The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are a 2024 addition to Apple's ubiquitous, monochromatic earbud line. When it comes to appearances, there are no radical departures from the 2021 Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless, but there's more going on under the hood than meets the eye. For one, they feature the unlikely marriage of an open-back design and noise cancelling technology. While other open-back buds opt to make their lack of noise isolation a selling point, the new AirPods double down in the opposite direction; introducing features like Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio into a format that will appeal to those who fear the in-ear fit. At a price point that undercuts the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Truly Wireless, are these open-back buds worth a gander?
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC are decent for neutral sound. Despite their open-back design, they have good bass extension, with all but the lowest frequencies coming through clearly. Kicks and basslines sound punchy and well-balanced, with discernable attack. The mid-range is similarly compliant with our target curve, resulting in a clear and natural-sounding reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. They're hampered by a veiled treble response though, which can dull sibilants and the upper harmonics of higher-pitched vocals. There's some scope for adjustment via the 'Accessibility' tab of your iOS device, but nothing resembling a graphic EQ. Fortunately, they control their own sound profile very well, and their straightforward design means that their frequency response won't deviate much between listening sessions.
Well-built and decently comfortable.
Very consistent audio delivery.
No dedicated volume controls.
Limited sound customization options.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are good for commute and travel use. Their one-size-fits-all design will be comfortable for most people, although those with particularly large or small ears will have no way of adjusting the fit and will find they fall out of your ear all too easily. They're very lightweight and portable, too, with a case that's even smaller than previous iterations. Their noise isolation performance is surprisingly good in common scenarios, considering their open-back design. While they won't hermetically seal you from the external world, they can effectively attenuate against low engine rumbles and nearby conversations. Even though their continuous battery life is on the shorter side, at 4.5 hours, they can fully charge in about 30 minutes, and their case carries an extra four charges.
Lightweight, portable design.
Well-built and decently comfortable.
Solid ANC performance for open-back buds.
Don't leak very much audio.
Very consistent audio delivery.
4.5 hour continuous battery life lags behind the competition.
No dedicated volume controls.
High latency with SBC codec.
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC are great for sports and fitness. They have a lightweight, portable design that will provide a comfortable and stable fit in most ears. However, there's no scope for adjustment, so some users might find they fall out without much prompting. Their IP54 rating means these buds will survive jogs along dusty trails, even if you find yourself in the odd rain shower. The control scheme, though hampered by a lack of volume control, is intuitive and somewhat impervious to accidental presses. Their ANC does a solid job of blocking out distractions at the gym, and outdoor runners will appreciate the 'Transparency' mode for its ability to keep you aware of your surroundings. While 4.5 hours of continuous battery life won't suffice for longer endurance events, these buds charge quickly in their case, which houses an extra four charges.
Lightweight, portable design.
Well-built and decently comfortable.
Solid ANC performance for open-back buds.
Very consistent audio delivery.
4.5 hour continuous battery life lags behind the competition.
No dedicated volume controls.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are okay for office use. Most people will find their fit to be comfortable, especially those who dislike in-ear fits. Their open-back design defies expectations, as these buds are able to attenuate well against a variety of common office noises and leak very little audio. It's not quite on par with the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless and their passively isolating fit, but enough to relegate sounds like scraping chairs and water cooler talk to the peripheries of your hearing. Their 4.5-hour battery life isn't quite enough to get you through the average workday, but their 30-minute charge time means you can easily re-up on your lunch break.
Solid ANC performance for open-back buds.
Don't leak very much audio.
4.5 hour continuous battery life lags behind the competition.
High latency with SBC codec.
The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC aren't a suitable choice for wireless gaming given their high latency performance via Bluetooth.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation can't be used wired, so they're not suitable for this usage.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are alright for phone calls. The mic's recording quality ensures your voice is understandable, though it can sound a little boxy and thin. It does a good job of blocking out low-level background noise, like the din of a bustling coffee shop. It fares less well with sudden, loud sounds though, so the screeching of a train's brakes can be quite unpleasant for someone on the other of the line. Their ANC performs well, especially considering their open-back design, so you'll be able to focus on your call audio even in noisy environments. For those who are permanently on-call, the ability to answer and decline calls with a simple nod of the head via gestures is a nifty feature, too.
