Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
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Are the AirPods 4 with ANC right for you?
The AirPods 4 with ANC are Apple's Bluetooth headphones with an open-ear design and active noise cancelling.
Best for
- Noise cancelling in an open-ear design. Apple lists Active Noise Cancellation, and two reviews found it effective for an open design.
- Listening across Apple devices. Apple's compatibility list covers iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro, each on the latest version of its software.
Skip if
- You want long listening between charges. Apple quotes up to 4 hours on a single charge with cancelling on, and two reviews found the battery life behind the competition.
- You want earbuds that seal your ear canal. Apple's launch announcement describes an open-ear design, and an open design doesn't seal the ear canal the way an in-ear tip does.
Want to see them next to a keyboard and a mouse? Try them on the QuickDesker board and build a whole desk setup around them.
What do they cost, and what should you check first?
Prices change, so check the current one before you buy. Apple's launch announcement names two models, AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, so check you're buying the one with cancelling.
In the box: the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, a Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, and documentation. Apple says the USB-C charge cable is sold separately, and that the case works with a USB-C connector, an Apple Watch charger or Qi‑certified chargers.
Apple rates them dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54). In an IP rating, the 5 stands for protection against dust and the 4 for protection against splashing water.
What can noise cancelling do on an open-ear design?
Apple lists Active Noise Cancellation and a Transparency mode. Active noise cancelling uses microphones and an opposing sound signal to reduce steady background noise, while a transparency mode does the reverse and lets outside sound in on purpose.
Apple's launch announcement adds Adaptive Audio, which it says dynamically blends Transparency mode and ANC based on the conditions of a user's environment.
Two reviews found the cancelling effective for an open design. There's more on how cancelling differs from transparency in our guide: What “noise cancelling” actually means on a headphone box.
How long do the AirPods 4 with ANC last on a charge?
Apple quotes up to 4 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled, and up to 5 hours with noise control off. With the charging case it quotes up to 20 hours with cancelling on. Figures like these come from the maker's own test settings, so your volume and how much you use cancelling change what you get.
Apple says 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time.
Two reviews found the battery life behind the competition, and one measured 4.5 hours of continuous battery life.
Full specifications
| How it is worn | open-ear design |
|---|---|
| Connections | Bluetooth 5.3 wireless technology |
| Active noise cancelling | Active Noise Cancellation |
| Battery life | Up to 4 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled |
| Weight | 0.15 ounce (4.3 grams) |
| Transparency / ambient mode | Transparency mode |
| Microphone noise reduction | Voice Isolation |
| Battery life with case | Up to 20 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation enabled |
| Battery life, as quoted | Up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge with noise control off. Up to 30 hours of listening time with noise control off. |
| Microphone | Dual beamforming microphones; Inward-facing microphone |
| Water resistance | Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54) |
| Spatial audio | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking |
| Charging port | Works with USB-C connector, Apple Watch charger, or Qi‑certified chargers (Charging Case) |
| Quick charge, as quoted | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time |
| Dimensions | Height: 1.19 inches (30.2 mm); Width: 0.72 inch (18.3 mm); Depth: 0.71 inch (18.1 mm) |
| In the box | AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, Documentation |
Apple's tech specs page for the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation doesn't list passive isolation.
Specifications from Apple's AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation tech specs page and AirPods 4 launch announcement, read 17 Sep 2026.