Apple AirPods Max Wireless Headphones User Manual

Last updated on
October 7, 2024
by
ene

Apple AirPods Max Wireless Headphones

Product Information

The AirPods Max redefine the audio experience with their high-fidelity sound, advanced computational audio, and custom acoustic design. Powered by the Apple H1 chip, these over-ear headphones deliver breathtaking audio quality, making every listening session a breakthrough experience. With Active Noise Cancellation, you can fully immerse yourself in music, while Transparency mode allows you to stay aware of your surroundings. Personalized Spatial Audio, tailored to your unique ear shape and enhanced by dynamic head tracking, offers an unparalleled immersive experience, supported by Dolby Atmos for select media. The AirPods Max are designed for comfort and sound excellence, featuring a knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions that ensure a perfect fit and sound isolation. Pairing and switching between Apple devices is seamless, making the AirPods Max an effortless addition to your tech ecosystem. Enjoy up to 20 hours of battery life with all features enabled, and precise control over your audio with the Digital Crown. The slim Smart Case ensures your AirPods Max are stored in an ultra-low-power state when not in use.

Unique Product Features

Breathtaking Audio Quality: Apple-designed dynamic driver delivers high-fidelity sound, while computational audio combines custom acoustic design with the Apple H1 chip for an extraordinary listening experience.
Active Noise Cancellation: Blocks external noise, allowing you to focus completely on your music or media.
Transparency Mode: Enables you to hear and interact with your surroundings without removing your headphones.
Personalized Spatial Audio: Provides immersive sound tailored to your unique ear shape, with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos support for select content.
Acoustic-First Design: Features a knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions for exceptional comfort and a perfect sound seal.
Magical Experience: Effortlessly pairs with your Apple devices, pauses audio when removed, and switches seamlessly between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Long Battery Life: Up to 20 hours of listening time, movie watching, or talk time with Active Noise Cancellation and Personalized Spatial Audio enabled.
Precision Control: The Digital Crown allows you to play, pause, control volume, skip tracks, and manage calls with ease.
Smart Case: Keeps your AirPods Max in an ultra-low-power state, ensuring they are ready when you are.

What’s in the Box

AirPods Max
Smart Case
Lightning to USB-C Cable
Documentation

The AirPods Max offer a combination of superior audio quality, advanced features, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, making them a top choice for those seeking premium over-ear headphones.

Technical Specifications

Color

Silver
Space Gray
Sky Blue
Pink
Green

Audio Technology

Apple-designed dynamic driver
Active Noise Cancellation
Transparency mode
Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking¹
Adaptive EQ

Sensors

Optical sensor (each ear cup)
Position sensor (each ear cup)
Case-detect sensor (each ear cup)
Accelerometer (each ear cup)
Gyroscope (left ear cup)

Microphones

Nine microphones total:

Eight microphones for Active Noise Cancellation
Three microphones for voice pickup (two shared with Active Noise Cancellation and one additional microphone)

Chip
Apple H1 headphone chip (each ear cup)

Controls

Digital Crown

Turn for volume control
Press once to play or pause media
Press once to answer a call or mute or unmute
Press twice to end a call
Press twice to skip forward
Press three times to skip back
Press and hold for Siri

Noise control button
Press to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode

Hey Siri
Say “Hey Siri” to do things like play a song, make a call, or get directions

Size and Weight²

AirPods Max, including cushions

Height : 7.37 inches (187.3 mm)
Width : 6.64 inches (168.6 mm)
Depth : 3.28 inches (83.4 mm)
Weight : 13.6 ounces (384.8 grams)

Smart Case

Weight: 4.74 ounces (134.5 grams)

Battery

AirPods Max

Up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency mode enabled³
Up to 20 hours of movie playback on a single charge with Spatial Audio on⁴
Up to 20 hours of talk time on a single charge⁵
5 minutes of charge time provides around 1.5 hours of listening time⁶

AirPods Max with Smart Case

Storage in the Smart Case preserves battery charge in ultra-low-power state
Charging via Lightning connector

Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology

Accessibility⁷Accessibility features help people with disabilities get the most out of their new AirPods Max.

