Okay, I confess that I am AirPod Double Tap challenged. Somedays it works and then other days it doesn’t, with no rhyme or reason. But with a lot of frustration! It doesn’t matter if I’m choosing Siri, Next Track, or Play/Pause or whatever the heck else is listed under “Double-Tap On AirPod.” It just doesn’t consistently work for me. So I’m stuck with a sore ear from all that tapping AND a song that I cannot play or pause using just the AirPod.
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Location Matters
But there is a method to the AirPod Double Tapmadness. And it’s all about location (location, location!) Perfecting your Double Tap means you’re tapping in the correct location.
That special spot is just above the stem but below the top slit speaker. Not on the stem or above that speaker. It takes some patience and a little time but the payoff is consistent AirPod Double Tap return. So follow the mantra “practice makes perfect.”
How’s it Work?
The AirPod Double Tap works using a built-in motion accelerometer. This accelerometer allows the AirPod to know when you tap it twice to activate Siri, Play/Pause, Next or Previous Track, or Off (depending on how you set-up it up.)
Your AirPods feature some amazing tech in such a small package.
Choose Your Double Tap Function
It’s very important to know what the double tap does. To set your AirPods’ double tap functionality, open your AirPods case or place one in your ear and go to Settings > Bluetooth > Your AirPods and tap the “i” next to your AirPods name.
Locate the section DOUBLE-TAP ON AIRPODS and choose the options you want. For folks using iOS 10, choose from Siri, Play/Pause, or Off. This sets the default for both the left and right AirPods.
iOS 11 AirPod Additional Double Tap Options for Left AND Right!
For folks using iOS 11, you have some additional options for Next Track and Previous Track as well as Siri, Play/Pause, and Off. And you can set the left AirPod with a different function than the right AirPod.
For example, you set your Right AirPod’s Double Tap to Play/Pause while your left AirPod’s Double Tap advances to the Next Track or invokes Siri. This additional functionality is a nice added touch to iOS 11.
But Size Doesn’t Matter
You heard it here. Just because your AirPods are small doesn’t mean they are brittle or fragile. Don’t treat them with kid-gloves; use a firm tap, not a light pat. Double tap with a bit of force like when you are tapping numbers into a calculator or playing piano keys.
Go ahead and tap your AirPods that firmly. In my attempts to get this right, I learned that I needed to tap a lot harder to get steady results.
So tap harder than you think necessary, and you’ll probably get better, more consistent results.
Wouldn’t it be great if Apple added a sensitivity selector, similar to the 3D Touch Sensitivity Selector, with options for light, medium, and firm tapping?
That way none of us would need “schooled” on how to do the AirPod Double Tap.
Awesome Reader Tips! 
- Reader Sean suggests tapping on the back of your ear just above the lobe, instead of on the AirPod itself. He’s had great success using this method so why not give it a try and see if it works for you!
- James has a different solution. Just triple tap your Airpods instead of double tapping. For James, this works every time!
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James says
Another solution: triple tapping instead of double tapping works every time
Peterson says
Tapping on the back of ear works! Thanks
Peg Lorenzon says
Great tip – tapping on back of ear above lobe really works much more consistently and does not make my ear sore! Thank you!
CP says
The back of the ear trick was a good suggestion, works far better than on the AirPods themselves.
Thanks!
Sean says
FYI, tapping on the back of your ear just above the lobe gives a pretty reliable response. That way you don’t have to tap directly on the AirPod. Seems to work better for me this way.
SK says
Hi Sean,
Thanks for sharing that tip! We’ll add it in.
Liz
jb says
you’re a genius!
SK says
Agreed!
SK
Andrea says
Ha! I’ve worked it out! Thanks so much for this!
Riea says
Thank you!!! I wasn’t tapping hard enough or fast enough. Now it works every time! 😀
SK says
yayyy!! We cant wait to see the next series of Airpods. Hopefully they make it easier for doubletap and other gestures.
Artsygart says
Thank you but not the full story I was tapping on the magic spot 🙂 but not really getting anywhere guess I was tapping to slowly has to be a quick tap tap if you tap to slowly I think it interprets it as just you touching your ear or something try it it works every time. I could be wrong but it also doesn’t seem to be in the magic spot obviously not too far away from it but it seems like an almost tap the little microphone and below it a little anyway – give it a try
Lea says
Thanks this helped! I’ve been “tapping” – turns out all i needed to do was tap a lot harder!!
Tecsi says
Yes, sensitivity adjustment makes sense. Probably 98% of people have to learn that it is a double rap, not a double touch
Wolf says
Thank you -this helped a lot!
James Q says
Thanks. I was struggling too!
Elizabeth says
Glad I’m not alone!
Liz
Anthony says
Thank you! I couldn’t figure out how to get the double tap to work!
Sparkle says
I have the exact same problem ; while this helped me understand this better ; am still unable to make the double tap work ; no matter how firmly or where I tap its determined to not work !