Do AirPods work without wifi?

As an owner of AirPods, I was frustrated to find out that I couldn’t use them without wifi – or so I thought. After doing some research, I’m pleased to share with you what I discovered: that AirPods do, in fact, work without wifi. In this blog post, I’ll explain how and share some other solutions I discovered along the way.

AirPods work without Wifi. AirPods connect to your devices via Bluetooth, so it is not necessary for you to have an internet connection.

With that being said, there are some features that you will not be able to make use of if you do not have an internet connection.

Key Takeaways

Airpods can work without wifi, as long as they are within range of Bluetooth.
Siri is not available when you are offline and you will have to use Voice Control instead.

Airpods do not use cellular data and you can still use them even if you don’t have access to WiFi.

Key Points	Description
AirPods Work Without Wi-Fi	AirPods connect to devices via Bluetooth, so they don’t require Wi-Fi. They can work with any device that supports Bluetooth headphones within range.
AirPods Pro Work Without Wi-Fi	Similar to AirPods, AirPods Pro connect via Bluetooth, allowing them to function without Wi-Fi. They offer additional features like active noise cancellation and water resistance.
Siri Requires Internet Connection	Siri is not available when you are offline. However, you can use Voice Control as an alternative when you don’t have access to the internet.
AirPods Don’t Use Cellular Data	AirPods rely on Bluetooth signals and don’t connect to the internet directly, so they don’t use cellular data.
Using AirPods Offline with Voice Control	By changing the settings to use Voice Control, you can control certain features of your device with preset commands, even when offline.

Table of Contents

Do Airpods Work Without Wifi?

Apple has called the experience of using an Airpod magical since it allows users to wirelessly connect via Bluetooth to all the Apple ecosystem including iPads and some Macs.

And although not everyone is aware of it, Airpods can also work with non-Apple devices as well.

Airpods are defined as short-term Bluetooth devices. You can use them with turntables, receivers, smart TVs, in other words with any device that supports Bluetooth headphones as long as you are within Bluetooth range. They are not restricted to iOS devices or those with an Apple connection.

You can even use them on planes in airplane mode, again as long as they are within range of Bluetooth.

And if you find yourself in an area where you cannot access the internet, although you will not be able to access Siri, you can still listen to music or podcasts if you have already downloaded them and stored them on your phone.

However, if you want to use Sir to control your music, or use the Find My feature to locate your iPad or phone, you do have to connect them to a router with internet access or to a device that has a wired connection.

Do Airpods Pros Work Without Wifi?

Like Airpods, Airpod Pros are TWS wireless earbuds, but Airpod Pros differ in that they

Offer active noise cancellation rather than passive noise cancellation
Produce higher quality audio
Are water-resistant

Charge wirelessly
Have a different designed earpiece and come with a choice of ear tips to better fit different size ear canals.

But they are similar to their predecessor Airpod, in that they are primarily Bluetooth, so they can be used with Bluetooth emitting devices as long as they are within Bluetooth range.

But Airpod pros cannot function without an internet connection.

However, all is not lost since you can still use them to listen to stored music or to connect to various devices that support Bluetooth such as turntables and radio signal receivers.

Do Airpods Need Internet for Siri to Work?

One of the great things about Airpods is that Siri is always at your side, ready to respond to your every command and answer your every question – except when you are offline. This is because Siri is a creature of the internet but Bluetooth Airpods are not.

They need an internet interface to serve as a middleman. Therefore, if there’s no interface, there’s no internet connection, so there’s no Siri. But as in the case of many problems, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Since your Airpods cannot connect to Siri with the default settings, if you find you just can’t live without Siri, you can go into settings, disable Siri, opt for voice control, and “she” will follow your voice commands but only local ones concerning control of the device such as selecting or skipping a song.

But since she’s not connected to the internet, you will not be able to search for information or control smart appliances.

Do Airpods Use Cellular Data?

Airpods rely on devices that emit Bluetooth signals in order to operate rather than connecting to the Internet directly, so they are not directly using any cellular data.

So since your iPhone, iPad, or another mobile device emits a Bluetooth signal, you can use your Airpods if you are within 30 to 50 feet of the device, (and even farther away with Airpods Pro). And no longer how long you remain connected, you will not be eating into the data of your cellular data plan

How to Use Airpods When You’re Offline

As stated above, if you do not have internet your use of Airpods is limited since their main source of control is Siri.

You can always go old style and pull out your phone instead, or you can really go old style and back to the days before there was a Siri. In other words, you can change the settings to her predecessor, voice control and use it instead. To do this requires several steps:

Go to Settings, scroll down and select General, and then Accessibility
Tap the Home Button

Under the Press and Hold to Speak section, select Voice Control

And you’re done! From now on, in any situation where Siri would apply, Voice control will take over in its place. All you have to do is double-tap your Airpod, speak in a clear voice, and issue your commands.

But don’t expect to have the same amount of command.

Your choices will be limited to a small amount of preset commands. You can choose to play specific artists, albums, and playlist. You will be able to command controls like play/pause, repeat, and skip.

But you will not be able to adjust the volume. And be aware that if you’re in a loud environment since you will not have the active noise control you would have with Airpods Pros, using Voice control may result in miscommunication or delays.

.But this is a shortcoming of Siri, not of your Airpods. So the ball is in Siri’s court. Hopefully, the next Siri upgrade will include offline ability.

Meanwhile, enjoy your Airpods and Airpod Pros even if you’re in situations or locations where you do not have access to WiFi.

Pros

AirPods work without wifi, as long as they are within range of Bluetooth.

AirPods don’t need to connect to the internet directly, so they don’t use cellular data.
AirPods Pro offer active noise cancellation, better audio quality, water-resistance, and wireless charging.
Voice control is available for use when you are offline.

Cons

Siri is not available when you are offline.
Voice control is limited to a small amount of preset commands and cannot be used to adjust the volume.
Using Voice Control in loud environments may result in miscommunication or delays.