Ditch That Headphone Splitter: How to Share Audio With Apple's AirPods

Apple has made it so you no longer need to share headphones to share music. With the Audio Sharing feature that debuted in iOS 13.1 and iPadOS 13.1, audio from a single iPhone or iPad can be sent to two separate pairs of headphones. While Apple has made the feature easy to use, there are still a few details to note. Most importantly, Audio Sharing does not work with every device or pair of headphones. Here's what you need to know about wirelessly sharing audio on iPhone and iPad.

Before you can share your audio, you'll need to meet certain requirements. Your iPhone must be running iOS 13.1 or higher, and your iPad should have iPadOS 13.1 or higher. To check, open Settings > General > Software Update, where you'll be prompted to update your device or told it's running the latest version. Even if you're running the correct OS, the device you own may still be incompatible with Audio Sharing. To take advantage of the feature, both people must own one of these devices:

iPhone 8 or later
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd Gen), 11-inch, or 10.5-inch or later
iPad Air (3rd Gen) or later
iPad mini (5th Gen) or later
iPad (5th Gen) or later

Not every pair of wireless headphones are compatible with Apple's Audio Sharing feature, either. To share your audio, both parties must be using a pair that contain Apple's H1, H2, or W1 processor, which gives you a few options:

AirPods
AirPods Pro
AirPods Max
Beats Fit Pro
Beats Flex
Beats Solo Pro
Beats Solo3 Wireless
Beats Studio3 Wireless
BeatsX
Powerbeats
Powerbeats Pro
Powerbeats3 Wireless

You can share your audio with another person through their charging case. While their headphones are in use, open their charging case and leave it near your device. Your device should open a Share Audio prompt, then just follow the directions on the screen. This will involve holding down the button on the charging case until their headphones are linked to your device.

(Credit: Apple)

You can also share audio from the Now Playing screen, Lock Screen, or Control Center. Tap the AirPlay icon and select the Share Audio button underneath the graphic showing your headphones. Place both devices next to each other and tap Share Audio when it appears on your screen. Your friend must then tap Join on their device to complete the connection.

If your friend is using Beats headphones, the process is slightly different. With their headphones already connected, have them quickly press the power button and keep your device close by. This should cause the Share Audio button to appear on your screen, allowing you to connect.

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(Credit: Apple)

Audio volume for both sets of headphones can be controlled from the Lock Screen, Control Center, or with the volume buttons on the side of the sharing device. By long-pressing the volume slider on the screen, you can control the volume of each set of headphones independently. Volume can also be controlled from the headphones themselves. AirPods that support noise-cancelling can use different noise control modes for each listener.

When you're ready to stop sharing audio, tap the AirPlay icon in Control Center or on the Lock Screen to view the headphones that are currently connected. Tap the checkmark next to a pair of headphones to stop sharing audio.

(Credit: Apple)

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About Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

As PCMag's editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

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