The basic steps to enable noise cancellation

Open the Control Center on your iPhone or iPad by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. Look for the sound icon — it shows a speaker with sound waves. Press and hold that icon to expand the full audio menu. You'll see three noise control options: Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off. Tap Active Noise Cancellation to turn it on.

If you're using a Mac, click the volume icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then hold Option and click the volume slider. The same three noise control options appear. Select Active Noise Cancellation from the list.

On Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom to open Control Center, find the sound icon, and tap it to cycle through the three modes. You may need to tap and hold the icon instead, depending on your watchOS version.

Key Takeaways

  • Active Noise Cancellation is turned on through Control Center on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch — not through the AirPods Pro settings app.
  • You can switch between Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Off by tapping the sound icon in Control Center.
  • A long press on the stem of your AirPods Pro lets you cycle through the same three modes without opening Control Center.
  • Noise cancellation works best when the AirPods fit snugly in your ears — a poor seal reduces how much outside sound is blocked.
  • Battery drains faster with Active Noise Cancellation on, so turning it off when you don't need it extends listening time.

Using the physical button on your AirPods Pro

You don't have to open Control Center every time. Press and hold the stem (the thin part below the earbud) on either AirPod for about two seconds. The AirPods will cycle through Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Off. Keep holding until you reach the mode you want, then release.

This method is faster when you're already wearing the AirPods and want to switch modes without touching your phone. The stem press works the same way on all devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch.

What Active Noise Cancellation actually does

Active Noise Cancellation uses microphones on the AirPods to listen to sounds around you, then plays an inverted sound wave through the speaker to cancel them out. This works best on constant, low-frequency sounds like airplane engines, traffic noise, or air conditioning hum. It's less effective on sudden, high-pitched sounds like a dog barking or someone shouting.

The three modes serve different purposes. Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside sound so you hear only your music or call. Transparency mode lets outside sound through while you listen to audio — useful if you need to hear traffic or someone talking to you. Off disables both features and saves battery.

Why noise cancellation might not work as expected

The most common reason noise cancellation seems weak is a poor fit. The AirPods Pro come with three sizes of silicone tips — small, medium, and large. If the tips don't seal properly in your ear canal, sound leaks in around the edges and the microphones can't cancel it effectively. Try the next size up or down to find the best fit.

Noise cancellation also drains your battery faster than normal listening. If your AirPods are low on power, they may reduce the strength of noise cancellation automatically. Check the battery level in Control Center or on your iPhone's battery widget.

Some audio content works against noise cancellation. If you're listening to music with a lot of high-frequency sounds or sudden changes, the cancellation may seem less noticeable because there's less constant background noise to block.

Checking which mode is currently active

Open Control Center and look at the sound icon. If Active Noise Cancellation is on, the icon will show a filled circle with sound waves. Transparency mode shows an ear icon. Off shows a speaker with a line through it. The label below the icon also tells you which mode is active.

On Apple Watch, the same icons appear in Control Center. On Mac, the menu bar shows which mode is selected when you click the volume icon while holding Option.

Turning off noise cancellation to save battery

If you want to extend your listening time, switch to Off mode instead of Active Noise Cancellation. This disables both noise cancellation and Transparency, which saves the most battery. You'll hear your music or calls at normal volume without any processing.

Transparency mode uses less battery than Active Noise Cancellation but more than Off, so it's a middle ground if you want some awareness of your surroundings without draining power as quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set noise cancellation to turn on automatically?

No, AirPods Pro don't have an automatic mode setting. You choose which mode you want each time you put them on. However, they remember which mode was active when you last used them, so if you always use Active Noise Cancellation, they'll stay in that mode until you change it.

Does noise cancellation work if my AirPods are connected to multiple devices?

Yes, but you control it on whichever device you're currently using. If you switch from your iPhone to your Mac, you'll need to change the mode on the Mac separately. The setting doesn't sync across devices automatically.

Why does noise cancellation sound like it's making a hissing noise?

That hissing is the inverse sound wave the AirPods are playing to cancel background noise. It's normal and usually fades into the background once you start listening to music or a call. If it's very loud, your AirPods may not fit properly — try a different size of silicone tip.

Can I use noise cancellation with phone calls?

Yes. Active Noise Cancellation works during calls and helps the other person hear you more clearly by blocking background noise from your end. Transparency mode also works during calls if you want to hear your surroundings while talking.

What's the difference between noise cancellation and Transparency mode?

Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside sound so you're isolated from your environment. Transparency mode does the opposite — it amplifies outside sound so you can hear conversations and traffic clearly while still listening to audio. Use Transparency when you need awareness of your surroundings.