Features include:

Live Listen audio
Headphone levels
Headphone Accommodations

System Requirements⁸

iPhone and iPod touch models with the latest version of iOS
iPad models with the latest version of iPadOS
Apple Watch models with the latest version of watchOS
Mac models with the latest version of macOS
Apple TV models with the latest version of tvOS

Compatibility

iPhone Models

iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7⁹
iPhone 7 Plus⁹
iPhone 6s⁹
iPhone 6s Plus⁹
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPhone SE (1st generation)⁹

Apple Watch Models⁹

Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Series 6
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Apple Watch SE (1st generation)
Apple Watch Series 5
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Watch Series 2
Apple Watch Series 1

Apple TV Models

Apple TV 4K
Apple TV HD⁹

iPad Models

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)⁹
iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch⁹
iPad (10th generation)
iPad (9th generation)
iPad (8th generation)
iPad (7th generation)
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (5th generation)
iPad Air (5th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation)
iPad Air (3rd generation)
iPad Air 2⁹
iPad mini (6th generation)
iPad mini (5th generation)
iPad mini 4⁹

Mac Models⁹

MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015–2017)
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012–Early 2015)
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012–2017)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018–2020)
MacBook Air 13-inch (M1, 2020)
MacBook Air 13-inch (M2, 2022)
MacBook Air 15-inch (M2, 2023)
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012–Early 2015)
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012–Mid 2015)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012–2020)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012–2019)
MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, two ports)
MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, four ports)
MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020)
MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022)
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1 Pro or M1 Max, 2021)
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M2 Pro or M2 Max, 2023)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1 Pro or M1 Max, 2021)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M2 Pro or M2 Max, 2023)
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012–2017)
iMac (27-inch, Late 2012–Late 2013)
iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015–2019)
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014–2020)
iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac mini (Late 2012–Late 2018)
Mac mini (M1, 2020)
Mac mini (M2 or M2 Pro, 2023)
Mac Studio (M1 Max or M1 Ultra, 2022)
Mac Studio (M2 Max or M2 Ultra, 2023)
Mac Pro (Late 2013–2019)
Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, 2023)

iPod Models

iPod touch (7th generation)

AirPods Max and the Environment

Apple takes a complete product life cycle approach to determining our environmental impact. Learn more – AirPods Max and the Environment

AirPods Max are designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:

Brominated flame retardant–free
PVC-free
Beryllium-free

Safety and handling

Important safety information
Handle AirPods and case with care. They contain sensitive electronic components, including batteries, and can be damaged, impair functionality, or cause injury if dropped, burned, punctured, crushed, disassembled, or if exposed to excessive heat or liquid or to environments having high concentrations of industrial chemicals, including near evaporating liquified gasses such as helium. Don’t use damaged AirPods or case.

Batteries
Don’t attempt to replace AirPods or case batteries yourself—you may damage the batteries, which could cause overheating
and injury.

Charging
Charge the case with the charging cable and a power adapter or computer or by placing the case with status light facing up on a MagSafe or Qi-certified wireless charger. Only charge with an adapter that is compliant with applicable country regulations and international and regional safety standards, including the International Standard for Safety of Information Technology Equipment (IEC 60950-1). Other adapters may not meet applicable safety standards, and charging with such adapters could pose a risk of death or injury. Using damaged cables or chargers, or charging when moisture is present, can cause fire, electric shock, injury, or damage to the case or other property. When using a wireless charger, avoid placing metallic foreign objects on the charger (for example, keys, coins, batteries, or jewelry), as they may become warm or interfere with charging.

Prolonged heat exposure
Avoid prolonged skin contact with a device,
its power adapter, the charging cable and connector, or a wireless charger when plugged into a power source, because it may cause discomfort or injury. For example, while the case is charging using the charging cable and a power adapter or a wireless charger plugged into a power source, don’t sit or sleep on the case, charging cable, connector, power adapter, or wireless charger, or place them under a blanket, pillow, or your body. Take special care if you have a physical condition that affects your ability to detect heat against your body.

Hearing loss
Listening to sound at high volumes may permanently damage your hearing. Background noise, as well as continued exposure to high volume levels, can make sounds seem quieter than they actually are. Check the volume after inserting AirPods in your ears and before playing audio. For more information about hearing loss and how to set a maximum volume limit, go to apple.com/sound.

