Tong Family

This is such a cool gesture, but I have to confess I simply always forget how to use it. No, you can’t find it in settings or anywhere sane like that.

Even the Apple instructions are super unclear but here is exactly what to do:

1. You need to have a not too old model iPhone 8 or later. Or an iPad Pro 12 second generation or later. Or any iPad Pro 11.
2. You need any AirPod or AirPod Pro.

So that’s not too bad. What is unclear is how to get it actually setup so here goes:

1. Connect your AirPods to the iPad or iPhone.
2. Here is the tricky part, you have to find this strange now playing icon. The easiest way is to swipe down on the right ear of your iPad or iPhone and the default now playing should show an icon of your AirPod. (And then on iOS 18, you will see the name of your AirPod. Press on that.)
3. You will see all your devices and it should have selected your AirPod. But below it is this Share Audio button
4. Now it says something really mysterious which is being your AirPods or headphones close to your iPad or iPhone. It’s not at all clear what they mean. But if you put your AirPods into the case and wave it around close to the iPad, it will detect it. And I’m not sure how close but you will get a dialog with an image of the AirPod case.
5. It will then ask you to push the button on the back and it will go white and it should be connected.
6. You will now see in control dialog that both devices are active with their own volume controls.

So it pretty neat if you can find that dialog and figure out you need a closed case.