Are AirPods Listening To You? If Yes, How to Stop It?

People are now wary that AirPods can work like a spy and can listen to your conversations. So, is that really the case? Are AirPods listening to you?

Here’s the answer:

AirPods are not secretly listening to you, but they can hear you. AirPods are listening to you in two ways. One way is when you wear your own AirPods and give commands to Siri. These Apple earbuds listen and pass the message to Siri. The other way is a feature called Live Listen, which is the cause of concern. This Live Listen feature can be used for spying and other unethical things.  

Amazed and a little worried by this? To know more, keep reading!

Are AirPods listening to you? Yes!

No, AirPods are not secretly listening to you. They only turn on the microphone when you are actually using something that needs it, like a phone call, Siri, voice messages, or features like noise cancellation and transparency mode. There is also Live Listen, but that only works when you switch it on yourself, and it basically turns your iPhone into a small microphone that sends sound to your AirPods so you can hear things more clearly.

Outside of these situations, AirPods are not recording or sending your conversations anywhere.

1. When You Have to Give Orders To Siri

One way AirPods listen to you is when you have to give orders. Connect the AirPods to your device and say, “Hey Siri, (and then your command). For example, say, “Hey Siri, give me today’s weather update.” 

AirPods listen to your command and pass it on to Siri. It’s simple!

The other way is much more complex. 

2. Live Listen

Apple introduced a feature called Live Listen for those who have a hearing impairment or often face trouble listening to others (for example, they work in a noisy environment). 

But the Live Listen feature has invited unethical practices too. 

It has allowed these Apple earbuds to spy or listen to people’s conversations if they are within the Bluetooth range. They listen to everything, and if you are wearing them, you can also hear what people at a distance are talking about. Furthermore, if the environment is noisy, Live Listen can filter out the important voices too. 

Your iPhone, or any device you have connected to AirPods to become a microphone, sends the voice to the AirPods. However, the device should have OS 14.3 or later to benefit from the Live Listen feature. 

They wear AirPods and can listen to voices far away or in the noisy background. In addition, if someone leaves their mobile or any Apple device near you, they can also eavesdrop on your conversation via AirPods within Bluetooth range. According to Apple Support, the Bluetooth range is between 33 and 45 feet. 

Since spying is a crime, I highly suggest you only use Live Listen for good and socially acceptable purposes. 

How To Use Live Listen?

First, you will need to change the Control Center settings. 

1. Open Settings and go to the Control Center. 
2. Navigate, and you will see the “Add or +” button. 
3. Scroll and then tap on the ear icon to enable the Live Listen feature. 
4. Save the change by tapping on the Settings again.

You have now added the Live Listen feature to the Control Center. Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to the Control Centre and then open the Hearing opton.
2. Next, choose the Live Listen option and turn it on.
3. After that, carefully place your device in the direction of a person you want to hear talking. If your sound is low, it may be due to the default settings. Just press the volume up button in this case. 

When you are done listening, you should turn off Live Listening. Here’s how to do it.

How To Turn Off Live Listen?

1. Open settings again and tap on the Control Center settings. 
2. Then, tap on the Hearing icon. 
3. After that, tap on the Live Listen to turn its status from on to off. 

If you don’t want to open Live Listen ever again, then get rid of the Hearing option from the Control Center. Just tap on the “Minus” ion near the hearing. 

How To Stop AirPods Listening To You?

If you think someone is listening to your conversation with their AirPods and mobiles, then there is only one thing you can do. Check if anyone has left any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, etc.) near you or not. If they have, chances are the AirPods connected to this apple device might be listening to your conversation. You can’t be 100% sure about the spying, though. 

So, you should either leave the room or put the mobile a little farther away to avoid getting spied on by the AirPods. 

Acceptable Uses Of Live Listen

Listening to another person’s conversation without consent or spying is a punishable crime. So, only use it for socially acceptable purposes only. 

To Properly Listen to Professor’s Lecture

If you have trouble hearing what your professor is saying, then you can connect AirPods to your Apple device, turn on Live Listen, and put the device on the Professor’s desk or near where he is standing. Then, you can just go back to your chair and listen to the lecture easily. 

If You Are Sitting In a Noisy Place

If you are at a restaurant or anywhere that has a noisy background and you are facing trouble in listening to the other people sitting in front of you, then you can use Live Listen. Connect the AirPods to your mobile, turn the mobile’s direction in front of that person, and you will start hearing the voice properly.

Final Say

So, are AirPods listening to you?

AirPods can listen to you in two ways. If the AirPods are yours, they listen to your commands, like when you have to tell Siri to do anything you want. 

However, the AirPods on other people’s ears can also listen to you. That’s spying. 

If someone has an iOS 14.3 or later device, then they can use “Live Listen” to listen to the voices far away from them. With this, they can hear the conversation across the room easily. In addition, if they connect AirPods to the Apple device and leave it near you, then they can hear your conversation even at a distance of 33 to 45 feet.

So, stay alert and don’t talk near any Apple device to avoid AirPods listening to you!