Apple’s AirPods 9A292e Firmware Brings a Real Equalizer to iOS 27

Apple pushed a new AirPods beta firmware, build 9A292e, to developers on June 9, 2026, alongside the iOS 27 developer beta. The update brings the first built-in equalizer to AirPods and a redesigned settings menu, two features that slipped past the WWDC 2026 keynote dominated by Siri AI.

The firmware is limited to AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3 in this first build. AirPods Max 2 is not in the beta yet, and Apple has not committed to a date for it.

What 9A292e Actually Adds to AirPods

Apple released the 9A292e AirPods beta firmware on June 9, 2026, two days after its WWDC 2026 keynote wrapped. The build ships to developers signed in with an Apple Account tied to the Apple Developer site, the same gate that controls the iOS 27 developer beta. The new firmware is the vehicle for the custom equalizer and the revamped AirPods settings Apple previewed at the keynote.

The developer release notes for AirPods beta 9A292e list the changes that arrive on AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3 once paired with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS Golden Gate. The new AirPods interface and the support for custom EQ are the two pieces Apple’s release highlights, and MacRumors reports on the same pairing applies across the three operating systems. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI in this cycle, the first time the assistant has shipped with a dedicated AirPods surface. The full release language is short because most of the user-facing controls live in the iOS 27 settings, not in the firmware.

The three changes that arrive with this build are:

• A custom three-band EQ with low, mid, and high sliders, per Apple’s WWDC 2026 press release
• A new AirPods settings interface inside iOS 27
• Siri AI compatibility for AirPods

Which AirPods Get the 9A292e Beta, and Which Don’t

Apple’s developer release for the 9A292e firmware names three models, and only three. AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 are on the list, all of them with the active noise cancellation and H2 chip combination that iOS 27’s audio features target. The list mirrors the lineup Apple promoted in its WWDC press materials, where the EQ and the new interface are framed as cross-lineup additions. AirPods 2 and AirPods 3, the older non-Pro models, are not in the first beta, and the AirPods 4 entry covers the model with active noise cancellation. For owners of the discontinued AirPods Max, the original over-ear model, the firmware is not on the supported list.

AirPods Max 2 is the obvious omission. The over-ear sequel is the one model Apple previewed alongside the firmware at WWDC, and the 9A292e beta does not pick it up. Apple’s WWDC 2026 press materials indicate AirPods Max 2 support is expected to follow once the model ships, a reading consistent with the model not yet being in market. For current AirPods Max owners, that means waiting for a later iOS 27 build before the equalizer reaches their ears.

Apple Adds a Three-Band Equalizer to AirPods

Apple announced a custom EQ for AirPods at WWDC 2026, putting a real equalizer inside Settings for the first time. The new control lets users adjust low, mid, and high frequencies in real time, per Apple’s WWDC 2026 press release. The custom EQ replaces the fixed audio profiles AirPods have shipped with since launch, and it is the first built-in equalizer Apple has put on the platform.

9to5Mac reported the custom EQ announcement got only a single bullet in Apple’s iOS 27 features lineup, a sliver of airtime on a keynote stage that ran almost entirely on Siri AI. Apple did not commit to additional bands at launch, and the press materials do not list preset options. Apple has not detailed whether the EQ is a per-device preference or a global one, or how it interacts with Personalized Spatial Audio. The underrated iOS 27 features from WWDC 2026 covers the same announcements with a focus on what got airtime on stage.

Apple’s WWDC 2026 press release also notes expanded Apple GymKit functionality, letting AirPods Pro 3 sync heart rate data through the iPhone. The fitness tie-in is not part of the 9A292e firmware itself, but the supported models on the beta list line up with the models that ship with the heart rate sensor. For gym users with an AirPods Pro 3 in the case, the iPhone-side sync is the new piece.

Apple’s WWDC 2026 materials do not say whether the equalizer is tied to a single device or a user’s Apple ID, and the same release is silent on whether the EQ replaces or augments the existing audio profiles. The new control sits in the same AirPods settings section that holds the new interface, and the new AirPods settings interface is the other major change in the 9A292e firmware. The custom EQ is one of two user-facing additions in the build. For AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 owners who have wanted a built-in EQ, the 9A292e firmware is the first time Apple has shipped one.

