Here’s How to Bring Back the Power Button for AirPods Noise Canceling
If you can’t figure out how to turn off noise cancellation on AirPods Pro or AirPods 4 with ANC, you’re not alone. After the iOS 18 update, many Reddit users noticed that the button to turn off noise reduction was no longer visible to them. Neither in the Control Center nor in Settings.
As Spencer Daly reported in his Key Discussions blog, users experiencing this issue can still see controls for Active Noise Canceling mode, Transparency mode, and a new Adaptive Sound mode that combines the two aforementioned modes to control noise levels depending on the environment. . But the “Turn off” button was missing, as I was convinced of myself by taking the screenshot below. Those affected can’t even turn off noise cancellation or transparency mode by pressing and holding the feet of their AirPods (simply switching between them instead).
This is a big problem. While Transparency Mode and Noise Canceling are certainly useful, either for staying aware of what’s going on or for disconnecting from your surroundings, they also drain your battery. But all is not lost for those who want to use headphones every minute. There’s an easy way to bring back the Power Off button, and in typical Apple fashion, it’s hidden in the Settings app.
How to Restore the Power Button for Noise Canceling on AirPods Pro
First, connect your AirPods Pro or AirPods 4 with ANC to your iPhone. Then tap AirPods at the top of the Settings app, scroll all the way down, and turn on the Turn off Listening Mode feature. You will now see a confirmation window to reduce the volume. Here, Apple suggests you use one of the noise reduction modes to reduce the impact of loud sounds. Just click the ” OK ” button.
Now, when you scroll up to the AirPods settings page, you will again see four modes, including the Power off button. The Power Off button should now be available in both the Press and Hold AirPods menu and Control Center.
But if you’re using iOS 18.1 or later, this may not be the end of the story for you. Even with your new Power Off button, Apple may continue to switch to Transparency as the default mode instead of turning off noise cancellation every time you insert your AirPods. This is due to the new hearing protection features that Apple introduced in the iOS 18.1 update.
Here again there is an obscure settings item for disabling the loud noise protection function. Once your AirPods are connected, go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods & Beats and tap the Turn off Loud Noise Canceling option.
Now, when you set the AirPods noise canceling mode to Off, it will stay off no matter what. The trade-off, however, is that your AirPods will no longer automatically block out loud sounds. However, according to Apple , the AirPods Pro last for 4.5 hours with noise canceling turned on, but they can last up to 5 hours if you don’t use the noise canceling or transparency features. The trade-off may be worth it.