If you own an iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod, or all of the above, you've likely looked into what Apple offers for headphones. They've released a few models under the AirPods lineup and their subsidiary brand, Beats, but they don't have a wide selection to choose from. As such, not all recommendations on this list utilize Apple's W1/H1 and H2 chips, which enable headphones to pair seamlessly to your Apple devices. However, the chips aren't strictly necessary, and most Bluetooth headphones without one will still work with Apple devices. Additionally, since newer iPhones no longer have a headphone jack, opting for a wireless pair of headphones is easier.
We've tested over 285 wireless in-ears and earbuds; below are our top recommendations for the best earbuds for iPhone users to purchase. See our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best earbuds with a mic, and the best true wireless earbuds.
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Best Earbuds For iPhone
Travel8.5Office Work7.9Sports And Fitness8.1Noise Isolation - Full Range9.7Controls8.2Comfort8.0App Support7.0See all our test resultsContinuous Battery Life9 hrsThe best iPhone earbuds are the Apple AirPods Pro 3. These premium-tier earbuds come decked out with all of the brand's latest technology and are optimized for use with iOS. One of the most impressive features is the improvement to the active noise cancelling (ANC) system, which ranks among the best we've tested. It effectively filters out engine rumble, airplane cabin din, and squeaky subway brakes. Plus, you can squeeze nine hours of continuous playback with ANC on, so you can get through a workday without a recharge. The buds come with an H2 chip for conveniently switching between iCloud accounts on different Apple devices, and the case's tracking has improved the 'Find My' function if you misplace them.
Integration with your iPhone runs deep: the buds use the OS to automatically handle updates, but it's worth checking region availability and compatibility for some features, which might be limited to specific iPhone models. Features include being able to use the buds as hearing aids (for mild to moderate hearing impairment), or as hearing protection, and Live Translation, just to name a few. When paired with your iPhone, the microphone system's connection is optimized to capture your voice clearly and does a decent job of rejecting noise, making it a perfect choice for calls and meetings. That said, Apple changed the design of these slightly compared to the previous-gen Apple AirPods Pro 2. The Pro 3 have a deeper in-ear fit, which some people find uncomfortable. If that's you, the Pro 2 are still a great purchase, and their ANC is almost as good as the Pro 3's. But the older generation doesn't have features like heart rate monitoring, and they have a shorter battery life and weaker waterproofing.
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Best Mid-Range Earbuds For iPhone
Travel7.6Office Work7.4Sports And Fitness8.0Noise Isolation - Full Range7.4Controls7.7Comfort7.5App Support7.5See all our test resultsContinuous Battery Life7.5 hrsThe Nothing Ear don't ship with one of Apple's H1 or H2 chips, but they're not too dissimilar from the Apple AirPods Pro 3 in design, fit, and comfort. Like the AirPods Pro 3, which have controls on the stems, the Nothing buds use pinch controls to reduce accidental misfires. The Nothing also offer multi-device pairing, so you can still switch between your iPhone and any other Bluetooth device, though they don't have quick pairing with iOS.
These earbuds' companion app offers loads of sound personalization, too. The hearing test can alter the tuning to suit your listening, and you have a choice between a simple graphic EQ and a comprehensive eight-band EQ. Besides that, their default sound is warm, with a good amount of rumble and boom, natural-sounding lead instruments, and clear vocals. Their ANC is helpful for focusing or commuting, though it's not as powerful when handling mid-range chatter and ambient din as the top pick. But the Nothing still filter out boomy construction noise and high-pitched sounds like shrieking subway brakes well. Plus, their microphone system handles noise well, allowing callers to hear you, even in chaotic conditions.
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Best Budget Earbuds For iPhone
Commute/Travel7.7Office7.0Sports/Fitness8.1Noise Isolation7.1Controls6.8Comfort7.5App Support5.0See all our test resultsContinuous Battery Life11 hrsThe Beats Flex Wireless offer fewer features than other picks on this list, but still offer solid performance for their budget price. They come in a few colors to match your style and have a W1 chip that makes pairing with iOS devices easier. The W1 chip is an older processor than the H1 or H2 chips, so you can't benefit from features like "Hey Siri" voice activation. There's also no ANC on offer here, which might be an issue if you often work out in loud gyms.
Still, their neck-cable design allows you to wear them around your neck when not in use. Unfortunately, their low price is reflected in their build, as some users have reported that their units stopped working within a year of purchasing them. As budget headphones, though, they're easier to replace if broken or lost. Their bass-heavy sound profile is well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop, thanks to their extra thump and boom. However, unlike our mid-range pick, they don't have an EQ to help you adjust their sound.
