Apple has released the 2nd generation AirPods Pro with some great features. For example, this pair of wireless headphones offers excellent noise cancellation. With them, the outside world will not interfere with your audio. However, in some cases, you may want to hear the outside world. In such situations come into playspeech recognition function kicks in.
For those wondering, the Apple AirPods Pro also come with an adaptive audio mode. And it's not the same as speech recognition. Adaptive audio offers you something in between transparency and full ANC mode. As a result, you will be able to hear street noises properly.
But with speech recognition, Apple's AirPods Pro, as the name suggests, are designed to hold conversations while you're wearing the headphones. Let's go into details to give you a better idea.
What is Conversation Awareness in Apple AirPods?
Conversational Awareness in Apple AirPods Pro is a feature that detects when you are talking to someone. Once activated, it changes the sound settings in the headphones, allowing you to better maintain a conversation. This eliminates the need to take off your headphones when you come across someone you'd like to talk to.
When you start speaking out loud, AirPods Pro will recognize your voice and understand that you are trying to communicate with someone. The headphones will then automatically lower playback volume, amplify voices in front of you, and reduce background noise around you.
The Conversation Awareness feature in Apple AirPods works so well that talking with the headphones is better when you're in a noisy environment. And this feature will stay on for the duration of the conversation you're having.As soon as the headphones stop determine the conversation that takes place within a few seconds, the mode turns off.
However, when this feature is enabled on Apple AirPods, you will receive a notification from Siri. This message explains that the speech detection mode has reduced the volume.On basically, it ensures that you don't start to worry thinking that your nathe earphones are broken.
Also, when Conversation Awareness is turned off, it slowly increases the volume. This ensures that you are not suddenly overwhelmed by the sound at full volume.
How to get this feature?
If you have compatible AirPods, you only need to update the firmware to enable Conversation Awareness on AirPods. In general, firmware updates on these headphones are automatic. All you have to do is hold the AirPods within Bluetooth range of your iPad, iPhone, or Mac and place the case on the charger.
On that note, you need to make sure your iPad or iPhone is on iOS 17 or iPadOS 17. And your Mac needs to have macOS Sonoma installed.
How to enable speech recognition on AirPods?
By default, Conversation Awareness will be turned off on your Apple AirPods. You need to manually turn it on from a connected Apple device. Here's how to do this:
- Go to Settings
- Scroll down and find AirPods
- Click on AirPods and select βAudio
- Turn on speech recognition mode
Alternatively, you can enable the mode via Control Center when Apple AirPods are connected to your iPhone or iPad
Which models support this feature?
Conversation Awareness is currently only available on Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation. But the good news is that it doesn't matter whether you have headphones with a USB-C port or a Lightning port. Both versions have support for this mode
