Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) is a feature designed to improve the experience when using battery life could be impacted. Luckily, the process is easy enough to do with more than one way to quickly switch ANC (and Transparency mode) off completely.
While the standard AirPods can be picked up for around $159 in the United States, noise-canceling technology needs to always be active.
To turn ANC off, the will need to open the Control Center on the connected iPhone or iPad, and touch (and hold) the volume slider while wearing either the AirPods Pro or Max. This will open an additional control menu on the iPhone or iPad showing icons for Noise Cancellation, Off and Transparency. It is then just a matter of selecting which noise option the wearer wants to enable, including “Off” to fully disable both the ANC and Transparency mode. Alternatively, a similar menu can also be accessed by opening the iPhone or iPad’s Settings menu and then navigating to Bluetooth and tapping on the “i” button next to the AirPods model. When the new menu opens, the will once again be able to choose between Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off.
Cycling Modes & When To Turn Off ANC
Besides the ability to switch noise canceling off, AirPods Pro and Max also come with the option to cycle between ANC and Transparency mode. Unlike turning off, cycling modes can actually be done directly on the audio device, although the process is slightly different depending on whether wearing AirPods Pro or Max. If using the earbuds, then the can press and hold the force sensor on the stem until an alert sound is heard. If wearing AirPods Max, the will need to press the noise control button to change between ANC and Transparency mode.
While ANC is specifically designed to counter external noise with anti-noise for a clearer and more immersive listening experience, Transparency mode is designed to channel outside sound through. Essentially, it maximizes the ability to hear environmental sounds while continuing to listen to the music. Although this can be a great alternative to switching ANC off, a common reason to disable noise cancelling is to actually hear nearby sounds in more of a natural way. Likewise, if battery life is likely to be an issue, then disabling both ANC and Transparency mode on Apple’s AirPods Pro or Max is likely to help.
Source: Apple