There's a killer AirPods feature on the loose, and enabling it makes talking to people while wearing your AirPods so much easier. Here's what you need to know about Conversation Awareness on AirPods Pro (2nd Generation).

Apple released a new firmware update for AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with iOS 17, adding a host of new features to the earbuds. Out of these, Conversation Awareness is a complete game changer, as it practically eliminates the need to pause playback manually as you engage with someone while listening to a podcast, an audiobook, or your favorite music track.

What Is Conversation Awareness?

Conversation Awareness works in tandem with Adaptive Audio, a smart sound mode on AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) that automatically switches between noise cancelation and transparency mode based on the ambient noise in your environment. When you enable these features together, AirPods not only lower the media volume but also enhance any additional background noise.

Mixing Conversation Awareness With Adaptive Audio Gives the Best Results

Suppose you're sitting at your desk, listening to your favorite music artist on AirPods, minding your own business, and someone enters the room. Ordinarily, you would take your AirPods off or use the force sensor to pause the music, but Conversation Awareness changes that. The moment you start speaking, your AirPods lower the volume. If you just say a word like "Yes," it will only decrease the volume ever so slightly. However, once you start replying in sentences, the playback diminishes to a fraction of the original volume setting.

If you enable Adaptive Audio with Conversation Awareness, your AirPods switch to Transparency Mode, so you can hear the other person better. Interestingly, there's a clear difference in the other person's voice in the regular Transparency Mode and Adaptive Audio mode. The latter boosts vocals, making it easier to figure out what they're saying over the hint of audio playback in the background, while the former increases the overall noise.

How to Enable Conversation Awareness on Your AirPods Pro

Before we proceed with the steps required to enable the miraculous feature that helps you talk to people without taking your AirPods off or adjusting the volume, you should ensure that the device has the latest firmware, 6A301. To learn about checking the current firmware version and updating it, check our guide on how to update your AirPods' firmware. Once you're through with the update, here's what you need to do to get the best listening experience from your AirPods.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Tap your AirPods' name.

Under Noise Control, select Adaptive Audio.

In Audio, enable Conversation Awareness.

Other New AirPods Pro Features

With Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio, Apple has also added Personalized Volume, a feature that dynamically adjusts the media volume per your environment and listening preferences. However, since the feature is based on machine learning, you have to give it some time to analyze your listening style and volume levels and cross-reference the data with the noise levels in your environment.

In addition, Apple has improved Automatic Switching, so the AirPods take less time to switch from one device to another. This feature comes in handy, especially when you're playing media through your MacBook or iPad, and you get a call on your iPhone when the AirPods switch to help you answer the call. Speaking of calls, you can also use the new mute/unmute gesture during calls by pressing your AirPods's stem once.