How to Use Your Apple EarPods to Do a Lot More Than Turn the Volume up or Down

How to Use Your Apple EarPods Do a Lot More Than Turn the Volume up or Down

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

Once you get over the fact that Apple's earbuds are called EarPods™ you can start to appreciate all the cool things you can do with them. You can answer and decline calls, fast-forward and rewind songs, take pictures, and more with your Apple earphones. Oh yeah, and you can also adjust the volume up and down.

Related: 18 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Apple Music

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Fast-forwarding and rewinding and skipping between music tracks and video chapters only works if the app you are using supports it. (For example, you can't skip back to a previous song in Apple Music Radio, so you can't do it with your EarPods either. But you will be able to skip to the next song.)

Using Earphones During Video or Music Playback

To start or stop music or a video

  • Press the center button once to play or pause.

To skip to the next song or chapter

  • Press the center button twice quickly.

To fast-forward

  • Press the center button twice quickly and hold.

To go to the previous song or chapter

  • Press the center button three times quickly.

To rewind

  • Press the center button three times quickly and hold.

Using Earphones During Phone Calls

To answer or end a call

  • Press the center button once to answer or end your call

To decline incoming calls

  • Hold down the center button for about two seconds, then let go. When you let go, you will hear two beeps indicating that you successfully declined the call.

To place a call on hold when switching between calls

  • Press the center button once to switch to switch to an incoming or on-hold call. You current call will be put on hold. Press again to switch back.

To end a call when switching between calls

  • When ending a call and switching to an on-hold or incoming call, press and hold the center button for about two seconds. When you let go, you will hear two beeps indicating that you successfully ended the call you just left.

Top image credit: charnsitr / Shutterstock.com

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Sarah Kingsbury's picture

Author Details

Sarah Kingsbury

As the Editorial Director at iPhone Life, Sarah Kingsbury manages the online editorial team and oversees all website content. She is a long-time Apple enthusiast who never goes anywhere without her Apple Watch and owns way too many HomePods. Since joining iPhone Life in 2013, Sarah has done everything from writing hundreds of how-to articles to founding the Daily Tip newsletter. She even co-hosted the early episodes of the iPhone Life Podcast. When not at work, Sarah can be found hiking in the mountains and canyons around Las Vegas, where she lives with her partner and dogs.