Well-built and decently comfortable.
Solid ANC performance for open-back buds.
No dedicated volume controls.
Mic struggles with loud environmental noises.
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC come in one color variant: 'White.' See a picture of their label. There's also a variant that doesn't feature ANC: the Apple AirPods 4 Truly Wireless.
If you encounter a different variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC are a fairly unique product within the current earbud market. While there's a range of open-back earbuds on the market that cater to users who dislike in-ear fits, like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless or even the Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) Truly Wireless, very few feature ANC systems that are capable of tamping down on external noise. Consequently, the AirPods 4 ANC are more versatile than any of their open-back competitors. If you need a better isolation performance than what these are able to provide, you'll need to look to in-ear options, like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless or the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless. Users who don't own an iOS device will want to look elsewhere too, given that a large portion of the AirPods' features are only available via iOS.
If you're assessing your options, check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best wireless earbuds for iPhone, and the best AirPods alternatives.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless and the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless have similar feature sets and comparable performance, considering they're very different designs. The AirPods Pro 2 have an in-ear fit, which uses silicone ear tips to secure a seal, while the AirPods 4 ANC have a one-size-fits-all, open-back design that sits in your ear canal without sealing it. You might find either one more comfortable, depending on your preferences. The in-ear fit results in the AirPods Pro 2 having a better bass extension and a better noise isolation performance due to their tight seal. That said, the AirPods 4 ANC aren't far behind in both categories, which is quite the feat considering their open design. Otherwise, the AirPods Pro 2 have a slightly longer battery life and support Apple's new hearing aid technology with firmware update 7B19. The AirPods 4 ANC have a better quality mic, though, and their mid-range is more aligned with our target curve.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless are more flexible in more situations than the Apple AirPods 4 Truly Wireless. They're the same generation of earbuds; besides noise cancelling tech, there are slight differences, such as the AirPods 4 with ANC having a speaker on the case for the Find My Network, and the case can charge wirelessly. You get more listening modes, such as Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio, too. On the other hand, the standard AirPods 4 lack these features but otherwise perform similarly regarding sound, connectivity, and iOS integration. For most people, it'll come down to whether ANC is desirable or not.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless are the newer generation of the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless, and they feature improvements across the board. Both buds have a similar, one-size-fits-all. open-back design and a decent build quality, but the AirPods 4 ANC form a more stable fit. The newer version also has a better bass extension and delivers audio more consistently, which is quite the feat for open-back buds. The biggest selling point of the AirPods 4 ANC is their ANC system, which does a solid job of isolating against common scenarios. That said, the 3rd generation have a longer continuous battery life and retail for a little less, so they're still an okay option if you're looking for budget buds and don't care about noise isolation.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are the manufacturer's premium earbud offering, with a few features that give them the edge over the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless. They have an in-ear fit, with different ear tip sizes to choose from, that forms a comfortable, stable fit. That said, many users will gravitate towards the Apple's one-size-fits-all design, which is quite comfortable without going into your ear canal. However, this difference in fit means that the Sony outperform the Apple when it comes to noise isolation due to the passive seal formed with their memory foam tips. The Sony also have a longer continuous battery life, as well as a bass-heavy sound that will please fans of EDM and hip-hop. While the Apple have a balanced bass response and a better performing mic, a lot of their features are available for iOS users only, so Android users won't have the same experience.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless and the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless are both open-back wireless earbuds, but the similarities mostly end here. The Bose will appeal to the fitness crowd, who value being able to hear their surroundings. They're more comfortable, and their wraparound fit provides greater stability. The Bose also have a significantly longer continuous battery life, at almost 10 hours. The Apple, by comparison, have a one-size-fits-all design that sits lightly in your ear canal. They come equipped with a decent ANC system that helps block out outside noise but can also filter in some external noise using 'Transparency' mode. They have a significantly more bass-heavy sound that helps bring out the kicks and basslines in electronic music.
