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AirPods Safety, Radiation, and Death of Headphone Jack

Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

By Elizabeth 16 comments Last updated April 4, 2018

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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.Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

Contents

    • 0.1 Related Articles
    • 0.2 Location Matters
    • 0.3 How’s it Work?
    • 0.4 Choose Your Double Tap Function
    • 0.5 iOS 11 AirPod Additional Double Tap Options for Left AND Right!
  • 1 But Size Doesn’t Matter
  • 2 Awesome Reader Tips! 
    • 2.1 Related Posts:

Related Articles

  • Why AirPods are Apple’s Best Product in Years
  • AirPods Not Working? Troubleshoot Your Problems
  • Find Your Lost AirPods and AirPods Case
  • AirPods Disconnecting Calls or Other Sound Problems?
  • AirPods Not Auto-Pairing or Pairing with BT Devices?

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.”Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

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.A Wish List for Apple's Next Generation of AirPods

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.Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

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.Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

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.

Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap

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!

Related Posts:

  • A Wish List for Apple’s Next Generation of AirPodsA Wish List for Apple’s Next Generation of AirPods
  • AirPods Not Connecting To Apple Watch, How-To FixAirPods Not Connecting To Apple Watch, How-To Fix
  • Why AirPods are Apple’s Best Product in YearsWhy AirPods are Apple’s Best Product in Years
  • Finding Your Lost AirPods & AirPod Case: iOS ‘Find My AirPods’ FeatureFinding Your Lost AirPods & AirPod Case: iOS…

Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Show 16 Comments

  1. CP says

    March 22, 2018 at 8:03 PM

    The back of the ear trick was a good suggestion, works far better than on the AirPods themselves.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Sean says

    February 26, 2018 at 7:08 PM

    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.

    Reply
    • SK says

      February 27, 2018 at 10:15 AM

      Hi Sean,

      Thanks for sharing that tip! We’ll add it in.

      Liz

      Reply
    • jb says

      April 1, 2018 at 6:50 AM

      you’re a genius!

      Reply
      • SK says

        April 1, 2018 at 10:31 AM

        Agreed!

        SK

        Reply
  3. Andrea says

    February 15, 2018 at 1:03 AM

    Ha! I’ve worked it out! Thanks so much for this!

    Reply
  4. Riea says

    February 2, 2018 at 7:52 AM

    Thank you!!! I wasn’t tapping hard enough or fast enough. Now it works every time! 😀

    Reply
    • SK says

      February 2, 2018 at 11:05 AM

      yayyy!! We cant wait to see the next series of Airpods. Hopefully they make it easier for doubletap and other gestures.

      Reply
  5. Artsygart says

    January 10, 2018 at 6:46 PM

    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

    Reply
  6. Lea says

    January 5, 2018 at 7:57 AM

    Thanks this helped! I’ve been “tapping” – turns out all i needed to do was tap a lot harder!!

    Reply
  7. Tecsi says

    December 27, 2017 at 9:50 AM

    Yes, sensitivity adjustment makes sense. Probably 98% of people have to learn that it is a double rap, not a double touch

    Reply
  8. Wolf says

    December 15, 2017 at 5:57 AM

    Thank you -this helped a lot!

    Reply
  9. James Q says

    November 9, 2017 at 5:19 PM

    Thanks. I was struggling too!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      November 10, 2017 at 2:45 AM

      Glad I’m not alone!

      Liz

      Reply
  10. Anthony says

    November 5, 2017 at 11:41 AM

    Thank you! I couldn’t figure out how to get the double tap to work!

    Reply
  11. Sparkle says

    October 11, 2017 at 1:12 PM

    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 !

    Reply

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