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Best Open Earbuds For iPhone
Travel7.4Office Work7.1Sports And Fitness7.7Noise Isolation - Full Range6.9Controls6.8Comfort7.0App Support7.0See all our test resultsContinuous Battery Life4.5 hrsIf you want the Apple ecosystem integration of the Apple AirPods Pro 3, but with an open design, consider the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. While they're slightly less feature-packed than our top pick, these AirPods have a less intrusive, one-size-fits-all approach that some users may prefer, while others might miss the security of swappable ear tips. This update to the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) also comes with ANC, which performs quite well considering their open-back form factor. Additionally, they're lightweight and sleek, and feature an H2 chip for seamless pairing with other devices in your Apple ecosystem.
Like our top pick and the Apple AirPods Pro 2, they have an Adaptive EQ that adjusts the buds' sound to your unique ear shape, which creates a relatively well-balanced sound profile, albeit with a veiled treble range. They don't have an EQ in their companion app, but you can adjust some basic audio settings if you have a compatible iOS device via the 'Accessibility' tab. They have an okay 4.5-hour continuous battery life with ANC, and their carrying case holds four additional charges. Unfortunately, the buds don't have volume controls, which is inconvenient. Still, they're worth a look if you're searching for the rare combination of ANC and an open design.
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Best Sports Earbuds For iPhone
Travel8.5Office Work7.7Sports And Fitness8.1Noise Isolation - Full Range9.2Controls7.9Comfort8.0App Support6.5See all our test resultsContinuous Battery Life7.1 hrsThe Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 have large ear hooks, making them the best sports earbuds for iPhone that we've tested. While they're about as stable as the Apple AirPods Pro 3, those ear hooks help them stay in place during runs or workouts at the gym. They're also comfortable, well-built, and rated IPX4 for resistance against water splashes, so they can survive splashes from rain if you're exercising outside. They last over seven hours on a single charge, and their carrying case holds three extra charges, which is handy in a pinch.
These earbuds have a fairly balanced sound profile that suits different kinds of audio, though a roll-off in the high-treble can dull sounds like cymbals a little. Compared to their predecessor, the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless, they have a smaller and lighter form factor with additional features, but the hooks make them larger than most other true wireless earbuds. Their ANC system performs almost as well as that of our top pick. And with their upgraded H2 chip, they also support Apple ecosystem device switching and Apple's Spatial Audio features, including head tracking. You can also monitor your workouts with their integrated heart monitor. That said, the AirPods Pro 3 use heart monitors. too, so it's not an exclusive feature.
Read more about sport-oriented earbuds in our article on the best headphones and earbuds for running and working out.
Notable Mentions
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Beats Fit Pro True Wireless:
The Beats Fit Pro True Wireless offer many of the same iOS-related features as the Apple AirPods Pro 3, like Spatial Audio and an H1 chip for seamless pairing. However, their fit isn't as comfortable, and their ANC blocks significantly less ambient noise.
See our review -
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless:
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless are ANC-equipped buds that outlast the Nothing Ear. While they include an equalizer, their default bassy tuning is more polarizing, and their mic isn't as realistic.
See our review -
OnePlus Buds 3:
If you're looking for a pair of buds that offer some quality-of-life upgrades over the Beats Flex Wireless but still won't break the bank, consider the OnePlus Buds 3. While they lack the Beats' neckband design and W1 chip, they offer the same comfortable fit and improved stability. Plus, their ANC system does a solid job of isolating you from external distractions.
See our review -
JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless:
The JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless are wallet-friendly earbuds. While they lack the spatial audio features and H2 chip found in the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, they deliver a more balanced sound with plenty of bass on tap. Also, they have a similarly comfortable fit that's slightly more stable, thanks to their in-ear seal.
See our review
Recent Updates
Feb 04, 2026:
We removed our upper mid-range pick since the price difference between the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Apple AirPods Pro 2 is now quite small. The AirPods Pro 2 are an alternative for people who don't like the fit of the AirPods Pro 3.
Oct 14, 2025:
This article was updated to include the Apple AirPods Pro 3 as the top pick, with the Technics EAH-AZ100 as an alternative. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 were moved to the upper mid-range pick, and the Nothing Ear were moved to the mid-range pick. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC have been added to the Notable Mentions. Tweaks to the text have been made for accuracy.
Jun 26, 2025:
We've replaced the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 with the Technics EAH-AZ100 as our Best Noise-Cancelling pick, and updated the Best Sports pick from the Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless to the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.
Feb 26, 2025:
While our main picks have remained the same, we've updated our Notable Mention section with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 and removed the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 due to stock issues.
Nov 28, 2024:
The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless were removed as a pick due to their price exceeding the Nothing Ear Truly Wireless, and they've been succeeded by the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation Truly Wireless, which are now our pick in a new category, 'Best Open Earbuds.' The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 Truly Wireless replaced the Jabra Elite 10 True Wireless as our noise cancelling pick.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best wireless headphones for iPhone for most people to buy. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for wireless earbuds and in-ear headphones, sorted by Quick Pair (iOS) support. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.