The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC share more visual similarities with the previous generation Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless, due to their open design and shortened stems. This iteration forgoes silicone tips, like on the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Truly Wireless, in favor of a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to the design, which the manufacturer claims is based on studying many different ear shapes. As is the norm for Apple earbuds, they sport a distinctive all-white colorway, with no options for other colors.
These buds are decently comfortable, though this will depend on the shape of your ears. Users who dislike the deep, in-ear fit of buds like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Truly Wireless will appreciate their contoured shape, which rests inside your ear canal without providing a full seal. For some, this results in a snug and extremely comfortable fit, but there are also numerous reports online of the buds falling out while in use, which is also a potential downside to their very lightweight design.
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC have also inherited a control scheme that has much in common with the previous generation. These buds use the same 'Force Sensor' controls, which use an indented area on their surface that can be squeezed to input controls.
Unlike conventional earbud controls, which often employ physical buttons or tactile touch-sensitive surfaces, this input method is more forgiving of the accidental touches and brushes that can produce unwanted results. There are unique chimes depending on the feature engaged, which provide audible feedback and are accompanied by a light vibration. Even the case has controls. With the case open and the earbuds inside, two taps on the front of the case enters pairing mode. You can also double tap three times (which can be tricky to execute correctly) to reset the AirPods to their factory settings.
The control scheme is easy to grasp, too, with some additional explanation provided in the manual. You can even assign some gesture controls via iOS settings that allow you to answer or decline calls with a simple head nod. There's also an automatic ear detection feature that transfers call audio to your buds when you put them in your ears. The only notable oversights are related to volume, as there's no way to adjust the volume via the controls and no max/min volume chimes.
The Apple Airpods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation come with a very handy case. While its design will be familiar to existing AirPods users, its form factor is smaller than previous iterations. It's reassuringly solid, with no loose points in its plastic construction, and there are strong magnets inside to keep the buds fastened in place. There's even a small speaker inside that's used to convey charging status and pairing status, which emits a tone when using the 'Find My' app feature. Sadly, Apple removed MagSafe compatibility with this model, though there's still support for wireless charging to complement the standard USB-C charging. The case is rated IP54, meaning it's protected from dust damage and water splashes.
The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC form a good fit, although this will depend somewhat on the exact shape of your ears and the fit you're able to achieve. With a solid fit, they'll stay in place during brisk strolls and moderate headbanging. They could even feasibly be used for running, though their lightweight design runs the risk of them falling out mid-stride.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation come with a few proprietary Apple audio features that make for a different listening experience when paired with an iPhone updated to iOS 18. As a result, we tested with an iPhone over AAC with ANC on and Personalized Volume off. As part of their always-on Adaptive EQ feature, we noted that using the iPhone would apply a loudness contour that altered the sound based on output volume, designed to counteract how our brains perceive more bass and treble at higher volumes. This graph shows the difference in sound at three volume levels, normalized at 1kHz.
Using an iPhone, they have a sound profile that's very balanced across the bass and mid-range, with a veiled treble range. There's notably better bass extension than the previous generation Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless, despite sharing a similar open-back design. Kicks and basslines sound present and weighty, though sub-bass wobbles still lack some rumble. While the mid-range is relatively balanced, ensuring vocals and lead instruments remain balanced, the treble range is very veiled, which strips away the upper harmonics from these sonic elements and renders sibilants dull and lispy.
We also noted slight differences in the frequency response, with marginally more bass with ANC enabled. Similarly, there are slight increases in the bass and mid-range when using the Personalized Volume feature, which dynamically adjusts the output volume based on the volume of your surroundings.
These buds have an outstanding frequency response consistency with little deviation in audio delivery between different listening sessions. After a bit of adjustment, you'll be able to enjoy consistent audio delivery.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation have a fantastic amount of compliance with our target in the bass range. Open-fitting earbuds tend to feature some roll-off in the bass range, but it's limited to just the very lowest part of the range in this case. While the low-bass range is slightly underemphasized, there's still plenty of low-end punch, courtesy of the balanced mid and high-bass response. As a result, kicks and basslines are well-defined, but sub-bass sounds, like 808s and dub-step wobbles, lack a little rumble and boom.
