We tested all of the best wireless headphones for Android, and this is what we discovered

If you're planning to get one of the best wireless headphones, 2026 is probably the best time to buy a set. Last year saw a slew of new releases from brands like Bose, Sony, and Nothing. Whether you prefer battery endurance or top-tier ANC, or just want something that's a bit affordable, there are quite a few great options to choose from. To make things easier for you, we've rounded up some solid cans that offer everything from fabulous audio quality to all-day wearing comfort.

Our top vote goes to the Sony WH-1000XM6, as they have the perfect balance of features and quality, along with a companion Android app for even more fine-tuned sound. You can also consider the 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 if you're on a budget, and there are many other wireless headphones for Android worth taking a look at.

At a glance

Best overall

There aren't many flaws to point out with the WH-1000XM6, based on our review. That shouldn't be a surprise, as their predecessors 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 upgraded QN3 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 at all while wearing these. Sony's pedigree in this area shows itself with true wireless earbuds, too. Sony jumped from eight mics in the WH-1000XM5 to a whopping 12 in the newest model, supercharging an already-fantastic ANC experience.

The company also kept the design mostly similar, going for a cleaner look. These headphones go flat, but not curled up. The sound signature is somewhat flatter, thanks to redesigned 30mm drivers. 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 via Sony's Precise Voice Pickup and Speak to Chat features. The WH-1000XM6 don't have a bigger battery, maintaining the same 30 hours per charge (depending on volume level and ANC usage). As such, fast charging is convenient when you need some juice in a pinch. The only bummer here 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 offer 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 really come off as a surprise, regardless of whether you know about the brand or not.

The 1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 feature new 40mm diamond-like carbon drivers, which contribute to impressive sound quality with good bass, crisp highs, and well-balanced mids. You can 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 get hi-res audio as well through LDAC codec support, along with spatial audio.

ANC works quite 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 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 on a single 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 among the most luxurious set of cans out there. Usually available for a price of more than $750, 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 offer crystal clear, massive sound that can be finely adjusted using the companion app. The active noise cancelation is also outstanding, and the battery will last up to 50 hours on a full 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 luxurious headphones are sure to turn heads, but the high price tag is going to make them a tough sell for many people, especially as other more-affordable headphones on this list will perform just as well. Still, if you want the height of luxury, the Beoplay H95 are among the best you can buy.

Best battery life

Sennheiser's heritage in great sound quality was apparent in our review of the last-generation 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, but despite an improved ability to muffle higher pitches, overall performance won't match what you can get with Sony and Bose, even though the Wind Reduction mode is a nice perk.

On the battery side, Sennheiser's taken a giant leap forward. The previous-gen model could only muster up to 17 hours per charge. With the newer 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 a 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 sound possible sound out of them.

Best noise cancelation

Bose has a solid over-the-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 prove they can maintain that premise and expand on it further, as we found in our review. They sound great, sticking to a balanced approach in the sound profile that you can adjust just how you want in the Bose Music app. Immersive mode brings in spatial audio with head tracking, only adding more 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 such as 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, these support CustomTune, Bose's algorithm to adjust ANC based on your own hearing.

Bose has also made the QuietComfort Ultra very comfortable to wear, along with them being easier to transport because of the new folding design and protective case. At up to 24 hours per charge, battery life is 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 for students

Nothing Headphone 1 keeps the company’s distinctive transparent design that some may find a little bold, but the younger crowd will love. Unlike others in this segment that often use a round design, the Nothing Headphone 1 offers a sleek rectangular shape while still maintaining a premium build with an aluminum chassis.

In terms of sound, the Nothing Headphone 1 feature 40mm dynamic drivers that emphasize bass and lower frequencies. Though this bass-forward profile may not suit everyone, the sound can be easily customized to your preferences using the Nothing X app. And if you're into lossless audio, you'll appreciate the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack.

However, the best part of the Nothing Headphone 1 is its physical controls, which provide more tactile feedback and ease of use compared to the swipe and touch controls found on most competitors. Battery life is impressive too, with up to 35 hours of playback with active noise cancelation (ANC) on, and a remarkable 80 hours without it, meaning you'll likely only need to charge once a month if used moderately.

Color options may be limited, but for the price, the Nothing Headphone 1 offer a whole lot of value.

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How to choose

Which wireless headphones are best with Android?

Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Good headphones for the best Android phones aren't hard to come by when you know where to look. This list of the best wireless headphones has a number of great options, some of which are especially good at a particular aspect of audio. If that's where you want to start, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are an excellent choice to kick off your search. It's not easy to top their combination of outstanding noise-cancelation, top-tier sound, long battery life, handy controls, and comfortable fit.

While the WH-1000XM6 don't look or sound dramatically different from the last-generation model, the improved ANC and call quality make them overall an even more well-rounded product than their predecessors. As a result, you can't go wrong listening to whatever you like most whilst wearing them.

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 endurance and noise cancelation into that mix, and we're talking about a balancing act that requires a more careful assessment.

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

All 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 earcups can differ in 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 it's 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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