AirPods Custom EQ Finally Arrives in iOS 27 Developer Beta

Apple’s iOS 27 developer beta arrived last week with a companion AirPods firmware update, build 9A5292e, covering AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3. Both pieces need to be installed together for the new features to surface, which is the same gating approach Apple used with previous AirPods software expansions tied to major iOS releases.

The headlining addition is Custom EQ, something AirPods users have requested for years. Apple previously offered a handful of fixed presets and the Adaptive EQ processing built into AirPods Pro hardware, but this is the first time users get a manual frequency interface covering bass, mids, and treble across music, calls, and video. The gap between what Apple has offered and what third-party headphone apps have done for a decade is hard to ignore.

The other addition is GymKit syncing for AirPods, which brings the feature out of its Apple Watch exclusivity after eight years. Apple has not detailed exactly what data passes between AirPods and compatible gym equipment, so how useful this turns out to be depends heavily on implementation specifics that have not yet surfaced in the beta.

Getting the firmware installed

Apple has also quietly fixed one of the more annoying parts of AirPods beta participation. Previously, loading beta firmware often required a Mac and additional steps outside the standard Settings flow. The process now lives inside the Settings app under a dedicated AirPods Beta Updates toggle, with the firmware downloading automatically while the earbuds charge nearby.

The iOS 27 developer beta is still early software, and AirPods firmware carries its own risk profile since rolling back is not straightforward. Battery life and audio processing are the two areas most likely to show rough edges before a public release. Anyone using these for daily work calls should probably sit this one out for a few weeks.