PSA: You Don't Need The New AirPods Pro 3 To Use Apple's Live Translation

Apple's Live Translation is a welcome feature that debuted with iOS 26. It's available on iPhones compatible with Apple Intelligence and can be used while texting, calling, or during FaceTime video calls. Since the feature uses on-device AI models, your conversations are kept on your device and never sent to the cloud either. The feature also made its way into Apple's newest flagship pair of earbuds — the AirPods Pro 3.

The upgraded wireless earbuds bring improved noise cancelation, a better in-ear fit, and a longer battery life. Though Live Translation was showcased with the new pair of earbuds, the feature is backwards compatible on the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2 as well. If Live Translation was one of the features that wowed you, perhaps this fine print can make you reconsider the upgrade or even push you towards picking up a discounted pair of previous-generation AirPods.

Live Translation as a feature on the iPhone is pretty straightforward — you see a transcript on your screen of whatever the speaker is saying in a language you understand. With the feature now available on a wearable product like the AirPods, Apple is pushing for a more streamlined and natural way of how people hold conversations in the real world. 

By pressing the stem on both earbuds at the same time, your AirPods will listen and translate conversations on the fly. It feeds a near real-time audio translation of the speaker, while using ANC to dampen their actual voice so it's easier for you to hear the translation in your ears. When it's your turn to speak, the AirPods will listen and display translated text on your iPhone for the other person to read in their preferred language.

The mechanics of the feature are further simplified if both parties own a compatible pair of AirPods and an Apple Intelligence-powered iPhone. This will then listen and live translate the sentences on both sides, without anyone ever having to pull out their iPhones to read text. Live Translation is currently in beta and requires either an AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation, or the AirPods Pro 2 and newer. Both your iPhone and AirPods will have to be updated to the latest firmware, and the feature's language and region support is also something to note. 

If you own a pair of AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3, and an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, you are already in line to receive the Live Translation feature. You can opt-in for the beta programs on both devices to test new features out early, or you could also wait it out for when Apple pushes them for the AirPods in a stable update.

Unlike the iPhone, updates for the AirPods don't require user interaction or confirmation. They are carried out in the background when your AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth proximity with an Apple device with Wi-Fi access, like your iPhone, Mac, or iPad. 

Apple's website has the latest AirPods firmware versions listed — you can use this to determine if your AirPods are sitting on the latest update available. To check your AirPods current firmware version:

1. Make sure your AirPods are connected to your Apple device.
2. On your iPhone or iPad, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth. If you're on a Mac, navigate to System Settings > Bluetooth.
3. Tap the tiny info button next to your connected AirPods.
4. Scroll down to find the firmware version.

There's no way to check for updates and install them manually on your AirPods. Apple recommends putting them back in the case when it's charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, and waiting around 30 minutes for any pending firmware updates to finish.