The Best Wireless Headphones
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Best Overall HeadphonesSony WH-1000XM5Read more
Best Noise-Canceling HeadphonesBose QuietComfort UltraRead more
Best Earbuds for iPhonesApple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) With USB-CRead more
Best for Sound QualitySennheiser Momentum 4Read more
Whether you're listening to the latest episode of the Gadget Lab podcast, jumping on a transatlantic flight, or hitting the trail with Taylor Swift on repeat, the right pair of wireless headphones can make your day. The only problem is that there are so many to choose from, with more arriving almost daily. My colleague Ryan Waniata and I are constantly testing new models—these are the best wireless headphones we've found.
Be sure to check out all our audio buying guides, like the Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Workout Headphones, Best Noise Canceling Headphones, and Best Bluetooth Speakers.
Updated June 2024: We've added JLab's Go Air Pop and Sennheiser's Momentum 4, and padded our Honorable Mentions with the Sonos Ace, Beats Studio Pro, and Sony WH-1000XM4.
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- Photograph: Sony
Best Overall Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5Sony's flagship noise-canceling headphones are now in their fifth generation, with a more elegant look to go with improved sound and noise canceling. The WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) offer 30 hours of battery life and some of the best sound quality you'll find, courtesy of Sony's clever processing and advanced 30-mm drivers. They cancel out the world better than nearly all competitors, and they even sense when you're talking and automatically pause audio—you'll rarely reach for the pause button. Sony continues to sell the still-excellent XM4 predecessor, but the XM5 provide a more premium experience that's hard to beat.
Best Noise-Canceling Headphones
Bose QuietComfort UltraIn the ongoing race for noise-canceling supremacy, Bose again takes pole position with the powerful yet elegant QuietComfort Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends). These headphones provide astonishing noise canceling that stands above rivals, able to dissolve everything from footsteps and lawnmowers to rushing traffic and even high-frequency annoyances. They supplement these skills with slick and lush sound quality, a posh and supremely comfy design, and Bose’s spatial audio digital signal processing aimed to create a deeper sense of immersion from stereo audio. You’ll pay a premium for the ride, but those looking for the ultimate in headphone tranquility won’t regret going all in.
If you need something more affordable, check out our detailed Best Noise Canceling Headphones guide for more options.
- Photograph: Apple
Best Earbuds for iPhones
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) With USB-CThe latest AirPods Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) come with USB-C and a revamped audio architecture but otherwise retain everything we loved about the previous generation for iPhone owners. With six hours of juice and a case with a speaker to help use Apple's Find My feature, they have touch controls for volume. Noise canceling and call quality are among the top of the market, while their natural-sounding transparency mode adapts to your environment to help keep your ears safe when you're out walking in the street. Plus, a new IP54 rating means they're resistant to dust and water for workouts. If you own an iPhone, these buds should be at the top of your list.
Best for Sound Quality
Sennheiser Momentum 4Sennheiser's Momentum 4 trade the previous gen's retro looks for a more understated (boring) design, but their class-leading sound makes up for the style regression. You'll find a stirring performance here, marked by vivid instrumental textures, powerful dynamics, and rich detail carved out across a precise soundstage. They're especially great for music with distorted guitars, but every artist is given their due, from Sinatra to Run the Jewels, with plenty of bass on reserve. They follow up with solid noise canceling and a crazy-long battery life of up to 65 hours per charge for a well-rounded package that puts sound up front.
Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra EarbudsThe Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are properly competitive in many ways—sound quality, battery life, comfort, and control options. But when talk turns to active noise-canceling, these buds leave most rivals in the dust. Their ability to utterly cancel external sounds of all kinds has to be heard (or, rather, not heard) to be believed. If you spend time on noisy airplanes, buses, or high-traffic areas, get a pair of QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. The world will never sound the same again. —Simon Lucas
- Photograph: Jabra
Best for Workouts
Jabra Elite 8 ActiveThe Jabra 8 Active are among the most secure wireless earbuds around, especially for folks with small ears. Their IP68 rating means safety from dust, rain, or even a dip in the pool. The noise cancellation is solid enough to drown out that guy blasting tunes at the gym, while HearThrough mode lets the ambient world in when you're out running. They've also got up to eight hours of battery life per charge (with more in the case). The best part? Physical buttons so your sweaty hair won't accidentally switch songs on you! We're currently testing the follow-up Jabra Elite 8 Gen 2, which add a few new tricks (many of which are available in the Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2), but this pair is still a great buy, especially at its sale price of $150.
Read our Best Workout Headphones guide for more recommendations.
