AirPods Max Lossless Audio: How to Enable It and Fix Common Problems (2026)

AirPods Max with USB-C now support true 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio — but only over a wired connection, and only if you’ve updated to iOS 18.4 or later. The firmware update (version 7E101) that unlocks this feature shipped in April 2025. If you haven’t enabled it yet, or if you’re running into issues getting lossless audio to actually work, this guide covers every step.

What You Actually Need for Lossless Audio on AirPods Max

Before diving into setup, confirm you have the right hardware and software. Lossless audio is not available on the original Lightning-port AirPods Max — only the USB-C model released in 2024 supports it.

Required hardware:

AirPods Max with USB-C port (2024 model)
iPhone, iPad, or Mac with a USB-C port
USB-C to USB-C cable (the cable included with AirPods Max works; Apple also sells a USB-C to 3.5mm cable for $39 for analog output)

Required software:

iOS 18.4 or later (iPhone)
iPadOS 18.4 or later (iPad)
macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later (Mac)
AirPods Max firmware version 7E101 or later

What does NOT work:

Original AirPods Max (Lightning model) — lossless audio is not supported
Wireless/Bluetooth — lossless requires a physical USB-C cable; Bluetooth compresses audio

How to Check Your AirPods Max Firmware Version

Before anything else, verify your AirPods Max are on the correct firmware:

Make sure your AirPods Max are connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth
Open Settings on your iPhone
Tap Bluetooth
Tap the ⓘ (info) button next to your AirPods Max
Scroll down to About and look for Firmware Version

You need firmware 7E101 or later. If you see an older version, follow the steps in the next section to update.

How to Update AirPods Max Firmware to 7E101

AirPods Max firmware updates install automatically — you can’t manually trigger them, but you can create the right conditions:

Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18.4 or later (Settings → General → Software Update)
Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi
Put your AirPods Max on or near your iPhone
Plug your AirPods Max into power via USB-C cable
Leave them connected for at least 30 minutes

The firmware update downloads in the background. Check the firmware version again afterward.

Note on the April 2025 firmware rollout: Apple initially released firmware 7E99 alongside iOS 18.4, then pulled it within 24 hours due to a bug. The replacement build, 7E101, was released days later and is stable. If you previously tried to get the update and it didn’t stick, run through these steps again — 7E101 is widely available as of 2026.

How to Enable Lossless Audio on AirPods Max (Step-by-Step)

Once your firmware is on 7E101 and your device is on iOS 18.4 or later:

Connect your AirPods Max to your iPhone via Bluetooth first — Bluetooth must be active for smart features like spatial audio, headphone accommodations, and Siri
Plug the USB-C cable from your AirPods Max into your iPhone’s USB-C port
Open Apple Music (or any compatible audio app)
Start playing a song

When connected via USB-C cable, AirPods Max automatically route audio through the wired connection at 24-bit/48 kHz lossless quality. There’s no toggle to flip — the device handles it automatically once the cable is plugged in.

To confirm lossless is enabled in Apple Music:

Open Settings → Music
Tap Audio Quality
Under Lossless Audio, make sure it’s toggled on
Set Wi-Fi Streaming to Lossless or High-Resolution Lossless

How to Verify Lossless Audio Is Actually Working

This is where many users get confused — even with the cable plugged in, audio can silently fall back to Bluetooth compression if the device prioritizes that connection.

To confirm you’re getting lossless audio: plug in the USB-C cable, then open Apple Music and tap the currently playing song. If lossless is active, you’ll see a Lossless or Hi-Res Lossless badge in the Now Playing screen.

For third-party apps like Qobuz, the app will display the exact sample rate and bit depth of the audio path. Qobuz may only report this correctly if Bluetooth is temporarily disabled — this is a known iOS audio routing quirk, not a hardware issue.

Common Issues and Fixes

Lossless Audio Not Switching From Bluetooth Even With Cable Plugged In

This is the most widely reported issue. When Bluetooth and USB-C are both active, iOS sometimes keeps audio routing through Bluetooth instead of the wired path.

Fix for iPhone:

Plug in the USB-C cable first
Go to Settings → Bluetooth and toggle Bluetooth off, wait 5 seconds, then turn it back on
The audio path should now route through USB-C

Fix for iPad:

Turn Bluetooth off entirely (Settings → Bluetooth → toggle off)
Connect via USB-C cable
Play audio — it will now use the wired lossless path
Turn Bluetooth back on afterward for spatial audio and Siri

Firmware Won’t Update Past 7E98 or Older

Confirm your iPhone is on iOS 18.4 or later — older iOS versions cannot push the 7E101 firmware
Try a different Wi-Fi network — some routers block Apple’s CDN
Reset your AirPods Max: press and hold the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown simultaneously for 15 seconds until the LED flashes amber, then white
Re-pair your AirPods Max and repeat the firmware update steps

USB-C Cable Not Being Recognized

Use Apple’s official USB-C cable — many third-party cables are charge-only and don’t support audio data
Check both USB-C ports for debris or lint (the AirPods Max headband port collects lint frequently)
Restart your iPhone and try plugging in the cable again

No Audio at All After Connecting Cable

Unplug and re-plug the cable
In Settings → Bluetooth, disconnect AirPods Max, reconnect via Bluetooth, then re-plug the cable
If using Mac: go to System Settings → Sound → Output and confirm AirPods Max is selected as the output device

AirPods Max USB-C vs. 3.5mm Cable: Which Should You Use?

Apple offers two cable options for wired AirPods Max use:

Cable	Price	Best For
USB-C to USB-C (included)	Included	Lossless digital audio from iPhone, iPad, or Mac with USB-C
USB-C to 3.5mm	$39	Analog audio from airplane entertainment systems, older devices, or audio equipment with headphone jacks

The USB-C to USB-C cable delivers the digital lossless signal. The 3.5mm cable outputs analog audio — useful for sources without USB-C, but it does not deliver lossless digital audio.

Buy the Apple USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Cable on Amazon

Ultra-Low Latency Mode for Creators

Alongside lossless audio, the iOS 18.4 firmware also unlocks ultra-low latency audio on AirPods Max — a separate feature that reduces the delay between audio input and playback to near-zero. This is most useful for:

Recording vocals or instruments while monitoring through AirPods Max in Logic Pro or GarageBand
Video editing with frame-accurate audio monitoring
Live mixing and professional production workflows

Ultra-low latency requires the USB-C connection and activates automatically in supported apps. In Logic Pro on Mac, connect via USB-C and enable Low Latency Monitoring in the app’s record settings.

Is Lossless Audio Worth It for Your Use Case?

Use Case	Worth Enabling?
Apple Music casual listening	Marginal improvement; Bluetooth AAC is already good quality
Apple Music critical listening	Yes, especially with Hi-Res Lossless tracks
Logic Pro / DAW recording	Yes — ultra-low latency is a genuine workflow improvement
Gaming	Minimal; wired latency is better but wireless is more practical
Travel / airplane use	Use the 3.5mm cable for compatibility; lossless not available in analog mode

Bottom Line

AirPods Max lossless audio as of 2026 is a real, functional feature — but it takes deliberate setup. The essentials: you need the USB-C model, firmware 7E101, iOS 18.4 or later, and an actual USB-C cable plugged in. If audio isn’t switching from Bluetooth to the wired path, toggling Bluetooth off then back on while the cable is connected almost always forces the switch.

For casual listeners, the improvement over Bluetooth is subtle but real on well-mastered recordings. For audio professionals using Logic Pro or other DAWs, the ultra-low latency mode is the more compelling part of this update.