How do the touch controls work on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen?

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The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have touch controls on both sides. Here's what you can actually do with them.

The Basic Moves

Tap once — Play/pause. Also answers or ends calls.

Tap twice — Skip to the next song.

Tap three times — Go back to the previous song.

Swipe up — Volume up.

Swipe down — Volume down.

Press and hold — Configurable, but by default cycles through listening modes (Quiet, Aware, Immersion).

Making Them Work Reliably

A few tips from experience:

• Tap the flat part — The touch-sensitive area is on the outside face where the Bose logo is, not the edge or tip.
• Be deliberate — Light, tentative taps don't always register. A firm tap works better.
• Keep them clean — Sweat and grime can mess with touch sensitivity.

Customizing What They Do

The Bose app lets you change what press-and-hold does for each earbud. You could set:

• Left earbud: Toggle voice assistant
• Right earbud: Cycle listening modes

Options include voice assistant, listening modes, Immersive Audio modes, play/pause, and skip track.

Turning Them Off Entirely

Accidentally triggering controls all the time? Disable touch controls completely through the app (Settings → Product Control → Toggle off).

You'll lose the convenience, but no more random pauses when adjusting your earbuds.

During Calls

Same basic controls work:

• Tap to answer/end
• Hold to reject incoming call
• Swipe for volume