WARNING: To prevent possible hearing damage, do not listen at high volume levels for long periods.

Driving hazard
Use of AirPods while operating a vehicle is not recommended and is illegal in some areas. Check and obey the applicable laws and regulations on the use of earphones while operating a vehicle. Be careful and attentive while driving. Stop listening to your audio device if you find it disruptive or distracting while operating any type of vehicle or performing any activity that requires your full attention.

Choking hazard
AirPods and case may present a choking hazard or cause other injury to small children. Keep them away from small children.

Medical device interference
AirPods and case contain components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields. AirPods and case also contain magnets. These electromagnetic fields and magnets may interfere with pacemakers, defibrillators, or other medical devices. Maintain a safe distance of separation between your medical device and AirPods and case. Consult your physician and medical device manufacturer for information specific to your medical device. Stop using AirPods and case
if you suspect they are interfering with your pacemaker, defibrillator, or any other medical device.

Skin irritation
AirPods can lead to skin irritation if not properly cleaned. Clean AirPods regularly with a soft lint-free cloth. For additional information on how to clean your device and other tips to avoid skin irritation, go to apple.com/support. If a skin problem develops, discontinue use. If the problem persists, consult a physician.

Electrostatic shock
When using AirPods in areas where the air is very dry, it is easy to build up static electricity and possible for your ears to receive a small electrostatic discharge from AirPods. To minimize the risk of electrostatic discharge, avoid using AirPods in extremely dry environments, or touch a grounded unpainted metal object before inserting AirPods.

Important handling information
Discoloration of the Lightning connector and/or of the bottom of the stem of your AirPods after regular use is normal. Dirt, debris, and exposure to moisture may cause discoloration. For information about exposure to liquid and cleaning AirPods, the case, and the Lightning connector, go to apple.com/support.

CONNECTIONS

To connect to iPhone or iPad with the latest software, follow steps 1–2. For all other devices, see the fourth panel on this side.

Turn on Bluetooth®.
Connect to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth.
Connect AirPods Max.
Hold AirPods Max near your device for onscreen setup. Apple devices signed in to iCloud then pair automatically.
Connect to other devices.
Press the noise control button until the light blinks white. In Bluetooth settings, choose AirPods Max.

FUNCTIONS

Turn the Digital Crown to adjust volume.
Press once to play or pause.
Double-press to skip forward.
Triple-press to skip back.

Siri
To activate Siri, press and hold the Digital Crown or say “Hey Siri.”

Noise control
Press the noise control button to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. Or touch and hold the volume slider in Control Center.

Charging your device

Charge AirPods Max using the Lightning connector.

Sleep mode

To put AirPods Max to sleep, place in the Smart Case.© 2020 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and are used under license. Designed by Apple in California. Printed in XXXX. G034-03837-A

Trouble Shooting

Product Information

Unique Product Features

Breathtaking Audio Quality: Apple-designed dynamic driver delivers high-fidelity sound, while computational audio combines custom acoustic design with the Apple H1 chip for an extraordinary listening experience.
Active Noise Cancellation: Blocks external noise, allowing you to focus completely on your music or media.
Transparency Mode: Enables you to hear and interact with your surroundings without removing your headphones.
Personalized Spatial Audio: Provides immersive sound tailored to your unique ear shape, with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos support for select content.
Acoustic-First Design: Features a knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions for exceptional comfort and a perfect sound seal.
Magical Experience: Effortlessly pairs with your Apple devices, pauses audio when removed, and switches seamlessly between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Long Battery Life: Up to 20 hours of listening time, movie watching, or talk time with Active Noise Cancellation and Personalized Spatial Audio enabled.
Precision Control: The Digital Crown allows you to play, pause, control volume, skip tracks, and manage calls with ease.
Smart Case: Keeps your AirPods Max in an ultra-low-power state, ensuring they are ready when you are.

What’s in the Box

AirPods Max
Smart Case
Lightning to USB-C Cable
Documentation

Technical Specifications

Color

Silver
Space Gray
Sky Blue
Pink
Green

Audio Technology

Apple-designed dynamic driver
Active Noise Cancellation
Transparency mode
Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking¹
Adaptive EQ