Earlo was called PodPilot until version 0.4. The GitHub version updates itself to Earlo and keeps your settings;
the Store version keeps updating through the Store.
Why Earlo
Windows treats your AirPods like any other Bluetooth headset: no battery levels, no popup, no ear detection.
Earlo brings back what you are used to from an iPhone, and adds the things Windows forgot.
See everything at a glance
- Popup when you open the case, just like on an iPhone: your earbuds, the case, charging state, in a clean Windows 11 card.
- "Connected" notice in the top right corner when your earbuds connect, with their battery levels. It disappears by itself.
- Every earbud, live: in your ear, out of your ear or in the case, with its own battery level.
- Battery in the tray: hover the icon for every level, or turn on the small battery bar on the icon itself.
- Low battery warnings for each earbud and the case, before your music cuts out.
It just works
- Automatic ear detection: take an earbud out and Spotify, YouTube, Netflix or any other app pauses. Put it back in and it plays on.
- Connect in one click from the popup, or let your earbuds switch to the PC by themselves when you put them in, like on an iPhone.
- Disconnect in one click, so your phone can have them back.
- Stereo sound in every app: Windows drops AirPods to muffled call quality as soon as an app opens their microphone. One switch turns the earbuds' microphone off, so they always sound like they should (calls then use your PC's microphone).
- A volume indicator for stem swipes: Windows changes the volume silently when you swipe; Earlo shows it, like the volume keys do.
- Noise control (Off, Noise Cancellation, Transparency, Adaptive) and Conversation Awareness with the experimental driver.
Made for Windows
- Lives in the tray: starts quietly with Windows, click the icon to open it.
- Pops up next to your taskbar, wherever it is: bottom, top, left or right, on any monitor and any DPI.
- English and Dutch, following your Windows language. Light and dark mode, the Windows 11 look.
- Updates itself: the GitHub version installs new releases automatically (verified against their checksums), the Store version updates through the Store.
- Private by design: no account, no telemetry, no cloud. The only internet traffic is the update check against GitHub (privacy policy).
- One file: a single
Earlo.exe, no installer, no background services.
Supported devices
| AirPods | Beats | Samsung |
|---|
| AirPods (1st and 2nd generation) | Powerbeats Pro, Powerbeats Pro 2 | Galaxy Buds, Buds+ |
| AirPods (3rd generation) | Beats Fit Pro | Galaxy Buds Live, Buds Pro |
| AirPods 4, AirPods 4 (ANC) | Beats Studio Buds, Studio Buds + | Galaxy Buds2, Buds2 Pro |
| AirPods Pro | Beats Solo Buds | Galaxy Buds FE, Buds Core |
| AirPods Pro (2nd generation, Lightning and USB-C) | Beats Flex, BeatsX, Powerbeats, Powerbeats3 | Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds3 FE |
| AirPods Pro 3 | Beats Solo3, Solo Pro, Solo 4 | |
| AirPods Max (Lightning and USB-C) | Beats Studio3, Studio Pro | |
AirPods and Beats released after this version still show their battery levels, as generic headphones.
If that happens, please open an issue with a diagnostics log (see below) so the model can be added.
Galaxy Buds are read over their own Bluetooth channel, so they need to be paired and connected to your PC;
in return they report exact 1% battery levels.
Questions
How do I see my AirPods battery level on Windows?
Start Earlo and open the AirPods case near your PC. A popup shows the left and right earbud and the case, like on an iPhone,
and the tray icon shows the levels at any time. Pairing is not even needed for the battery levels.
Does AirPods ear detection work on Windows?
Yes. Take an earbud out and Earlo pauses Spotify, YouTube, Netflix or any other app in the Windows media controls; put it back in and it plays on.
Can I switch AirPods noise cancellation on Windows?
Yes: Off, Noise Cancellation, Transparency and Adaptive, plus Conversation Awareness, with Earlo's
experimental driver.
Why do my AirPods sound bad on Windows?
As soon as an app opens the earbuds' microphone (Teams, Discord, Zoom, a browser), Windows switches them from stereo to the Hands-Free profile:
mono and muffled, like a phone call. In Earlo, turn on Settings > Sound quality > "Turn off the earbuds' microphone for the best sound".
They then always play in stereo; the catch is that their microphone no longer works, so calls use your PC's microphone. You can switch it back at any time.
Does it work with Galaxy Buds and Beats?
Yes. Beats earbuds and headphones work like AirPods. Galaxy Buds, from the 2019 Buds to the Buds3 Pro and Buds Core,
report exact battery levels once they are connected to your PC.
How is Earlo different from MagicPods and AirPodsDesktop?
MagicPods is a polished Microsoft Store app with its own noise control driver, but it is closed source.
AirPodsDesktop is free and open source, but has no noise control, no Galaxy Buds and no ARM64 builds.
Earlo is free and MIT-licensed, noise control driver included, and runs on x64 and ARM64 PCs.
Is Earlo free?
Yes, free and open source here on GitHub. The Microsoft Store version costs about €1 and funds signing the driver.
Install
Microsoft Store (automatic updates, supports development): see below.
GitHub (free):
This is the beginning of the README. Read the rest at the original. Read the full README ↗
