AirPods Firmware 9B47: Supported Models, No Fix Notes Yet

Apple released AirPods firmware 9B47 yesterday, and it now covers five H2-equipped product lines: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, AirPods 5, and AirPods Max 2, according to MacRumors. The build replaces 9A348 on most of those models and 9A350 on AirPods 5, per Macworld.

Apple hasn't said what the update actually changes. As of this writing, its AirPods firmware support page still doesn't list 9B47 or describe its contents, Macworld reports.

That leaves eligible owners with an update that will install automatically under Apple's normal conditions, and no explanation yet for why it exists. Here's what's confirmed about eligibility, what's still speculation about the update's contents, and how the install process actually works since there's no update button to tap.

Which models support the AirPods firmware update 9B47?

Five families qualify: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, AirPods 5, and AirPods Max 2. All of them run Apple's H2 chip, which Macworld notes is the common thread tying the rollout together.

That list leaves out older gear. Apple's firmware support document, published two months ago, shows AirPods 1 through 3, the first-generation AirPods Pro, and the first-generation AirPods Max still sitting on much older build numbers like 6F21 and 7E108, according to Apple's support page. That same document also shows the two AirPods Pro 2 case variants, MagSafe Charging Case USB-C and MagSafe Charging Case Lightning, both running 9A348 before yesterday's update.

That page is a snapshot from before 9B47 existed, so it only confirms what those models were running two months ago. It doesn't prove Apple has permanently excluded older AirPods from future firmware, just that they weren't named in this release. Anyone on an original AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or AirPods 1 through 3 should check Apple's firmware document directly for their current version rather than assume this list is the final word on what they'll eventually get.

What's actually new in firmware 9B47?

Apple beta tested this build for several weeks before releasing it but has offered no details on what it contains, MacRumors reports. Because there are no release notes, owners can't yet tell whether 9B47 addresses a specific bug, improves performance, or quietly includes a security patch.

Macworld's own assessment is that 9B47 is likely limited to bug fixes and performance improvements, reasoning that no current iOS or macOS feature appears to require new AirPods firmware to function, according to Macworld. That's Macworld's inference based on the absence of a feature trigger, not a confirmed scope from Apple, and it's worth treating it that way until Apple publishes anything official.

There's also an open security question, though it cuts both ways. Apple has used AirPods firmware before to patch a real vulnerability, CVE-2024-27867: an authentication issue where, if headphones were seeking a connection to a previously paired device, an attacker within Bluetooth range might be able to spoof the intended source device and gain access, fixed through improved state management, according to Apple's security advisory from 2024. That advisory only proves Apple has documented and patched security flaws through AirPods firmware in the past; it says nothing about whether 9B47 contains anything similar. With no notes published for this release, that possibility simply can't be confirmed or ruled out.

MacRumors notes that Apple's support document will be updated with information soon, though no timeline or format has been given. That's worth monitoring rather than assuming is already live.

How the last AirPods update compares

September's 9A348 build had a clear, named purpose. It added Custom EQ, a new equalizer control in AirPods settings that lets users adjust low, mid, and high frequency response, available on AirPods 4 and later, AirPods Pro 2 and later, and AirPods Max 2, per Apple's support documentation.

That same release enabled GymKit syncing, letting a paired iPhone connect to compatible cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes and sync heart-rate data from AirPods Pro 3, according to the same Apple document. AirPods 5 got a parallel build, 9A350, to bring that model up to the same feature set, Macworld notes.

The September release included named features tied to specific models. Apple has not identified any comparable changes in 9B47, which is part of why Macworld leans toward a maintenance release. That read is circumstantial, built on the absence of evidence rather than a confirmation from Apple, and it could change the moment the company updates its support page.

How to update AirPods to firmware version 9B47

There's no manual install option for this update, the same as with past AirPods firmware. Apple's own documentation says updates are delivered automatically while AirPods are paired with and within Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, according to Apple's support page. MacRumors adds that connecting the AirPods to power is also part of how the download happens.

Expect it to take a while. Installation can run a few hours because AirPods don't have a dedicated software-update screen the way an iPhone or Mac does, and there's no published timeline for when any individual pair will finish, MacRumors reports.

Macworld's practical suggestion: leave the AirPods in their case, connected to power, for at least 30 minutes, then open the case lid near a paired iPhone, iPad, or Mac, per Macworld. That gives the devices another opportunity to reconnect; it's not confirmed to speed up or trigger the install on its own.

Confirming the update actually landed is harder than it should be. Apple's firmware support document is where version numbers for each model are listed, but as of now it still only reflects pre-9B47 builds, not the new one. Once Apple updates that page, it will show which version number corresponds to 9B47 for each model, giving owners something to compare against, but it hasn't been refreshed yet.

What to do while you wait for Apple's notes

If your AirPods are a Pro 2, Pro 3, 4, 5, or Max 2, firmware 9B47 is already rolling out under Apple's standard automatic-delivery conditions, and there's nothing to manually trigger. Keeping the earbuds charging and paired to a nearby iPhone, iPad, or Mac is the only thing that affects whether and when it installs.

Don't expect a visible new feature. Nothing in the available reporting points to a new capability the way Custom EQ and GymKit did in September, so treat 9B47 as background maintenance until Apple says otherwise. And don't attribute any specific bug, old or new, to this release yet. Apple hasn't confirmed what changed, and the 2024 CVE fix shows the company is capable of folding a real security patch into an AirPods update without much fanfare, not that it's done so here.

Check Apple's AirPods firmware support document over the coming days for the version number tied to 9B47 and any accompanying notes. Until that page updates, there's no official way to confirm what this release actually does.