These earbuds do an incredible job of following our mid-range target. The response is balanced across the entire range, meaning vocals, strummed acoustic guitars and piano melodies alike are all reproduced clearly and with plenty of detail.
The treble range's compliance with our target is poor. The whole range is very recessed, with a considerable dip in the response between the low and mid-treble. In songs like Joni Mitchell's Ladies of the Canyon, Joni's lead vocal line sounds veiled, even when she slips into the top of her range. The upper harmonics of her finger-picked guitars also sound dull and muted.
The peaks and dips performance is excellent, meaning these headphones generally control their own sound profile well. Almost all of the peaks and dips are located across the low-treble and mid-treble range where subtle deviations can render the upper harmonics of vocals as a little bright or dull, depending on their pitch. While there are more significant deviations in the high-treble range, we lose sensitivity to this frequency band over time.
The Apple Airpods 4 ANC have an exceptional imaging performance, which is consistent with other Apple products we've tested and is indicative of the brand's dedication to quality control. The group delay falls below the audibility threshold across the entire range, resulting tight bass and transparent highs. Similarly, our unit's L/R drivers are well-matched when it comes to phase, amplitude, and frequency, so audio objects, like voices and instruments, are correctly positioned in the stereo image. That said, imaging can vary between different units, so our results are particular to this unit.
Their passive soundstage performance is bad. As with most earbuds, there isn't much in the way of interaction with your outer ear, resulting in a narrow-sounding soundstage. While their open-back design gives them a slightly more open sound than other closed-back earbuds, audio still sounds like it's coming from inside your head rather than from speakers positioned around you. They also sound noticeably more open when the ANC is disabled.
You can access the virtual soundstage features through the iOS interface. There are two types of spatial audio at your disposal: 'Fixed' and 'Head Tracked.' The 'Fixed' mode locks the position of the soundstage in one place so the orientation of the stereo field doesn't change when you move your head. 'Head Tracked' will follow the position of your head and shift the soundstage around relative to how your head is angled. There's also a Personalized Spatial Audio feature, which requires you to take a video of your head and both ears. An algorithm then adapts the sound profile and soundstage to your ear shape. Subjectively, we found little difference in the immersiveness of the soundstage from using this feature, but its adaptive nature might mean it improves with repeated use.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation's weighted harmonic distortion performance is good. There's a slight peak in the left ear at higher listening volumes, but this is unlikely to be audible with real-life content, unless you're a particularly astute audiophile. Otherwise, all frequencies fall within good limits, so audio reproduction is generally clean and pure.
These are the settings we used to test the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. These headphones also have wide variety of additional sound modes. Our tests were carried out with Personalized Volume, Conversation Awareness, Automatic Ear Detection, and Personalized Spatial Audio all set to 'off.' As previously noted, all sound tests were carried out over an iPhone, with measurements recorded on Audio Precision.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation have a fair noise isolation performance. That said, it's still a tier above the performance we expect from open-back designs, which is a testament to the strength of their ANC. This design offers very little passive attenuation against low- and mid-range frequencies, which is where the ANC is able to offer some improvements. As a result, their noise isolation falls short of the silicone tip-equipped Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Truly Wireless, but it's still a cut above the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless, which don't have an ANC system. We measured some differences in the noise isolation performance with firmware update 7B19, which increased attenuation across the bass and mid-range. However, Apple doesn't usually detail if firmware updates will result in performance-related changes.
This model also features a few different ANC modes that can affect the noise isolation performance. There's Transparency mode, which filters in external noise via the built-in mics. While not as natural sounding as the second-generation AirPods Pro, it does a good job of keeping you aware of your surroundings. Adaptive Audio will selectively allow more external noise through depending on three pre-selected noise profiles: 'Default,' 'More Noise,' and 'Less Noise.' It helps maintain a consistent balance between ANC and Transparency even if the noise in your environment changes. We were able to measure the performance of these different modes to see how this affected noise isolation.
