Google's Pixel Buds Update Will Put Them to Sleep Along With You
Plus new voice controls, and one-tap microphone muting and live translation, for the Buds 2A and Pro 2.
By Dominic Preston
Sleep Detection Comes to Pixel Buds
Google is rolling out a new update for its Pixel Buds 2A and Pixel Buds Pro 2 that adds automatic sleep detection. When the earbuds sense that you've dozed off, they will automatically pause playback and enter a low-power state, preserving battery life and preventing audio from playing while you sleep.
The feature is designed to work without any manual intervention, making it particularly useful for users who enjoy listening to podcasts, music, or white noise as they drift off.
New Voice Controls
The update also introduces expanded voice controls, allowing users to manage playback, adjust volume, and trigger other actions hands-free. This builds on Google's continued push to integrate its Gemini AI assistant more deeply into its hardware ecosystem—a trend that has accelerated throughout 2026 as on-device AI processing has become a standard expectation for premium earbuds.
One-Tap Microphone Muting and Live Translation
For calls and conversations, Google is adding one-tap microphone muting, giving users a quick and reliable way to silence their mic without reaching for their phone. Additionally, live translation is now supported directly through the earbuds, enabling real-time cross-language communication—a feature that aligns with the broader industry shift toward AI-powered translation tools in wearable devices.
Availability
The update is rolling out to Pixel Buds 2A and Pixel Buds Pro 2 users now. Google has not announced whether these features will extend to older Pixel Buds models.
via The Verge