- Photograph: Google
Best for Android
Google Pixel Buds ProThe Pixel Buds Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are a perfect AirPods Pro alternative for Android fans like me. The cute multicolored earbuds have solid noise canceling, a super comfortable fit, and an hour more playtime (seven) than the AirPods. They also switch quickly between multiple paired devices, which makes it nice for everything from work to workouts. Updated features like Conversation Detection and Bluetooth Super Wideband for better call quality (read more here) improve the package. The only downside is that they don't work super well with iPhones. Too bad.
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
Best Over-Ears for iPhones
Apple AirPods MaxThey're still some of the most expensive wireless headphones on the market, but Apple's AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) will reward you with fantastic sound. They have rich bass, a massive soundstage, and excellent noise cancellation. My favorite part? The large Apple Watch–like knob atop the right ear cup, which lets you easily adjust the volume. Apple users will love how well they integrate with iOS devices, and especially how well they handle video. When watching via certain apps (Max, for example), they can track your head to simulate full object-based surround sound.
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Best Wireless Earbuds Under $100
Anker Soundcore Space A40The affordable Anker Soundcore Space A40 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are a surprisingly great pair of wireless earbuds. For well under $100, you get solid noise canceling, multipoint pairing (connecting to multiple devices), and a case that supports wireless charging. The sound is solid, with an app that allows you to customize your experience, and they last up to 10 hours per charge. The only faults are that they don't have auto-pause when you remove the buds from your ears, and the touch controls aren't the best I've ever used. But if you want AirPods Pro–like performance for much less, these are a great pair.
- Photograph: Amazon
Best Cheap Wireless Earbuds ($25!)
JLab Audio Go Air PopJLab has a knack for making shockingly affordable earbuds that work surprisingly well, letting you dip your toes in the wireless waters with little risk. The Go Air Pop are the epitome of this approach, offering up to eight hours of battery (32 total with the case), responsive controls, and even basic EQ controls for a pittance. Their accessible sound won't inspire, but I'm a picky listener and I found it just fine for baseline music listening and podcasts. At this price, it's hard to find much room to complain.
- Photograph: Bose
Best for Phone Calls
Bose Noise Canceling 700Special digital signal processing (DSP) and an advanced microphone array inside these Bose headphones allow them to limit background noise and focus on your voice alone, making them excellent for call quality. They add in very effective noise-canceling tech for peace and quiet when you’re home or out and about. All of that plus great comfort, long battery life, and excellent sound quality mean the Bose 700 should be your top pick if you take a lot of phone calls and Zoom meetings. Though they're getting a bit older, they're frequently on sale for as low as $300.
- Photograph: Focal
Best if Money Is No Object
Focal BathysThe Focal Bathys (9/10, WIRED Recommends), with their bespoke French drivers and comfortable leather earpads, are the best premium wireless headphones I've heard yet. They look fantastic, with light-up logos on the outside of each earcup, but they sound even better. DNA from Focal's higher-end headphones trickles down heavily here to provide some of the clearest, most fun sound quality you can buy.
When you don't want to listen wirelessly, the Bathys have a high-quality digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that will make your laptop or cell phone sound much better if you plug it in via the USB-C port. Thirty hours of battery life means they'll last for even the longest trips, plus rapid charging means you can plug them in for 15 minutes and get five quick hours. They're perfect for the stylish traveler if you can stomach the price.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best for Gaming
HP HyperX Cloud Alpha WirelessThis wireless headset from HyperX has great sound and a decent mic, along with solid build quality, but that's not what garnered it an extremely rare 10/10 in our review. That would be the insane battery life: WIRED reviewer Eric Ravenscraft has spent over 300 hours listening to these without having to recharge them. We're still scratching our heads as to how HyperX provides playtime that's as high as 10 times the competition, but the simple fact that it isn't a lie makes this model easily the best wireless gaming headset around.
Read our Best Gaming Headsets guide for more recommendations.
- Photograph: Belkin
Best for Kids
Belkin Soundform MiniThey come in pink! According to senior associate editor Adrienne So, this is an all-important option for many an 8-year-old. The build quality is sturdy, and we like that the earcups have decent padding. Volume is limited to the OSHA-recommended 85 decibels, so your kiddos can't accidentally damage their ears. They're rated for ages 2+, but So was able to get her head in her daughter's pair (albeit with a tight fit), so these should last growing kids for a while with proper treatment.
Check out our Best Kids Headphones guide for more picks.
Other Wireless Headphones We've Tested
Honorable MentionsWireless headphones are the default these days, and there are roughly one gazillion of them (and counting). We do our best to test them all, but not everything we test can make the big list. Here are some other great options worth trying.
Sonos Ace for $449: The Sonos Ace (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are a pricey but impressive first effort from Sonos, with fantastic noise canceling, great sound, and one of the comfiest designs (if not the comfiest) you'll find in the game. A few initial software bugs hinder their performance upon release, including trouble with the TV Swap feature that lets you pass sound from a Sonos soundbar to the Ace, but I expect Sonos to address this via firmware update.
