AirPods Max finally get the great free upgrade Apple promised

Here's how to make sure your headphones are running the right firmware

Apple AirPods Max review
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/ T3)
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Quick summary

Apple releases its delayed firmware update for AirPods Max, adding the expected lossless audio feature.

Your headphones need to be running version '7E101' to access the latest features.

It's been a good week for Apple users this week – the company made the latest software builds available to download for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, bringing a number of new features to devices.

For iPhone and iPad users, iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 brought new emojis along with a Sketch feature in Image Playground, the expansion of Apple Intelligence into more countries, and Priority Notifications too. For Apple Watch users meanwhile, alarms were updated to allow them to ring in the morning, even when your smartwatch is in silent mode.

Now a new feature has come to AirPods Max with USB-C too, with the over-ear headphones now supporting lossless audio. This feature wasn't available immediately, even after the other software builds became available, but whatever issue Apple faced has seemingly now been resolved.

There's no manual way to update AirPods, but if you have AirPods Max with USB-C and you've updated your iPhone, iPad or Mac to the latest software – iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 – then your AirPods Max should automatically update too.

They will need to be running firmware 7E101 for you to experience lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio.

How to update your AirPods Max to get lossless audio

To ensure your AirPods Max are running the latest firmware and you're getting access to the latest features, follow the steps below that Apple also provides on its support page:

  • Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on.
  • Make sure that your AirPods Max are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
  • Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi.
  • Plug the charging cable into the bottom-right earphone, then the other end of the cable into a USB charger or port.
  • Keep your AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.
  • Reconnect your AirPods Max to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
  • Check the firmware version again and make sure it lists “7E101".

If you still can’t update your firmware, reset your AirPods Max, then try to update your firmware again.

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Britta O'Boyle
Britta O'Boyle

Britta is a freelance technology journalist who has been writing about tech for over a decade. She's covered all consumer tech from phones, tablets and wearables to smart home and beauty tech, with everything in between. She has a fashion journalism degree from London College of Fashion and previously did a long stint as deputy editor of Pocket-lint, but you’ll now find her byline on several titles including GQ, the Express, the Mirror, TechRadar, Stuff and iMore. You'll never find her without her Apple Watch on, aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate and she loves a good iPhone trick.

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