A New AirPods Settings Menu, Reorganized

The 9A292e firmware pairs with a new AirPods interface inside iOS 27 settings. MacRumors describes it as a redesigned surface that arrives alongside the custom EQ.

Apple first added the beta firmware install toggle in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, and the 9A292e firmware install option uses the same path. Developers can flip the toggle from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which is what a hands-on walkthrough of the 9A292e update covers in more detail. The toggle sits inside the same AirPods section that holds the EQ sliders in the new interface. Apple did not detail every new category in the developer release, and the breakdown of the new menu is best read in a hands-on video.

For anyone updating from iOS 26, the new interface replaces the older AirPods settings page that lived under Bluetooth. The new menu pairs with the equalizer as the firmware’s two main changes.

How to Turn on the 9A292e Beta

The 9A292e firmware is for developers only at this stage. Apple’s developer release notes the limitation, and the iOS 27 beta download path is the same one developers use to get the rest of the iOS 27 cycle. The MacRumors coverage repeats that the firmware is limited to developers at the current time.

The documented path is to install the iOS 27 developer beta on the iPhone, then enable AirPods beta downloads from the new AirPods settings interface. The same iPhone has to be signed in with the Apple Account tied to the Apple Developer website for the toggle to show, per the iOS 27 beta download guide.

Public beta users wait until July 2026. Apple’s public beta page lists iOS 27 as ‘coming soon’ across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, tvOS 27, HomePod software 27, watchOS 27, and AirPods Firmware. 9to5Mac reported the public beta release will follow in July, and MacRumors lists Public Beta: July 2026 among its key iOS 27 timeframes. For most listeners, the public beta is the first realistic way to try the new EQ.

AirPods firmware updates normally install over the air, automatically, while the case is charging. The support page for changing AirPods settings covers the same flow for the 9A292e firmware once the developer toggle is on. There is no manual update button in the new interface, and the same is true for the rest of the iOS 27 cycle.

• Firmware build: 9A292e
• Release date: June 9, 2026
• Compatible operating systems: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate
• Public beta window: July 2026

Three Things Missing From the First Beta

AirPods Max 2 is the model the developer release does not name. Apple’s release for the 9A292e firmware lists AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3, and the original AirPods Max is also absent from that list. Apple’s WWDC 2026 materials do not commit to a timeline for either model to receive the new EQ.

Apple’s developer release does not list any battery life or active noise cancellation changes. The 9A292e firmware is a software-only update that adds the equalizer and the new settings interface, with no documented hardware-level change. Apple has not committed to a public timeline for ANC revisions in the same release.

The 9A292e firmware is for developers, not the public. AppleInsider reported at 3:41 p.m. EDT on June 8, 2026 that the first developer builds of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27 were downloadable. The public beta is the one Apple has not opened yet, and 9to5Mac reported the public beta will follow in July 2026. For anyone waiting on the equalizer, the public beta timeline is the gate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which AirPods work with the 9A292e firmware?

Apple’s developer release for the 9A292e firmware lists AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3. AirPods Max 2 is not in the first iOS 27 beta build.

Can AirPods Max 2 get the new equalizer?

Not in the first iOS 27 beta. Apple’s WWDC 2026 materials indicate AirPods Max 2 support is expected to follow once the model ships, and Apple has not given a date.

What does the firmware change at the hardware level?

Nothing. The 9A292e firmware is a software update that adds the equalizer and the new settings interface, with no documented change to the active noise cancellation or the battery profile. Apple’s developer release is silent on hardware-level changes.

When is the public beta available?

Apple’s public beta page lists the iOS 27 public beta as ‘coming soon.’ 9to5Mac reported the public beta will follow in July 2026, and MacRumors lists Public Beta: July 2026.

Does the new EQ change AirPods battery life?

Apple’s developer release does not list any battery life changes for the 9A292e firmware. The custom EQ is software-driven and does not change the hardware profile.