Listen: Your whole life is wrapped in a mobile phone. If listening to music as well as podcasts and audiobooks – is one of the greatest joys in life, you need a good set of headphones or earbuds to connect to your phone.
This is especially true for iPhone users. As Apple fans know, Apple iOS is a uniquely designed system designed to sync Apple products. This means that only certain headphones come into play, although the best ones aren’t always made by Apple.
If you take your voice seriously – and we know you are – you need a pair that suits both the features and lifestyle of both the iPhone. It is important to know what you are looking for, so we continue to do the research for you.
Do you need wireless headphones for your iPhone?
In short, yes. If you have an iPhone, it may be time to go wireless. You have to go back several generations to find an iPhone with regular 3.5mm audio jack input. Apple has been insisting on equiping its phones with Lightning Port for several years. Apple headphones also use lightning connections, so they can be plugged directly into the phone. And, if you have a pair of wired non-Apple headphones, Apple also sells an adapter that connects the regular audio jack to the lightning connection. But these adapters are unreliable and can easily break. The best option is to connect your iPhone to your headset. This is much easier, meaning less cable.
Are AirPods the best headset for iPhone?
whether. AirPods are great – especially the AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro Max (as shown below), but they are also expensive. They are definitely a great one-stop solution as they are very convenient to use iPhone settings and are perfect for Apple aesthetics. However, if you are eager to search and spend longer setting up (or spend less money), there are other good options.
Should you buy the cheapest headphones?
You can spend a few pounds on the cheapest headphones, but you’d better just use the iPhone’s free buds. Cheap is a fake economy, you will sacrifice quality and functionality. If you listen to music regularly, it’s worth investing in more. The sound quality will be better.
What is noise reduction?
Noise cancellation blocks ambient noise, allowing you to completely immerse yourself in music. Usually the logo of the best, most advanced headphones.
There are two types of noise cancellation: passive and active noise cancellation. Passive noise cancellation is achieved by designing and building headphones that can physically block noise by creating sealed, oversized ear cups. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) uses a small microphone system that picks up incoming sounds and creates antinoise sound waves to cancel them. Also, be aware of advanced ANC modes such as “Transparency Mode”. This allows some level of ambient noise to penetrate, such as the sound of others. It’s convenient to listen to train platform announcements or have a conversation with friends and colleagues.
What is a Bluetooth codec?
Wireless sound quality may be affected by factors such as distance and obstacles between the headset and the device, as well as the codec software supported by the headset. Codecs are algorithms for encoding and decoding digital audio signals. Looking for headphones with low latency for Qaulcomm-enabled APTX codecs, which are often rated as the best codec – especially for streaming video on your phone and ensuring pictures and audio are kept in sync. The latest versions to find (and listen) are APTX lossless and APTX adaptive.
What is spatial audio?
This is another term you will see when buying high-spec headphones. It essentially means 3D audio, which separates the sound and places it in different locations around the room. For example, if you are watching a movie, you will feel like you are in the middle of the action. Apple and other brands have their own technical versions, but they are essentially the same thing. Some space audio headphones have head tracking that predicts your head movements and adapts to sound.
What are the best headphones for iPhone?
Think about the main reasons why you need new headphones: Do you use them when traveling? Will you mainly listen to music at home? Or while exercising? We have looked at many different situations and found the best headphones or earbuds for you and your lifestyle. In other words, we have done the hard work for you. Every budget on this list should provide something for everyone and for each budget.
These are the best iPhone headphones in 2025.
