How to play the same sound in both of your AirPods

You can play the same sound in both of your AirPods with Mono Audio on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, instead of stereo sound.

Last updated: October 14, 2026 12:09 pm

By Abigail Shilets - Staff Writer

1 Min Read

With supported AirPods, you can use Mono Audio, rather than stereo sound, to play the same content in both ears. It works when you use your AirPods with iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, and on a Mac, it’s called “Play stereo audio as mono.” You can’t use Spatial Audio and head tracking with Mono Audio, though.

iPhone or iPad: Go to the Settings app, then tap Accessibility. Tap Audio & Visual, then turn on Mono Audio.
Apple Watch: Go to the Settings app, tap Accessibility, then turn on Mono Audio below Hearing.
Mac: Go to the System Settings app, then click Accessibility in the sidebar. Click Audio, then turn on “Play stereo audio as mono.”

Note: Spatial Audio and head tracking aren’t available when you use Mono Audio.

See also

TAGGED:Accessibility

ByAbigail Shilets

Staff Writer

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Abigail is a staff writer for GeeksChalk based in Pennsylvania. She covers news, how-tos, and user guides for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Before becoming a writer Abigail studied computer science at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. When not creating masterpiece for GeeksChalk, you can usually find Abigail hiking, climbing, or otherwise unplugged.