Fourth AirPods Pro 2 beta firmware now available for testers

Apple has released the fourth developer beta for the latest AirPods Pro 2 software, which lets testers try the nod and shake feature.

The company provides developer betas for nearly all of its platforms, including AirPods. These AirPods firmware betas aren't as common as the beta updates for the other platforms, but with Apple adding notable new features to the mix, developers need time to test ahead of the public release.

The fourth beta brings the AirPods Pro 2 firmware build version to 7A5290a, up from 7A5266c. This beta is only for AirPods Pro 2, both the USB-C and Lightning version, and won't be released for AirPods Max or other non-H2 devices.

The latest release contains features Apple announced during WWDC, including the new head-shaking gestures, that let users shake their head yes or no to reply to Siri. The improved noise isolation and personalized spatial audio for gaming are also present.

How to install the AirPods firmware beta

Apple has made it relatively easy to download and install beta versions for iOS and macOS, but that's not the case for AirPods firmware updates.

The first step in the process is to have a registered developer account, which is now free. Once you do that, follow these steps:

• Ensure Developer Mode is enabled in Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Developer Mode.
• If it is enabled or after enabling it, go to Settings -> Developer.
• Near the bottom, select Pre-Release Beta Firmware under AirPods Testing.
• Select which AirPods you'd like to enroll in the beta.

You can watch the video above to see the process if you need any assistance. Be aware that sometimes the Developer Mode might not pop up as required in the process, which means connecting the iPhone to a Mac running the current Xcode beta.