Best wireless headphones for Android 2024

Finding the best wireless headphones for you can be a challenge nowadays, namely because there are so many options. The key is to locate a set of cans that balance great sound with long battery life and a style that fits you.

A pair of headphones that checks all of the boxes is the Sony WH-1000XM5. These flagship wireless headphones from Sony boast leading active noise cancellation (ANC), up to 30 hours of battery life, and an exceptionally comfortable design for long-term use.

Ted Kritsonis

For 20+ years, Ted Kritsonis has been spending a lot of time testing out gadgets to help others make the best decision with their hard-earned money. When it comes down to audio devices, Ted's picks come from countless hours of listening for all the nuances that matter.

At a glance

Best overall

There aren't many flaws to point out with the WH-1000XM5, based on our review. Their predecessors, the WH-1000XM4, already found themselves at the top of the heap for wireless headphones for Android. One of the biggest reasons remains the ANC performance, courtesy of Sony's QN1 processor and a dual noise sensor that does the work of blocking out the background. Commuting on a bus, train, or plane won't be a problem while wearing these. Sony's pedigree in this area shows itself with true wireless earbuds, too.

Sony did change the design to a degree, going for a cleaner look, which also unfortunately means limited folding ability. They'll go flat, just not curled up. The sound signature preserves the same bass-heavy balance that sometimes drowns out the mids and highs. You could always adjust that through the equalizer in Sony's Connect app, including a "clear bass" slider for the potency of the bass itself. It's worth using those available tools to get a more personalized sound out of these excellent headphones.

You can pair with two devices simultaneously to listen to music on one device and take calls on another. Phone calls also keep their clarity through Sony's Precise Voice Pickup and Speak to Chat features. The excellent battery life will let you listen for longer, too. The WH-1000XM5 don't have a bigger battery, maintaining the same 30 hours per charge (depending on volume level and ANC use). So fast charging is convenient when you need some juice in a pinch. The only bummer is that you can't plug in to listen and charge at the same time.

Best budget pick

A lot of over-ear headphones now come with ANC out of the box, but that's not all that makes these sub-$100 headphones such a bargain. 1More has been consistent in offering more for less with its audio products, so this shouldn't come as a surprise, regardless of whether you know the brand or not.

The 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 have new 40mm diamond-like carbon drivers, which contribute to impressive sound quality with good bass, crisp highs, and well-balanced mids. Tune the sound even further through the 1More app, where you'll find 12 EQ presets and the option to create your own. You can even get hi-res audio through LDAC codec support, along with spatial audio.

ANC works well for headphones that cost considerably less than others on this list. It's actually the passive isolation from the snug fit that really helps muffle some of the ambient noise you don't want to hear. On the other hand, transparency also works well when you want to hear what's happening around you.

Then there's battery life, which is just ridiculous. You can get up to 100 hours per charge with ANC off, and up to 65 hours if you leave it on, depending on how loud you go with volume. If you're in a rush, a quick five-minute charge can provide up to 10 hours of playback.

Best premium pick

If money isn’t an object, Bang and Olufsen’s Beoplay H95 headphones might just be the most luxurious set of cans on the market. With a retail price of around $889, these headphones are far from cheap, but Bang and Olufsen justify the steep price with a ton of premium features right out of the box.

For starters, you get two 40mm titanium drivers that provide crystal clear, massive sound that can be finely adjusted in the companion app. The active noise cancellation is also outstanding, and the battery will last up to 50 hours on a single charge. The headphones come in a sleek hard shell carrying case, and like most Bang and Olufsen products, they’re simply beautiful to look at.

The earcups are soft and comfortable enough to wear all day, but vegans beware: they’re constructed with genuine leather. These luxury headphones are sure to turn heads, but the steep price tag is going to make them a tough sell for many people, especially since other more-affordable headphones on this list will perform just as well. Still, if you want the height of luxury, the Beoplay H95 are the best you can buy.

