With every iPhone comes a set of fairly decent headphones called EarPods. While the EarPods are a fairly basic set of earphones, they do have some great hidden features that allow you to control your music and phone calls, and can even work with Siri.
You likely know that the EarPods have a built-in microphone that can be used to make and receive calls. But did you know they can help you manage your phone calls a bit better?
Let’s start with the basics…
Answering or Ending a Phone Call: Simply press the center button on your EarPod’s control buttons to answer or end a phone call. Click once to answer, and then when you’re finished talking, another single click will end the call.
Decline an Incoming Call: To decline an incoming call, hold down the center button for two seconds and then release. You’ll hear two beeps in the earphones when the call has been successfully declined.
Put Your Current Call on Hold and Answer Another Call: To put the current phone call on hold, and to answer another call, quickly single press the center button. You’ll then be transferred to the incoming call. Another quick press of the center button will return you to your first call. (Note: Hold the center button for two seconds to completely hangup on your first call and answer the incoming call. )
To activate Siri, press the center button and hold it. This will summon Siri. Now, hold the button as you ask your query, and release it to hear her response. Repeat as needed.
While most of you already know these, for the sake of completeness, and for first-time buyers of an iPhone, lets list the EarPod music controls.
Play or Pause a Song: While listening to a song, podcast, or while viewing a video, simply click the center button once to pause playback. Press it again to resume listening or viewing.
Skip to the Next Song: Quickly double-press the center button to jump to the next track.
Fast-Forward in a Song: Quickly double-press the center button and then hold it. Release the button when you reach the spot you’re looking for in your song.
Jump Back to a Song: Quickly triple-press the center button.
Rewinding a Track: Quickly triple-press the center button, and hold it.Release the button when you reach the spot you’re looking for in your song.
Control the shutter release in the iPhone’s Camera app by clicking the “volume up” button to activate the shutter. (That the “+” button on the top of the EarPod controls.) Yes, it works for selfies too. SIGH!
All of the above tricks also work with the older earbuds Apple formerly included with the iPhone, as well as many third-party earphones, as long as they include the media control button.
