AirPods Pro 1 Live Translation: Why the First AirPods Pro Can’t, and How to Hear Translations Anyway
AirPods Pro 1 live translation: Apple’s feature skips the 2019 AirPods Pro. How to tell Pro 1 from Pro 2, and how to hear live translations in them anyway.
On this page
- Does AirPods Pro gen 1 have Live Translation?
- How to tell AirPods Pro 1 from AirPods Pro 2
- Why the first AirPods Pro are left out
- How to live translate with AirPods Pro 1 anyway
- Which languages work with AirPods Pro 1
- The built-in option: Translate app on the speaker
- Should you upgrade from AirPods Pro 1 for translation?
- Quick answers
Do the first AirPods Pro have Live Translation? Many people still wear the 2019 AirPods Pro, the first pair with noise cancellation. They see “AirPods Pro” on Apple’s list and hope theirs count.
They don’t. Apple’s list starts at AirPods Pro 2. But the first AirPods Pro can still play a translation in your ears, on almost any recent iPhone. This page shows how to check which pair you own, and what works.
Short answer: AirPods Pro 1 (model numbers A2083, A2084) do not support Apple’s Live Translation. Apple’s support page says the feature needs “AirPods Pro 2 and later,” along with an iPhone 15 Pro or later on iOS 26 or later. No firmware update adds it. To hear translations in AirPods Pro 1, use an app that plays the translation through any headphones, or use Apple’s Translate app on the iPhone speaker.
Does AirPods Pro gen 1 have Live Translation?
No. Apple’s page on Live Translation with AirPods names five AirPods: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. The 2019 AirPods Pro are not on it.
A new iPhone does not change that. Pair AirPods Pro 1 with an iPhone 17 or iPhone 18 Pro on iOS 27, and the Live Translation option for AirPods still does not appear. The iPhone is ready. The earbuds are the limit.
How to tell AirPods Pro 1 from AirPods Pro 2
The two look almost the same. The fastest way to be sure is the model number. These come from Apple’s Identify your AirPods page.
| AirPods Pro | Model numbers | Year | Apple’s Live Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods Pro (1st generation) | A2083, A2084 | 2019 | No |
| AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning case) | A2698, A2699, A2931 | 2022 | Yes |
| AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C case) | A3047, A3048, A3049 | 2023 | Yes |
| AirPods Pro 3 | A3063, A3064, A3065 | 2025 | Yes |
Find your model number in 30 seconds
- Put your AirPods Pro in your ears so they connect.
- Open Settings and tap your AirPods’ name near the top. Or go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the More Info button next to them.
- Look for the model number. It starts with the letter A. Match it to the table.
No iPhone nearby? The model number is also printed on the underside of each earbud. A quick clue from the case: the AirPods Pro 2 case has a small speaker on the bottom and a loop for a strap on the side. The first AirPods Pro case has neither.
The firmware is another giveaway. Apple’s firmware page lists version 6F21 as the latest for AirPods Pro 1, while AirPods Pro 2 are on the 9A series. If your AirPods Pro show a version that starts with 6, they are the first generation.
Why the first AirPods Pro are left out
Apple has not explained it. The first AirPods Pro use Apple’s older H1 chip. AirPods Pro 2 moved to the H2 chip, and every pair on the supported list is newer.
Apple also has not said it plans to add them. Since Live Translation arrived in September 2025, Apple has added languages and regions, plus new AirPods models, but no older AirPods. It is safest to plan as if AirPods Pro 1 will not get it.
How to live translate with AirPods Pro 1 anyway
To your AirPods Pro, a translation is just sound. Any app that turns speech into translated speech can play it through whatever headphones are connected. That includes the first AirPods Pro.
Our app, Live Translation on Headphones, does this. The other person talks near your iPhone. The app listens with the iPhone’s microphone, translates, and you hear it in your AirPods Pro about a second later, while they keep talking. Each phrase also shows on screen with the translation under it.
Why this setup suits AirPods Pro 1 owners in particular:
- Noise cancellation helps. Your AirPods Pro still block out a noisy café or train, so the translated voice is easier to follow.
- Any recent iPhone. It needs iOS 18, not Apple Intelligence. iPhone XS and XR, iPhone 11 to 14, iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) all work.
- Pocket mode. It keeps translating with the screen locked.
- Talk back. On the Speak tab you say your reply, and the iPhone says it out loud in their language through the speaker.
- No internet needed. Speech recognition and translation run on the iPhone. Once a language is downloaded, it works offline.
Which languages work with AirPods Pro 1
With AirPods Pro 1, Apple’s AirPods feature is not available in any language. The app supports 14 languages, in any direction.
| Language | Apple’s AirPods feature (on supported AirPods) | Live Translation on Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| English (US and UK), Spanish (Spain), French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil) | Yes | Yes |
| Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish (Mexico), Turkish, Arabic | No | Yes |
Hindi, Vietnamese, Russian and most other languages are not in either list. For every language, see our languages page.
The built-in option: Translate app on the speaker
Apple’s Translate app has a Conversation mode that works with no AirPods at all.
- Open Translate and tap Conversation.
- Choose both languages, tap the microphone and speak.
- Turn on Play Translations in the More Options menu to hear each line read out.
It is fine for a quick question at a hotel desk. The downside is that the translation plays on the speaker or screen, so it is not private and gets lost in a loud room. It also takes turns, so it is slower than hearing someone in real time.
Should you upgrade from AirPods Pro 1 for translation?
| Your situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| iPhone 15 Pro or later, you need one of Apple’s 11 languages, and your AirPods Pro 1 battery is worn out | AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 2, then Apple’s built-in feature |
| Your AirPods Pro 1 still hold a charge and sound good | Keep them and use an app |
| iPhone 14 or earlier, or iPhone 15 or 15 Plus | An app. New AirPods alone will not turn on Apple’s feature. |
| You need Turkish, Arabic or Mexican Spanish | An app that supports them |
To be fair to Apple: if you already have a supported iPhone and were going to replace your AirPods Pro anyway, Apple’s feature is built into iOS and works well. Our AirPods Pro 2 Live Translation guide covers setup on the newer pair. Everything else about AirPods models is in the Live Translation on AirPods guide.
The app is made by Little Tough LLC, not Apple.
Quick answers
Can AirPods Pro 1 do live translation? Not with Apple’s Live Translation. Apple only supports AirPods Pro 2 and later. A third-party app can still play live translations in them.
Do AirPods Pro 1 have live translation after a firmware update? No. The latest AirPods Pro 1 firmware on Apple’s page is 6F21, and Apple lists no Live Translation support for that model.
Can AirPods Pro 1 live translate on an iPhone 16 or iPhone 17? Not with Apple’s feature. The iPhone supports it, but the AirPods do not. An app that uses any headphones works on both.
How do I know if I have AirPods Pro 1 or 2? Check the model number in Settings under your AirPods’ name. A2083 or A2084 means AirPods Pro 1. A2698, A2699, A2931, A3047, A3048 or A3049 means AirPods Pro 2.
Can AirPods Pro translate languages at all? AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 can, with Apple’s feature and a supported iPhone. AirPods Pro 1 need an app on the iPhone to do it.
Sources: Apple Support: Use Live Translation with your AirPods, Apple Support: Identify your AirPods, Apple Support: Firmware updates for AirPods, Apple: iOS Feature Availability, Apple Support: iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence, App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.
