WWDC 2026: Apple Announces Custom EQ Feature for AirPods With iOS 27 Update

Highlights

• Apple previews a real-time audio adjustment graph
• Users can customise AirPods sound directly in settings
• Apple has not confirmed support for third-party devices

Apple revealed that it is bringing custom equaliser controls to AirPods with iOS 27, adding a feature that users have long requested. The announcement was made at WWDC 2026 as part of a wider set of software updates across Apple's platforms. The new audio controls will allow listeners to adjust the sound profile of their earbuds directly through system settings. The addition marks a notable change for AirPods, which have traditionally relied on fixed tuning and a limited set of audio customisation tools available through accessibility and music settings.

Apple Expands AirPods Audio Settings With Custom Equaliser

The Cupertino-based tech giant confirmed on Monday that AirPods users will gain access to a dedicated custom EQ feature through iOS 27 later this year. The company said the feature will give users greater control over how audio is reproduced through their AirPods. Apple also announced that developer testing of the new software starts immediately, while a public beta is set to arrive next month ahead of the wider release planned for later this year.

Images shown during the WWDC 2026 presentation suggest users will be able to adjust different frequency ranges through a dedicated EQ interface. Apple also previewed a visual graph that appears to update in real time as audio settings are changed. The addition addresses a long-standing limitation for AirPods users. Until now, audio adjustments were largely restricted to Headphone Accommodations and preset EQ options within Apple Music, neither of which offered the same level of direct control over sound output.

Based on the preview, Apple appears to be taking a relatively simple approach to the feature. The controls shown during the event focus on broader sound adjustments, rather than the detailed frequency editing found in some competing audio apps. The company has yet to reveal whether users will be able to save multiple sound profiles.

The new controls are expected to let listeners shape the audio experience to better suit their preferences. Depending on the adjustments made, users could place greater emphasis on bass, vocals, or other elements of the sound signature. The feature joins Apple's existing suite of AirPods audio technologies, which already includes Adaptive Audio, Personalised Spatial Audio, and Conversation Awareness on supported models.

Apple has not said whether the custom EQ settings will also work with third-party Bluetooth headphones and earbuds. Additional details are likely to emerge as developers and public beta testers gain access to the software in the coming weeks.

The custom EQ feature was announced alongside several other software improvements unveiled at WWDC 2026, including updates to Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, parental controls, Screen Time, and interface customisation tools across Apple's ecosystem.