Shazam’s latest update added a feature that you might be surprised wasn’t already present: the ability to identify music through your headphones.
The way it works, according to the patch notes in the App Store, is that you launch the app first when you find a song on YouTube, TikTok, or wherever. Tap the headphones icon on the screen to tell Shazam that headphones are connected and start listening. From here you can go to the video with the mysterious song and the app will hopefully pick it up. 9To5Mac states that the tool works on “almost any… app you can think of,” alluding to the possibility that Shazam has some blind spots. Once done, you can find the song name in the app’s interface.
It doesn’t matter what kind of headphones you use. The patch notes confirm that the feature works across both wired and wireless devices. There don’t seem to be any hardware limitations either. You don’t need to own a pair of AirPods to gain access. It works with third-party brands.
Furthermore, Shazam continues to work normally even when headphones are plugged in. The feature does not interrupt or prevent the app from listening to songs playing in your immediate vicinity.
We should also mention that the headphone listening upgrade is also available for Android users. The app’s listing page on the Google Play Store has been updated to include a line noting the new functionality.
Possible macOS extension
It’s not a major upgrade as you can see, but it does introduce a new level of usability to the app. It should now be easier to find out the names of songs you come across on social media.
It is unknown if this feature will be rolled out to Shazam on macOS. According to the Mac App Store listing, the last time Shazam on the Mac saw a patch was on August 11, 2022, so it’s been a while. We think this version is too late for an update. That’s why we contacted Apple to ask if there are any plans to extend the headphone listening feature to the other version of Shazam. This story will be updated at a later date.
Until then, check out Ny Breaking’s list of the best headphones for 2024.