AirPods users were pretty excited at WWDC 2021. With iOS 15 coming to iPhones, AirPods bring useful new features like Conversation Boost on AirPods Pro, and even support for spatial audio and lossless audio to Apple Music. Also, your AirPods can now announce notifications for you even when your iPhone is locked. It’s pretty handy and if you’re wondering how to set up “Notification Announcement” on AirPods in iOS 15, we’ve got you covered.
Announce Notifications Using Siri on AirPods (2021)
In this article, we have detailed how to enable “Announce Notifications” feature by default and for certain apps. We’ve also talked about how you can use Siri to respond to these notifications, without consent. So let’s dive in.
How to Enable Announcement Notifications on AirPods in iOS 15
If you often work with your AirPods in your ear, the announcement notifications feature will definitely come in handy for you. Here’s how you can enable the feature on your AirPods in iOS 15.
- On your iPhone, go to: Settings -> Notifications. Tap on “Announce NotificationsIt’s under the Siri section.
- At that time, enable toggle to turn on announcement notifications, that’s all.
Your AirPods will now read notifications from your iPhone. It is a useful new plugin and I think you will enjoy using it too. It’s also customizable and you can adjust the settings to fit your use case exactly.
Enable Notification Announcement for Specific Apps on AirPods
By default, iOS 15 enables “Announce Notifications” for apps that usually send you time-sensitive notifications. You know, things like the Messages app and Calendar. However, if you’re like me, you probably also get time-sensitive alerts from apps like Instagram and Slack. Fortunately, you can enable the feature for any app you want. Here’s how to do it.
- go Settings -> Notifications. Tap on “Announce Notifications“.
- You will now see a list of all your apps. simply tap the app You want to enable the notification announcement feature for In this example I will enable it for Slack. Tap the name of the app first, and then Tap on “Announce Notifications”.
This much. Your AirPods will now also read notifications from Slack. Or in your case, the app you enabled the feature.
pro tip: You can reply to notifications from apps like Messages directly from your AirPods. When Siri reads the notification, say “Reply” and then speak your reply.
How to Respond to Unapproved Notifications on AirPods
By default, if you respond to a notification via your AirPods, Siri will read your reply for confirmation before sending the message. This is useful for preventing Siri from incorrect speech-to-text results. However, if you are confident enough, you can disable this confirmation to get a smoother experience.
- Go to Settings -> Notifications. Tap on “Announce Notifications“.
- Next, enable the toggle next to “.Reply Without Confirming“. This much.
That’s it, now you can feel a little more like Tony Stark (or Batman from The Lego Batman Movie) and reply to your notifications by telling your virtual assistant to do it for you.
Compatible AirPods with Announcements in iOS 15
Here is the list of AirPods compatible with the “Announce Notifications” feature in iOS 15:
- second generation AirPods
- AirPods Pro
- AirPods Max.
Track Your Notifications in iOS 15 Without Holding Your iPhone
I’ve been using the “Announce Notifications” feature on my AirPods Pro and iPhone XR since I installed iOS 15 on my iPhone and it works fine. It’s an easy way to keep track of important notifications especially when I’m busy working and I don’t want to look at my phone every time it lights up. What about you? Will you use the “Announce Notifications” feature on your AirPods? Let me know in the comments below.
