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Apple just released new AirPods Pro 3 firmware

Avatar for Ryan Christoffel  | Jan 13 2026 - 11:20 am PT
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Apple has new firmware available for AirPods Pro 3 users today ahead of iOS 26.3’s forthcoming release. Here are the details.

Latest AirPods Pro 3 firmware is available now

New AirPods firmware arrives periodically with bug fixes, performance enhancements, and sometimes brand new features.

Today, the latest firmware has arrived for AirPods Pro 3.

The new AirPods firmware has build number 8B34. This is up from the prior 8B30 release that shipped shortly before the holidays.

Apple’s last few firmware builds have come with the standard “Bug fixes and other improvements” release notes. So far, Apple has yet to update its AirPods firmware webpage with full details on today’s release.

If you want to install the latest firmware, there’s unfortunately no way to do so manually. Unlike iOS software updates, the process can only happen in the background once certain conditions are met.

Here are those conditions, per Apple:

  1. Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on.
  2. Make sure that your AirPods are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
  3. Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi.
  4. Connect your charging case to power.
  5. Put your AirPods in their charging case and close the lid. Keep the lid of the charging case closed, and keep your AirPods in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
  6. Wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.
  7. Open the lid of the charging case to reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
  8. Check the firmware version again.

We’ll keep you posted on any new changes discovered in the latest firmware.

Have you installed the new 8B34 firmware version for AirPods Pro 3? Notice anything new? Let us know in the comments.

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Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.