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Important
Development paused due to lack of time until 17th May 2026 (JEE Advanced). PRs and issues might not be responded to until then.
What is LibrePods?
LibrePods unlocks Apple's exclusive AirPods features on non-Apple devices. Get access to noise control modes, adaptive transparency, ear detection, hearing aid, customized transparency mode, battery status, and more - all the premium features you paid for but Apple locked to their ecosystem.
Device Compatibility
| Status | Device | Features |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ | AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) | Fully supported and tested |
| ✅ | AirPods Pro (3rd Gen) | Fully supported (except heartrate monitoring) |
| ✅ | AirPods Max | Fully supported (client shows unsupported features) |
| ⚠️ | Other AirPods models | Basic features (battery status, ear detection) should work |
Most features should work with any AirPods. Currently, I've only got AirPods Pro 2 to test with. But, I believe the protocol remains the same for all other AirPods (based on analysis of the bluetooth stack on macOS).
Key Features
- Noise Control Modes: Easily switch between noise control modes without having to reach out to your AirPods to long press
- Ear Detection: Controls your music automatically when you put your AirPods in or take them out, and switch to phone speaker when you take them out
- Battery Status: Accurate battery levels
- Head Gestures: Answer calls just by nodding your head
- Conversational Awareness: Volume automatically lowers when you speak
- Hearing Aid*
- Customize Transparency Mode*
- Multi-device connectivity* (upto 2 devices)
- Other customizations:
- Rename your AirPods
- Customize long-press actions
- All accessibility settings
- And more!
* Features marked with an asterisk require the VendorID to be change to that of Apple.
Platform Support
Linux
for the old version see the Linux README. (doesn't have many features, maintainer didn't have time to work on it)
new version in development (#241)
Android
Screenshots
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here's a very unprofessional demo video
demo-video.mp4
Root Requirement
The app needs root because of a bug in the Android Bluetooth stack Fluoride/non-compliance of Apple with Bluetooth standards. You must have Xposed installed for the app to workaround this bug and connect to AirPods.
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/371713238
Please do not comment in the thread. The issue has already been resolved and should be available in Android 17 for all devices.
However, if you are using ColorOS/OxygenOS 16, Android 16 QPR3 on Pixel (ensure you're on the latest Play system update), you don't need root for most features.
Important
This workaround with Xposed is not guaranteed to work on all devices.
Features requiring the VendorID hook will still require root. These features include customizing transparency mode, setting up hearing aid, and use Bluetooth Multipoint.
Troubleshooting steps for common errors
- Ensure the correct scope is set in LSPosed/Vector.
- Ensure there is no root-hiding module preventing the hook from loading on the Bluetooth app.
- Restart your phone after confirming the scope.
A few notes
-
Due to recent AirPods' firmware upgrades, you must enable
Off listening modeto switch toOff. This is because in this mode, loud sounds are not reduced. -
If you have take both AirPods out, the app will automatically switch to the phone speaker. But, Android might keep on trying to connect to the AirPods because the phone is still connected to them, just the A2DP profile is not connected. The app tries to disconnect the A2DP profile as soon as it detects that Android has connected again if they're not in the ear.
-
When renaming your AirPods through the app, you'll need to re-pair them with your phone for the name change to take effect. This is a limitation of how Bluetooth device naming works on Android.
-
If you want the AirPods icon and battery status to show in Android Settings app, install the app as a system app by using the root module.
Changing VendorID in the DID profile to that of Apple
Turns out, if you change the VendorID in DID Profile to that of Apple, you get access to several special features!
You can do this on Linux by editing the DeviceID in /etc/bluetooth/main.conf. Add this line to the config file DeviceID = bluetooth:004C:0000:0000. For android you can enable the act as Apple device setting in the app's settings.
Multi-device Connectivity
Upto two devices can be simultaneously connected to AirPods, for audio and control both. Seamless connection switching. The same notification shows up on Apple device when Android takes over the AirPods as if it were an Apple device ("Move to iPhone"). Android also shows a popup when the other device takes over.
Accessibility Settings and Hearing Aid
Accessibility settings like customizing transparency mode (amplification, balance, tone, conversation boost, and ambient noise reduction), and loud sound reduction can be configured.
All hearing aid customizations can be done from Android (linux soon), including setting the audiogram result. The app doesn't provide a way to take a hearing test because it requires much more precision. It is much better to use an already available audiogram result.
Supporters
A huge thank you to everyone supporting the project!
- @davdroman
- @tedsalmon
- @wiless
- @SmartMsg
- @lunaroyster
- @ressiwage
Special thanks
- @tyalie for making the first documentation on the protocol! (tyalie/AAP-Protocol-Definition)
- @rithvikvibhu and folks over at lagrangepoint for helping with the hearing aid feature (gist)
- @devnoname120 for helping with the first root patch
- @timgromeyer for making the first version of the linux app
- @hackclub for hosting High Seas and Low Skies!
Alternates for other platforms:
- CAPod - A companion app for AirPods on Android. (play store | source code). Use this if you're using Android version 16 QPR3 or below and are not rooted.
- MagicPods for Steam Deck (website)
- MagicPods - if you're looking for "LibrePods for Windows" (ms store installer | website)
Nightly/Development Builds
Want to try the latest features before they're officially released? You can grab nightly builds from GitHub Actions:
Android
- Go to the Actions tab
- Click on the most recent successful workflow run
- Scroll down to Artifacts and download the Debug APK zip file
- Extract the zip and install the
.apkon your device
Note
You need to be signed in to GitHub to download artifacts. Nightly builds are debug-signed and may not auto-update. You may need to uninstall the stable version first.
Linux (Rust)
- Go to the Actions tab
- Click on the most recent successful workflow run
- Download the librepods-x86_64.AppImage or librepods binary from Artifacts
Warning
Nightly builds are unstable and may contain bugs. Use at your own risk.
Star History
License
LibrePods - AirPods liberated from Apple’s ecosystem Copyright (C) 2025 LibrePods contributors
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
All trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them. All AirPods images, symbols, and the SF Pro font are the property of Apple Inc.