Finally, there's a Conversational Awareness function that detects when you speak, filtering in a certain amount of external audio to allow you to converse.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation do a good job of attenuating against noise in common scenarios. They filter out much of the low roar of airplane engines and the rumble of passing buses. While they fare worse when it comes to office noises, like scraping chairs and chatting co-workers, they still noticeably tamp down on these frequencies.
Wind noise interacts with their ANC mics differently compared to other common noises. Even though the sound doesn't reach your ears, the mics attempt to cancel it out. This can create loud, unwanted noise. These buds don't have a wind handling feature that can help mitigate this, so wind noise is very noticeable, though less so at 90-degree angles.
Despite their open-back design, the Apple AirPods 4 ANC don't leak too much audio. Even if you're blasting your favorite tunes in a quiet environment, it's unlikely that anyone around you will be able to hear your audio. Escaping audio is mostly located in the treble range, so it sounds thin and tinny.
The mic's recording quality is okay. Within the iOS settings, you can adjust which of the left or right microphone gets used, or select 'Automatic,' which automatically chooses the better of the two. Using the 'Automatic' setting, we found that the mic reproduces your voice intelligibly. Recorded speech lacks body and can sound a little boxy, though, given the roll-off in the treble range.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation's built-in mic has an adequate noise-handling performance. It fares quite well in moderately busy environments, so if you're taking a call in a cafe, your voice will still have clarity and detail amidst background conversations. That said, louder sounds, like passing trains or buses, come through very clearly and will easily overpower the sound of your voice. This can make it very unpleasant for the person on the other end.
The battery performance is adequate, though it's a little shorter than previous AirPods models. The manufacturer advertises around four hours of listening time with ANC enabled, which is in line with our measurement of 4.5 hours. We were able to achieve a little over six hours with the ANC disabled.
There are four additional charges available via the case, and it only takes around 30 minutes for the AirPods to fully recharge. There's also a standby feature that turns the buds off after you remove them from your ears. Similar to the iPhone, there's also an optimized battery charging feature that detects the times you most often use your device and pauses charging at 80% until you're most likely to start using the device again.
There's no dedicated app for these earbuds, but you can access their interface via the iOS settings. You'll need iOS 18 installed to take advantage of all the available features, which you can see in this video overview. You can enable audio-related settings, like Personalized Volume, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Automatic Ear Detection. You can also adjust ANC-related features like Adaptive Audio, Conversational Awareness, and Noise Control. You can find more details on these in the Noise Isolation - Full Range box. While there's some scope for sculpting the sound via the the 'Accessibility' tab of your iOS device, you're limited to some basic presets with few parameters for further tuning. You can also enable head gesture control and other call controls and find misplaced buds via the 'Find My Network' feature.
You can't use the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC wired. While you use a USB-C cable to charge the case, there isn't one provided.
The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation have decent Bluetooth connectivity. Their multi-device connectivity is limited to iOS, meaning Android users won't be able to connect to more than one device at a time. Thanks to their H2 chip, switching works seamlessly between Apple devices registered to the same iCloud account. So if you're playing music on your laptop but start a podcast on your phone, audio playing from your AirPods will switch from one device to another. This plays well with their automatic ear detection system, which transfers audio from other Apple Ecosystem devices when you put them in your ears.
Latency with the SBC codec is high, which isn't ideal if you plan on watching videos on your PC. We noticed a few other differences in Bluetooth connectivity between iOS devices and other operating systems though. While we don't measure latency via AAC, we didn't notice any obvious latency while watching videos on an iPhone. Similarly, the wireless line of sight range increased when using an iPhone instead of our Android testing phone.
These headphones are audio and mic compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs. However, they can't connect any other way.
The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC come with a small charging case that holds around four additional charges. It charges via USB-C. The case also supports wireless charging, but support for MagSafe charging has been withdrawn for this model.