AirPods users had plenty to be excited about at WWDC 2021. With iOS 15 coming to iPhones, AirPods are getting useful new features like Conversation Boost on AirPods Pro, and even Spatial Audio as well as Apple Music lossless audio support. Plus, your AirPods can now announce notifications for you, even when your iPhone is locked. It’s very useful, and if you’re wondering how to set up “Announcement Notifications” on AirPods in iOS 15, we’ve got you covered.
Announce Notifications Using Siri on AirPods (2021)
In this article, we’ve detailed how to enable the “Announce Notifications” feature by default and for specific apps. We also mentioned how you can use Siri to respond to these notifications, that too without confirmation. So let’s dive in.
How to Enable Announcement Notifications on AirPods in iOS 15
If you often work with your AirPods in your ears, the announcement notification feature is definitely going to come in handy. Here’s how to enable the feature on your AirPods in iOS 15.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings -> Notifications. Tap on ” Announce notifications in the Siri section.
- Then, enable toggle to enable announcement notifications, and that’s it.
Your AirPods will now read notifications as they come to your iPhone. It’s a useful new addition, and I think you’ll enjoy using it as well. Moreover, it is customizable and you can adjust the settings to match your use case exactly.
Enable Notification Announcement for Specific Apps on AirPods
By default, iOS 15 enables “Announce Notifications” for apps that typically send you urgent notifications. You know, things like the Messages app and the calendar. However, if you’re like me, you’re probably also getting urgent alerts from apps like Instagram and Slack. Luckily, you can enable the feature for any app you like. Here’s how.
- Go to 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. I’ll enable it for Slack in this example. First, tap on the name of the app, then tap “Announce notifications”.
That’s it. Your AirPods will now also read notifications from Slack. Or, in your case, the app for which you enabled the feature.
Pro tip: You can respond to notifications from apps like Messages right from your AirPods. Just say “Reply” when Siri reads the notification, then speak your response.
How to Respond to Notifications Without Confirmation on AirPods
By default, if you reply to a notification through your AirPods, Siri will read your reply for confirmation before sending the message. This is useful to avoid incorrect text-to-speech results from Siri. However, if you are confident enough, you can disable this confirmation for a smoother experience.
- Go to Settings -> Notifications. Tap on ” Announce notifications“.
- Next, enable the toggle next to ” Reply without confirmation“. That’s it.
That’s it, now you can feel a little more like Tony Stark (or Batman from The Lego Batman Movie) and respond to your notifications by telling your virtual assistant to do it for you.
AirPods Compatible with Announcement Notifications 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
Keep Track of Your Notifications in iOS 15 Without Recovering Your iPhone
I’ve been using the “Announce Notifications” feature with my AirPods Pro and iPhone XR since I installed iOS 15 on my iPhone, and it works well. It’s an easy way to keep track of important notifications, especially when I’m busy working and don’t want to look at my phone every time it turns on. And you? Will you be using “Announce Notifications” on your AirPods? Let me know in the comments below.
