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4ndr3w

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 29, 2007
119
12
Chicago
Can anyone with AirPods and an Apple Watch see if the digital crown on the watch gets mapped to control the *phone* volume when AirPods are paired to the phone and listening to music off the phone?
 
Nothing from what i can tell. Only if you open the now playing app
It nothing is on the watch screen the crown just adjusts the brightness
 
I agree, I wish the dial could adjust volume by default. Another option would be for a Now Playing complication that you could put on a watch face. They could also put the Now Playing app next to the control panel when you swipe up from the watch face. Hopefully the lack of a volume control on the AirPods will prompt Apple to incorporate some method for quicker access. It would be so easy.
 
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are you on the latest watch os? try scrolling the crown away from you. screens gotta be off tho.
This doesn't seem like a legitimate feature. Why would you adjust the brightness with the screen off? And why is the control only accessible with the screen off. They finally have the watch working were it almost always turns on when raised. It took a while to even try this and I don't see any change in brightness. I'm running the latest watch OS.
 
This doesn't seem like a legitimate feature. Why would you adjust the brightness with the screen off? And why is the control only accessible with the screen off. They finally have the watch working were it almost always turns on when raised. It took a while to even try this and I don't see any change in brightness. I'm running the latest watch OS.
It's a Series 2-only feature. Essentially allows you to turn on the screen slowly with a control over how bright it gets in case there's a situation where a sudden bright light would be distracting.
 
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Can anyone with AirPods and an Apple Watch see if the digital crown on the watch gets mapped to control the *phone* volume when AirPods are paired to the phone and listening to music off the phone?

Yes, It's the same as if you're using wired headphones. I only have "Now Playing" docked on my Apple Watch so it's not too hard to use the Apple Watch to control volume on my AirPods.
I should say that using Siri to change volume is pretty easy too; though I understand some people won't want to do this.
 
Right to clear things up:

Using the crown to adjust brightness is a Series 2 feature that only happens if the watch screen is off. If you flick your wrist and then try turning the crown, nothing will happen. If it's off, and you turn the crown, brightness gradually increases.

But going into the 'Now Playing' app will definitely allow you to change AirPods volume form what I have heard.
 
Thanks everyone. I really like the design of AirPods and can get by with any physical play/pause buttons (tapping can be remapped) but I really want a way of being able to adjust volume without taking my eyes off of whatever I'm doing. Having inline controls built into headphones since the first iPhone has made it second nature to me.
 
AirPods have to be paired to the watch in order for the digital crown to control volume. If pods are connected to phone, crown doesn't control volume. Also have to be in the "now playing" screen as stated above.
 
AirPods have to be paired to the watch in order for the digital crown to control volume. If pods are connected to phone, crown doesn't control volume. Also have to be in the "now playing" screen as stated above.

You sure? Pretty sure crown can control volume on now playing screen while paired to iPhone (if source of music is iPhone). It works with my iSport wireless buds so I'd be surprised if not with Airpods...
 
You sure? Pretty sure crown can control volume on now playing screen while paired to iPhone (if source of music is iPhone). It works with my iSport wireless buds so I'd be surprised if not with Airpods...

Maybe it was a glitch but this AM when I paired the AirPods with the iPhone, I couldn't control the volume until I went and selected the AirPods on my watch as the output source.
 
Maybe it was a glitch but this AM when I paired the AirPods with the iPhone, I couldn't control the volume until I went and selected the AirPods on my watch as the output source.
Just tested on my Airpods, think you either had a glitch or you didn't go to the "Now Playing" section as working perfectly for me.
 
Maybe it was a glitch but this AM when I paired the AirPods with the iPhone, I couldn't control the volume until I went and selected the AirPods on my watch as the output source.

It works for me. AirPods paired to iPhone. AW S2 on Now Playing screen and the crown changes the volume.
 
Yep it works for me too. My phone streams to my watch and my pods paired to my watch so i could use the crown instantly
I think it's more likely that the phone is the source of the music... unless you're playing your 2GB watch allowance.
 
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