPods?

Double-tap is the control on AirPods 1 and 2 only; newer AirPods and AirPods Pro respond to a press on the stem, not a tap. On AirPods 1 or 2, tap at the top of the stem, then check what that AirPod's double-tap is set to in Settings. On supported models, holding both stems starts Live Translate on AirPods, and a press and hold can turn off Transparency mode on AirPods. A pause when you take one AirPod out is automatic ear detection pausing AirPods, not a control fault. If the controls work but the sound doesn't, see AirPods sound muffled. Apple lists no stem control that switches AirPods off; the power off AirPods steps cover that.

AirPods Controls: Quick Answers

How do you pause AirPods? Press the stem once on AirPods 3, 4 and 5 or AirPods Pro, or press the Digital Crown on AirPods Max; press again to resume. On AirPods 1 and 2, double-tap an AirPod that's set to play and pause. With Automatic Ear Detection on, taking one AirPod out also pauses playback, and taking both out stops it.

Can you skip songs on AirPods with Android? Apple's pages don't say whether the stem presses skip tracks on an Android phone. Its guide for non-Apple devices says you can use AirPods as a Bluetooth headset: "You can't use Siri, but you can listen and talk." That rules out the Siri volume method on Android.