How to Skip Songs on AirPods

This article explains how to skip songs with your AirPods as well as perform other simple functions. We'll cover AirPods Pro, AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods (2nd generation), and AirPods (1st) generation.

How to Skip Songs With AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd Generation)

It's straightforward and quick to skip songs, play and pause audio, skip ahead, and control the volume while wearing your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation). You'll utilize a force sensor Apple built into the stem of these AirPods models.

1. While wearing your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation), note the built-in force sensor. There's a force sensor in both AirPods.

2. Double-press the force sensor to skip a song. This will take you to the next song on your playlist.

3. To play a song or pause a song, press the force sensor once. If you paused audio, press the force sensor again to resume.

4. To skip back to repeat a song, triple press the force sensor.

5. On AirPods Pro only, to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, press and hold the force sensor. 

6. To control your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) volume, use the volume slider in the app you're using, or say, "Hey Siri, turn up the volume," or, "Hey Siri, turn down the volume."

How to Skip Songs With AirPods (1st and 2nd gen)

To skip songs with AirPods (1st generation or 2nd generation), you'll double-tap on the right or left AirPod. If, for some reason, double-tapping to skip songs isn't the default setting for your AirPods, set this action as your default through your connected iPhone's settings.

1. Open Settings on your connected iPhone and tap Bluetooth.

2. Select your AirPods by tapping the i icon.

3. Under Double-Tap on AirPod, select your right or left AirPod to change its double-tap default settings.

4. Select Next Track to make skipping a song the default double-tap action for that AirPod.

5. Alternatively, select Siri to make the double-tap action alert Siri, select Play/Pause to make the double-tap action play or pause audio, or select Previous Track to make the double-tap action's default skipping back a song.