While we wait for Apple to unveil all the new features for iPhones and AirPods in iOS 18, Apple hasn’t stopped pushing out smaller updates to its current software. Last week we got iOS 17.5.1 and this week there’s a new AirPods Pro firmware update.
As usual, we don’t know exactly what the update does, only that it includes “bug fixes and other improvements” and it’s important enough to release two weeks before WWDC. The firmware (version 6F7) is for the 2nd-gen AirPods with either the USB-C or Lightning charging case. Of note, the update breaks convention with the use of an “F” in the version number. Previous iOS 17 updates have been variations of the 6A30 pattern.
The last update for AirPods Pro (6B34) arrived in December and was the fifth in a string of updates following the release of iOS 17. Since then, Apple has released a handful of firmware updates for the 3rd-gen AirPods and AirPods Max but nothing for AirPods Pro in 2024.
There’s no way to manually update your AirPods. You just need to pop them into the charging case, plug it in, and wait for the update to install. It shouldn’t take long, but there’s also no specific way to force the update. To check if your AirPods have the latest firmware, head over to the Settings app, tap General > About > AirPods, and check the firmware version.
Apple will likely announce several new features for AirPods during its WWDC keynote on June 10.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.