Secret headphone shortcuts: Twelve clicks to control your iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- feb
- 21
The 3.5mm headphone jack might go away one day, but there's plenty of power there today!
The Apple EarPods that come with your iPhone or iPod touch can be used to control a wide range of features, including music, calls, and even Siri. So can any other set of headphones, from Beats to Bose, and on iPad as well—as long as they integrate the remote and mic hardware. The remote controls are great for accessibility, but they're also great for convenience. What's more, they also work with the Mac!
If you're not familiar with all the options, here's a complete list!
1. Play/pause
Single click the headset button to play audio — music, podcasts, or audio books — or to pause audio that's already playing.
2. Skip forward
Double click the headset button to skip forward to the next track or chapter.
3. Skip back
Triple click the headset button to skip back to the previous track or chapter.
4. Fast forward
Double click and hold down the headset button to fast forward through the audio.
5. Rewind
Triple click and hold down the headset button to rewind through the audio.
6. Answer or hang up
Single click the headset button to answer and incoming call or hang up an ongoing call.
7. Switch calls
Single click the headset button to switch between multiple calls.
8. Reject a call
Single click and hold down the headset button to send an incoming call to voice mail. (Two low beeps will confirm the rejection.)
9. Hang up on current call
Double click and hold down the headset button to hang up on the current of multiple calls. (Two low beeps will confirm the hang up.)
10. Activate Siri
Single click and hold down on the headset button to active Siri.
11. Talk to Siri
Single click the headset button to ask Siri additional questions or issue additional commands after it's activated.
13. Take a picture
Single click the volume up button while the Camera app is open to take a picture. Works great for selfies!
Your favorite?
I'm pretty sure the remote controls used to work with Voice Recorder, but they're not working for us right now. If you've got any favorite remote controls, or if we missed any, please let me know!
