A long-awaited audio feature has finally arrived for select AirPods models: custom equalizer (EQ) settings. Apple has rolled out a firmware update—version 9A350—that brings this enhancement to earbuds and headphones using the H2 chip.
Models, Availability & How the Update Works
The 9A350 update supports the following devices: AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 5 (both standard and wireless-charging case versions), AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning and USB-C), and AirPods Max 2. It’s delivered automatically when your AirPods are charging and near a paired iPhone, iPad or Mac with a Wi-Fi connection. You can check your current firmware via the Settings app on your iPhone.
Custom EQ: What You Get
This upgrade brings three-band custom EQ control—letting users tweak lows, mids, and highs to personalize sound. It’s not a full-scale audio engineering tool, but it’s a huge leap from relying entirely on Apple’s tuning. While adjusting these settings, you can stream a track from Apple Music inside Settings to hear changes in real time.
The new option lives under the “Audio and Routing” menu in the AirPods section of Settings. It’s only available on AirPods equipped with the H2 chip—which includes all the models listed above.
Other iOS 27 Enhancements for AirPods
Alongside custom EQ, iOS 27 delivers several other AirPods-related upgrades. The Settings interface has been revamped: menus like Hearing Health, Find My, and Live Translation now have their own dedicated sections. There’s also an Adaptive Audio slider for finer tuning, broader support for GymKit (no longer limited to Apple Watch), Precision Finding for AirPods Pro 3 via the Apple Watch, and enhanced Siri capabilities when connected to a compatible iPhone.
Custom EQ is undoubtedly the standout. It’s not the most complex audio system out there—but for casual users in search of even modest tweaks to their sound profile, it fills a gap that’s been noticeably missing.
