As incredible as Apple’s earphone technology is, Shokz is the undisputed leader in the bone-conduction headphone market. There are simply some things that Shokz brings to the table that Apple cannot yet deliver, which begs the question, does Shokz work with Apple devices?
Shokz works perfectly with Apple devices like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Macs. Some functions differ slightly from how they work using AirPods. Still, even those features that did not use to work correctly are now integrated into Shokz headphones, with more likely to come as development continues.
Apple is known for its closed architecture approach, but you are free to use any headphones you wish as long as they’re compatible, and Shokz headphones work beautifully with Apple. Let’s look at how you can use Shokz bone conduction headphones with the most popular Apple devices.
Is Shokz Compatible With iPhone?
Shokz headphones work perfectly with all modern iPhones. All you need for a device to pair successfully with Shokz is Bluetooth 3.1 or higher, and the iPhone meets that requirement with a few exceptions.
The iPhone 4 and earlier used Bluetooth 2.1 or 2.0, so Shokz cannot connect to those models. Any iPhone after the 4S should be able to pair with Shokz headphones.
You must be aware of some limitations, though, mainly if you used AirPods before switching since you might be used to specific functions that will no longer work when you’re using Shokz.
Differences Between Shokz And AirPods On iPhone
There are three significant differences between using Shokz and AirPods with your iPhone:
- The music won’t auto-pause when you remove your Shokz. AirPods have ear detection features that can “see” when you take one of the earphones out of your ear, which will then automatically pause whatever you’re listening to. Shokz does not support that feature, so you must manually pause your music or podcasts.
- Shokz doesn’t sync with iCloud. One of the very convenient features of AirPods is that they are linked to your iCloud account, so you can use them on any Apple device that’s activated with your iCloud account. You don’t have to pair them with every device from scratch.
Shokz is different. Since they don’t link with iCloud, you must repeat the pairing process with every piece of Apple technology that you want to use them with.
- There are also some differences between how you use Siri on AirPods versus Shokz, but we will examine that in detail later.
How To Pair Shokz With iPhone
Pairing your Shokz headphones with your iPhone is as simple as pairing almost any other headphones or speakers. Simply follow these steps:
- Ensure that your Shokz headphones are charged and switched off.
- Press the Volume Up button (“Volume +”) and hold it for approximately seven seconds.
- You will hear the Shokz voice prompter, Audrey, saying, “Welcome to Shokz.” Keep holding the button in.
- The LED should start flashing red and blue. On some models, Audrey will say, “Pairing.” Now you can release the button.
- On your iPhone, open Settings, then tap on Bluetooth.
- You should see your Shokz listed under the available devices on your iPhone. Select them.
- Now your phone and Audrey should say “Connected,” and you can hear your iPhone audio over your Shokz headphones.
Do Shokz Headphones Work With Apple Watch?
Shokz headphones can pair with any model of Apple Watch. They work perfectly for listening to music or other audio or talking over phone calls, as long as your Apple Watch supports those functions.
The specific capabilities of Shokz headphones on an Apple Watch will depend more on the Apple Watch than the Shokz, but for the most part, you can do anything with Shokz that you could do with AirPods, with some limitations.
The limitations are similar to those listed for using Shokz with the iPhone. But another factor to consider is audio quality.
Since the Apple Watch has lower storage capacity than the iPhone, those Apple Watches that can download and stream music directly through native Apple Music or Spotify Apps will sometimes download lower-quality versions of the music. This is to save storage space on the watch.
Since headphones with bone conduction generally have lower volume than in-ear earphones, there might be a more noticeable difference in quality when you listen to music through your Apple Watch using Shokz.
How To Connect Shokz Headphones To Apple Watch
As mentioned, Shokz doesn’t sync with iCloud, so unlike AirPods, they won’t automatically connect to your Apple Watch after you pair them with your iPhone, and you have to pair them with your Apple Watch manually.
Thankfully, the process is easy and nearly identical to pairing it with the iPhone:
- Ensure that your Shokz headphones are charged and switched off.
- Press the Volume Up button (“Volume +”) and hold it for approximately seven seconds.
- You will hear the Shokz voice prompter, Audrey, saying, “Welcome to Shokz.” Keep holding the button in.
- The LED should start flashing red and blue. On some models, Audrey will say, “Pairing.” Now you can release the button.
- On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app, then select Bluetooth.
- After scanning for devices, your Apple Watch should show your Shokz under the available devices. Select them. The Shokz should now be connected to your Apple Watch.
Related: Can Shokz Connect to Multiple Devices Simultaneously?
Does Shokz Work With Siri?
Shokz headphones work with Siri, but not in the same way as Apple’s AirPods. Those who are used to AirPods and often use Siri may have difficulty getting used to the Shokz.
AirPods support hands-free Siri operation. While wearing your earphones, you can simply say, “Hey, Siri,” and Apple’s virtual assistant will respond. This is not the same on Shokz; it currently has no voice command or hands-free option. Instead, you will have to use the multifunction button on your Shokz headphones to summon Siri.
To use Siri with your Shokz, follow these steps:
- Ensure that Siri can use your iPhone’s side button or home button by going to Settings, Siri & Search, and enabling the option labeled “Press Side Button for Siri” or “Press Home Button for Siri.”
- Now, with or without music playing, you can press the multifunction button and hold it for three seconds. You should hear Siri’s familiar voice responding over your Shokz headphones.
- Now you can proceed to give Siri voice commands or requests as usual.
- After you’ve summoned Siri, the virtual assistant should be able to hear everything you say. If this does not work, try unpairing the Shokz and then pairing them again.
Conclusion
Shokz bone conduction headphones work excellently with any Apple devices that support Bluetooth headphones, from the iPhone 4S and later. There are a few limitations that could take some getting used to, especially if you’re used to Apple’s AirPods. But it’s worth the effort for the benefits you get from bone conduction.
