Like most tech products, Apple’s AirPods also have firmware that is constantly updated to improve performance and, in some cases, to add some new features. Last December, for example, Apple released a new firmware update for all of its AirPods, both regular and Pro and Max, but as usual, no detailed information has been offered to support it. As a result, it is unknown what improvements or bug fixes have been made.
In addition to all this, even the update process itself is not very clear and simple as we are usually used to with any other product. In fact, it is not possible to download and install firmware having indications on the progress status but everything happens automatically, in OTA mode, when the earphones or headphones are connected to an iPhone and connected to a power source.
Until now, the updates were only installed when the AirPods were connected to an iPhone or an iPad but from today, starting from the beta 12.3 version of macOS, released in the past few hours, it will be possible to update the AirPods also from a Mac. 9to5Mac, in fact, discovered in the beta released to developers the framework responsible for updating the firmware of the AirPods.
Like the iPhone and iPad, the update process is handled on macOS in the same way. So, no possibility to do it manually but you have to connect them, connect them preferably to a power source, and wait.