Transparent mode in AirPods Pro – what is it and how does it work?

Transparent mode on the AirPods Pro is a feature that has been continuously improved by Apple for some time now. It allows the user to listen to music and interact with the environment at the same time, without removing the headphones. Apple, as is often the case, calls this feature differently from its competitors – in the case of the AirPods Pro it is referred to as Contact Mode. It’s worth taking a look at what this option offers and how you can enable it to fully enjoy its capabilities.

What is transparent mode on AirPods Pro?

From our review of the AirPods Pro 2 earlier, you can learn about the different modes of sound and noise management. The contact mode (or transparent mode) deserves special attention, as it has become a standard in recent years in products from competing brands as well. It works by having microphones built into the headphones capture ambient sounds, then play them back to the user in real time, gently amplifying them. This makes it easy to hear everything going on around you, eliminating the need to take off the headphones, for example, when you want to talk or hear some important ambient sounds.

Adaptive mode – combining transparency with active noise reduction

With the arrival of iOS 17, the 2nd generation AirPods Pro gained a new feature – Adaptive Mode. This is an advanced option that combines the advantages of transparent mode and active noise cancellation (ANC). Thanks to this, the headphones are able to dynamically adapt their operation to the situation – distinguishing between noise that should be reduced and sounds that should be amplified so that the user can hear them better. Adaptive mode is ideal for situations where you want to simultaneously enjoy silence and respond to important ambient sounds, such as alarm signals or conversations.

How to enable Contact Mode on AirPods Pro headphones?

Starting transparent mode is extremely easy and possible from various Apple devices. Below you will find instructions on how to do it:

On AirPods Pro headphones

Just hold the pressure sensor on one of the earphones until you hear a beep. By doing so, you can switch between modes: active noise cancellation, contact mode and adaptive mode (on AirPods Pro 2nd generation).

On an iPhone or iPad

Put on both headphones, then open the Control Center. Hold down the volume slider until additional options appear. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find the option to enable transparent mode.

On the Apple Watch

While listening to music, press the AirPlay icon, then select one of the options: Noise Reduction, Contact Mode or Turn Off.

On a Mac

Once your headphones are connected to your computer, open the Control Center from the menu bar, select Bluetooth, and then click on the name of your AirPods. In the window that opens, you can choose the mode you are interested in.

With these simple steps, you can quickly and conveniently adjust the settings of your AirPods Pro headphones to suit your needs, enjoying full contact with your surroundings or blissful silence, depending on the situation.

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