Best battery life

Sennheiser's heritage in great sound quality was apparent in our review of the Momentum 3 Wireless and as good as they were, there was still room for improvement. Two areas stood out: ANC and battery life. Noise cancelation does well with low-frequency sounds, and despite an improved ability to muffle higher pitches, overall performance won't match what you can get with Sony and Bose, though the Wind Reduction mode is a nice perk.

On the battery side, Sennheiser took a giant leap forward. The previous pair could only muster up to 17 hours per charge. With the Momentum 4 Wireless, you can play audio for up to 60 hours. Even if you leave ANC on, you could hit north of 50 hours. That's an enormous improvement that changes how and when you charge them. When you do, you can still use the USB-C port for simultaneous listening and charging when connected to an Android phone or tablet.

That's great news while you're listening because the soundstage is as rich as you'd expect for a brand like this. A slightly boosted bass meshes well with clear midrange and smooth treble for an appreciably balanced sound signature. It's wide enough to suit almost every musical genre. I do recommend using Sennheiser's Smart Control app to adjust the equalizer and bring the best possible sound out of them.

Best noise cancellation

Bose has a solid over-ear headphone lineup that includes the previous Noise Canceling Headphones 700 and QC 45 II, which are among the best you can find for effective ANC performance. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones maintain that premise and expand on it further. They sound great, sticking to a balanced approach in the sound profile that you can adjust how you want in the Bose Music app. Immersive mode brings in spatial audio with head tracking, only adding to one of the best sonic over-ear pairs you can buy.

The ANC serves to help drive that point further, doing a solid job of blocking out most persistent noises, like engines, and some mid-range sounds like people talking. They also do better with higher-pitched sounds, putting them right on par with the best in the business. If you want some customization, there are 11 steps of ANC to work with.

Bose also made the QuietComfort Ultra comfortable to wear, along with them being easier to transport because of their new folding design and protective case. At up to 24 hours per charge, battery life is also pretty decent. A quick 15-minute fast charge through USB-C will deliver up to 2.5 hours of playback, ensuring you can listen to some tunes in a pinch.

Best mixed use

There's a lot to like about the Sonos Ace, as we discovered when testing them out for our review. A flatter design with spacious ear cups do wonders for fit and comfort, while the passive isolation they create helps the onboard ANC truly perform. That the ear cups are replaceable adds an ability to expand the headphones' lifespan even further.

They sound great once you get the music playing, and with aptX Adaptive, you can play hi-res audio from the sources offering it. Arguably more impressive is Aware mode's clarity where it almost feels like you're not wearing anything at all. Dolby Atmos support with head tracking gives spatial audio some variety depending on how you prefer to hear it.

While they won't work with Sonos' speakers, they will work with its soundbars, starting with the Arc. You'll need an iOS device to set this up (Android is coming soon), and when you do, you can swap TV audio between the Arc and the Ace at will by just pressing a single button on the headphones. Sonos plans to expand this through a feature called TrueCinema that aims to emulate the Trueplay tuning its speakers and soundbars are capable of.

Battery life holds up at up to 30 hours at default volumes over Bluetooth. That number goes down at louder volumes and if you regularly use the Ace to watch TV since the latter uses Wi-Fi to connect to the soundbar. Charge them for three minutes charge to get up to three hours of playback — super convenient before a commute.

Best on-ear headphones

JBL tunes the Tune 670NC with balanced sound and boost in bass response that gives these on-ear headphones a nice impression. Even better, you can use the JBL app to utilize the equalizer and tune them to sound a little more to your liking anytime you want.

It helps that they're lightweight and comfortable — as much as on-ear cans can be after a while. They're also highly portable, making it easy to take with you whether it's for a commute or a longer trip on a plane. Color options may not be extensive but there's something stylish about these headphones anyway. You won't be able to listen to tunes with a wired connection through USB-C, but JBL does include a 3.5mm Aux-In cable to do it that way.

Battery life holds up well at up to 70 hours per charge (up to 44 hours with ANC on). Those numbers are more than good enough to handle several commutes or trips, so they can also feel reliable that way too. You can charge them via USB-C. A fast five-minute charge gets you up to three hours of playback.