Technics EAH-AZ80 for $298: The AZ80 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are great earbuds. Their most noteworthy feature is conveniently pairing to three devices at once, but they finish strong with good noise-canceling tech, top-tier sound quality, and seven different ear tip options for a remarkably comfy fit.
Beats Studio Pro for $250: The Studio Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) offer quality performance, including surprisingly clear sound, good noise canceling, and refreshingly natural transparency mode. The design feels a bit cheap, and they skip features like auto-pause, but extras like Hands-Free Siri and head tracking with spatial audio help pad their value—especially since their sale price sometimes drops to around half of the original $350 MSRP.
Sony WH-CH720N for $150: These Sony cans may have a silly name, but their sheer value makes up for it. They're not as pliable as top options and don't come with a case, but their sound quality and noise-canceling are excellent for the money. They are also built to last and have battery life that goes on and on, making them a great option for prudent shoppers.
Sony WH-1000XM4 for $267: Sony's XM4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) remain a top headphone, even after being supplanted by the fancier XM5. For a fairly sizable price reduction, you'll get still-fabulous noise-canceling tech, great sound, and luxe comfort in a supremely portable package.
Master and Dynamic MH40 for $399: M&D's second-gen MH40 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) pack gorgeous sound into an equally gorgeous design, with luxurious trappings like lambskin leather and metal parts in place of plastic. Their lack of advanced features, excluding even noise canceling, makes them a pricey portal to minimalism, but they've got style for days.
Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2 for $300: These slim and comfy headphones from B&W (9/10, WIRED Recommends) have been updated in the newer S2e ($399), which provides advanced digital processing to improve audio. We already adored the sound of the original, and while they can't equal the features or noise canceling of our top pick, either option is a solid choice—especially on sale.
Audio Technica ATH-M50xBT for $199: The original ATH-M50X (9/10, WIRED Recommends) provide balanced sound and great durability, making them ubiquitous in music and film studios. But what if you want to take them with you between takes? Enter the ATH-M50XBT, which partner a wired studio connection with Bluetooth for wireless freedom. They don't offer noise canceling or other advanced features but they're great for melding art and play.
Sony Linkbuds for $128: The Linkbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have a neat trick: speakers with holes in the middle that let in the world around you for environmental awareness. They're not so hot for noisy environments, making them something of a one-trick pony, but they're among the best options in the growing open-ear trend.
JLab Jbuds Mini for $40: These micro-buds from JLab offer so-so sound, but their adorably teensy design that fits on a key ring makes them a fun accessory for those who need some cheap buds to take on the go.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 for $160: Samsung's top Galaxy buds (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are getting a bit long in the tooth, but they're still among the best buds for Galaxy phones, offering solid noise canceling, clear and vivacious sound, and a few Samsung-only features. Their app won't work with non-Samsung phones, though, and their battery life of just five hours is now bottom of the barrel.
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What to Know When Shopping for Wireless Headphones
Technical TermsIf you're new to wireless headphones or need a refresher, here are some helpful pointers to know before you buy.
- Noise canceling is a technology that employs exterior microphones and digital processing to take in the sounds around you and flip their frequency polarity, essentially canceling them at rapid speeds to create an impression of silence.
- Transparency mode, aka "hear-through" or “ambient” sound mode, is the opposite of noise canceling, using your headphones' exterior microphones to bring in the sound around you. This can keep you aware of your surroundings, especially helpful when working out, walking in high-traffic areas, or just having a quick conversation.
- Bluetooth is the wireless format used by all portable wireless headphones to connect to and play sound from devices like a phone, computer, or tablet.
- Bluetooth Multipoint connection allows Bluetooth headphones to connect to more than one source device (like a phone or computer) at a time. This helpful feature lets you seamlessly switch between your connected devices to do things like take phone or video calls or watch a video on your computer between Spotify sessions on your phone.
- Find My is an Apple feature that lets you track down devices like your AirPods from the web. Many non-Apple wireless headphones also have some form of Find My feature, though it's usually reserved for earbuds due to their small size.
- IP ratings are used to certify electronics are dust and water-resistant. Generally, the higher the IP rating a device has, the better the dust and water resistance. You can learn more in our IP-ratings explainer.
- EQ stands for equalization, which in the case of wireless headphones, uses digital processing to adjust parameters like bass, midrange, and treble. EQ presets are most common, but multi-band EQs are better for those who want advanced control over each sound register.
- Charging cases are included with virtually all fully wireless earbuds, letting you set the buds in the case for recharging on the go. Most charging cases offer two or more charges, and to recharge the case itself, you can usually use a USB-C cable or a wireless charger.
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