AirPods 4 preorders are live: how to buy Apple’s latest earbuds

Apple has announced the AirPods 4 at its ‘Glowtime’ iPhone 16 launch event. AirPods 4 preorders are available today, and shipping will begin on September 20. To help you get your hands on Apple’s latest earbuds, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about AirPods 4 preorders.

• Pre-order the AirPods 4 from Apple

The AirPods 4 will be available in two models: one with active noise cancellation, priced at $179 / £179, and one without, costing $129 / £129. Apple says the AirPods 4 are then best-fitting AirPods ever, and now include the H2 chip that supports personalized spatial audio. Other features include new controls to play music and mute calls, as well as a case that delivers 30 hours of battery life and supports USB-C for wireless charging.

Apple also unveiled the AirPods Max, which are also available for preorder, starting at $549 / £549.

Apple typically opens preorders on the Friday after its September event, but the tech giant has surprised us, with AirPods 4 preorders going live today. Below, I’ve listed where you can preorder the AirPods 4 in the US and the UK, and I’ll update this page as more retailers become available. For all the latest news on Apple’s latest devices, follow our iPhone 16 event live blog.

When do AirPods 4 preorders go live?

The AirPods 4 preorders are live today and will ship on Friday, September 20. Historically, Apple would wait until the following Friday to open preorders, but this year, the earbuds are available on the same day they were unveiled at the September event.

How much does the AirPods 4 cost?

There are two AirPods 4 models available: one with active noise cancellation, which costs $179, and one without, which costs $129. To compare prices of older models, the AirPods 3 (which lacked active noise cancellation) were released in 2021 and had a starting cost of $179 / £169.

Where to preorder the AirPods 4?

I’ve listed where you can preorder the AirPods 4 in the US and the UK below. Retailers outside of the Apple Store are limited right now, but I’ll update this page as more become available.

US

UK

You can also learn more about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro and see today’s best iPhone 16 preorder deals.