How to use your Fairbuds XL
The Fairbuds XL headphones provide premium sound that is sustainably designed with care for people and planet. The Fairbuds XL are made from fair and recycled materials, with a design to last you a long time and easily repair if it's ever needed. To learn more about how we designed the Fairbuds XL to be fair and climate conscious, click here.
Fairbuds XL provide you with:
- Superior sound quality and Active Noise Cancelling (ANC).
- Two-point Bluetooth connection.
- A battery that can last up to 30 hours.
- Sweat and weather resistance with an IP54 certification.
- Sound app compatibility.
Table of contents:
Video Instructions
Turn On/Off
- Push and hold the joystick at the back of the right earcap for 3 seconds.
- You'll hear Power On if the headphones have turned on, or Power Off if they turned off.
Charge
The Fairbuds XL charge when connected with a standard USB-C cable. You can find a charging (and analog listening) cable on the Fairphone Online Shop.
We recommend a power output of 5V - 0.5A.
- The battery has a 750mAh capacity and is located in the Left Speaker.
- Battery life: 26 hours (with ANC activated) and 30 hours with ANC off.
- Charging time: 2.5 hours for a full charge.
Connect via Bluetooth
You can connect the headphones to your phone or any other device via Bluetooth .
In general, the Fairbuds XL are compatible with any device with Bluetooth using codecs ACC, SBC, APTX and APTX HD. They support Bluetooth version 5.1 (not Bluetooth LE).
The Fairbuds XL are compatible with all Fairphones, even Fairphone 1, as well as other brands.
To pair
- Turn on the Fairbuds XL by pushing in the joystick toggle and holding for 3 seconds.
- (On Android) Open the Bluetooth menu via Settings → Connected devices → Pair new device.
- The earbuds should automatically show up as Fairbuds XL.
- Tap Fairbuds XL to connect.
- You will hear a voice notification via the headphones that says Connected.
After pairing the first time, you can switch off your Fairbuds XL and when turning them on again they will automatically connect.
If you can not pair your headphones, make sure they are not linked to another active device. If so, disconnect them by turning off Bluetooth on the device or even unpair the device(s).
With dual point connectivity, you can connect up to two devices simultaneously.
Just press the ANC button for 3 seconds again, until you hear that familiar “Pairing Mode" prompt, then select the Fairbuds XL on your device to switch seamlessly between your two connected devices.
To unpair
To clear the pairing records or reset your Fairbuds XL:
- (On Android) Open the Bluetooth menu via Settings → Connected devices → Press the cogwheel to the right of Fairbuds XL. Press Forget and confirm.
- To reset all settings on the headphones, press and hold the joystick button to the right for 5 seconds until you hear the confirmation.
In case of issues (like mono instead of stereo): please unpair the headphones and pair them again.
Connect via cable
If you prefer to use the headphones via cable, you can use a data-transfer USB-C cable. Wired listening does not require a charged battery.
- Connect the cable to the USB-C connector at the bottom of the right earcap.
- Connect the other side of the cable to the other device.
- If needed, use a USB-C to audio jack adapter.
If the headphones aren't playing any sound, make sure they aren't connected via Bluetooth. You can turn off Bluetooth on your device or disconnect the device and headphones, so they communicate via the cable instead.
Some control features may not work if the headphones are not paired by Bluetooth.
Controls
You can control your Fairbuds XL via the joystick and ANC buttons.
Calls
To accept and hang up calls, use the joystick button:
- Press once to answer an incoming call.
- Press and hold for 2 seconds to hang up an ongoing call.
Audio (music, podcasts)
To control audio, use the joystick button:
- Press once to the right for the next song.
- Press once to the left for the previous song.
- Press down once to pause. To resume playback, press again.
Volume
To adjust the volume, use the joystick button:
- Press up once for volume up.
- Press down once for volume down.
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
The Fairbuds XL have a dedicated button to drown out all distractions if things get a little noisy. Actively cancel out the noise with the ANC button above the joystick on the right earcap. A crisp “Noise-canceling” voice prompt will notify you of the active noise cancellation kicking in.
Press on the ANC button to switch to one of three different noise-canceling modes:
- Activate noise-canceling (ANC activated) - ambient noise is canceled out.
- Ambient Sound (Voice through) - keeps important sounds audible.
- Active noise-canceling off - (ANC off).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What are the Technical Specifications (tech specs) of the Fairbuds XL?
Battery capacity: 750 mAh
Battery duration: 26 hours (ANC On) and 30 hours (ANC Off)
ANC: >35dB
Spare parts: battery, earcap, headphone buttons, headband, ear cushion, speaker
Bluetooth Range: 10-20m
Bluetooth & codes: Bluetooth 5.1 - AAC, SBC, APTX HD
IP Rating: IP54
Weight: 315g
Portability: foldable
Dual point connectivity: Connect up to 2 devices simultaneously via Bluetooth
Smart assistant: Google, Siri
Connector: USB C
Driver size: 40mm
Q2: Why have you launched Fairbuds XL?
Fairphone is changing the industry from within. It's our mission to establish a viable market for sustainable consumer electronics. We also recognize the demand and changing technology on the market. Many of the same problems around e-waste and issues in the supply chain that we see with smartphones, also apply to audio products.With the launch of Fairbuds XL, we are bringing sustainability to the headphone category. This means that we are incorporating our known core features and are raising the bar on impact for people and planet once again.
Q3: What warranty do you offer on the headphones?
There is a standard 2-year warranty on the headphones. The warranty covers all structural parts but excludes the vegan-leather headband, the ear cushions and the battery. That said, due to the modular design and the repairability, we expect the headphones to last a lot longer than two years.
Q4: Which repairs / damages are covered by the warranty?
- All manufacturing issues are covered.
- User-induced damages are not covered, but we are happy to help out and offer spare parts that are easily available.
- The warranty covers all structural parts, but excludes the vegan leather headband/ear cushions and the battery.
Q5: Can I use the headphones with an audio cable / without using Bluetooth? Or without a battery?
Yes, you can! If you don't have a compatible cable or a USB-C to audio jack transformer, you can buy them in our webshop.
In addition, you can use them with a cable when they run out of battery or if you remove the battery. Note that the ANC functionality is active and will not work without a battery, as it needs the headphones to be turned on.
If after reading the article you need more help, contact our Customer Support.