When my wife and I travel, we usually download some shows and watch them on flights. But when we see these shows, we always have to split a series of airpods. So, one of our ears enjoys the show, while the other is forced to endure the crying baby behind us on a plane. But thank you Apple Audio Sharing Features, we can enjoy the show together while using our own set of air pods.
Audio sharing was introduced in 2024 on iOS 18 and iPads 18. This will pair two pairs of compatible airpods or Beats headphones with one iPhone or iPad. You and one other person can immerse yourself in music, movies, or ted talk without disturbing the people around you.
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Here’s how to share audio with another set of airpods or beat headphones:
How to enjoy music and podcasts together
You can share audio with another headphone by tapping on your own headphone control.
1. There are open music, podcasts, Spotify, or similar apps using AirPod on your ears, and they are connected to your iPhone or iPad.
2. Start playing music and podcasts.
3. Swipe from the top right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
4. Go to the Audio Controls page – by default it is the second Control Center page.
5. Tap the AirPods logo near the bottom of the screen.
6. Tap Share audio.
7. In that case, bring in another pair of AirPods or knock down the headphones near your device. You may need to press the button on the back of the AirPods case to go to pairing mode.
8. Tap Share audio When the device detects other AirPods or Beats headphones.
You can control the volume of both headphones from connected devices.
Each pair of headphones can change their own volume via headphone controls, or the volume of each pair through connected devices. But you can enjoy podcasts and other music together without splitting up the airpods and the people who are in the way around you.
How to watch movies and shows with independent headphones
It’s similar to combining another set of headphones with your device to watch movies and TV series. This is the way.
1. Open Apple TV, Netflix, YouTube, or another streaming app with headphones.
2. Start a movie or show.
3. Swipe from the top right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
4. Go to the Audio Controls page – by default it is the second Control Center page.
5. Tap the AirPods logo near the bottom of the screen.
6. Tap Share audio.
7. In that case, bring in another pair of AirPods or knock down the headphones near your device. You may need to press the button on the back of the AirPods case to go to pairing mode.
8. Tap Share audio When the device detects other AirPods or Beats headphones.
Tapping Shared Audio allows you to connect to another set of headphones, allowing you and others to hear and see something together on the same screen.
Now you and others can watch the video together without disturbing the people around you and without splitting a pair of airpods.
For more information about iOS 18, here are some things you need to know iOS 18.5 iOS 18.4, and iOS 18 cheat sheets. You can also see what you need to know about iOS 26 and how your OS will be able to do in the future. Kill snooze for 9 minutes of alarm.
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