Best wireless earbuds

As our review showed, the Elite 10 Gen 2 took just about everything from their first-gen predecessors and add some excellent improvements. Jabra didn't really touch the design, sticking with one of the most comfortable pairs of earbuds you'll find. IP57 dust and water resistance is also pretty unusual for a flagship pair, making these good enough to handle regular runs and workouts. If you want to take that even further, consider the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 as alternatives.

Jabra didn't really re-tune the excellent sound, but did work on ANC to block out more background noise, including better wind reduction. Renewed emphasis on spatial audio also leads to some improved playback when you want that virtual surround effect.

Another key addition is turning the case into a Bluetooth LE conduit to plug it into any USB-C or 3.5mm jack and wirelessly stream the audio (via the LC3 codec) over to the earbuds. Very convenient on a plane, exercise equipment, or anytime Bluetooth isn't an option.

Battery life can get you up to six hours per charge with ANC on (eight hours when off), plus three extra charges for a total of about 22-30 hours. Charge back up via USB-C or Qi wireless charging, including a fast charging option where plugging in for five minutes can get you up to 60 minutes of playback.

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Which wireless headphones are best with Android?

Good headphones for Android aren't hard to come by, you just have to know where to look. This best wireless headphones list is made up of several great options, some of which are especially good at a particular aspect of audio. If you're looking to get the best, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are an outstanding place to start your search. Equipped with an excellent combination of industry-best noise-canceling technology, great sound, long battery life, handy controls, and a comfortable fit, it's hard to top them. There are even great wireless earbuds in the list, too, showing that great things can come in small packages.

While the XM5 don't look or sound dramatically different from their predecessors, the improved ANC and phone call quality make them even more well-rounded than the previous pair already was. As a result, you can't go wrong listening to whatever you like most wearing them.

How to choose

Headphones are inherently subjective for a variety of reasons based on how they fit, how they sound, how they look, and who makes them. Add battery life and noise cancelation into that mix and we're talking about a balancing act that requires more careful assessment.

The good news is the best options often check those boxes in the right ways. Battery life has improved to the point where anything less than 24 hours on an over-ear pair of cans can be viewed as outliers. Same with active noise cancelation, which only gets better and better — and frankly speaking, this list has the pairs that set the bar for all others in that regard.

All that said, what's also made headphones change over the last five years is the way dedicated apps help you customize what you want from them. That could be an EQ to tweak the sound tuning, onboard control adjustments, different levels of noise cancelation, and more. Finding a pair of headphones that can better suit your own tastes is what makes the listening experience feel more satisfying.

They also have to fit right, which is easier to manage when talking about over-ear headphones, but ear cups can differ in both size and overall comfort. Not to mention cushioning on the headband, which is where discomfort tends to happen most often.

If you plan to travel or commute with them, keep an eye out for headphones that come bundled with a protective case for easier transport. It can be expensive to buy a good pair of headphones, so best to keep them safe from any potential scuffs or damage along the way.

How we test

Testing any pair of headphones at Android Central requires listening to content in a variety of settings and conditions. Much like you, as a consumer, would want to know what to expect when wearing them wherever you want to go, we take the same approach. We don't run benchmarks to measure audio spectrum variances on a graph or chart because not all situations in real life sound the same.

How will headphones or earbuds sound while working in a quiet room? How do they stand up to street noise or during a commute? Do brands ultimately deliver on their claims? With features like active noise cancelation (ANC), transparency, spatial audio, hi-res audio, and other custom adjustments, personal audio has never felt more personal.

Since music and audio content (podcasts, audiobooks) are highly subjective, it's always important to understand the nuances of every pair of headphones or earbuds we test. We always endeavor to communicate that in our coverage. We play audio from different sources and from different devices. Our testing often shows that what they sound like out of the box isn't always a mark of their true potential, especially when there are tweaks available. Companion apps make them connected devices with granular controls designed to let you fine tune what you want, be it through an equalizer or adaptive settings.

Finding depth means putting them through their paces in different places. That requires integrating them into daily life to understand what works and what doesn't.

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