Your Arctis GameBuds have a ton of potential. Unlock it all with the Arctis Companion App.
With the release of the Arctis GameBuds, we naturally expanded the functionalilty of our fledgling app to work with them. The power to control sound like you never have before is right at your fingertips — with your phone, whenever you want it.
If you're having any issues connecting the device, read up on a few methods on our Arctis GameBuds connection guide.
Download the Arctis Companion App
Take advantage of a growing library of 100+ audio presets made for specific games with the SteelSeries Arctis Companion app.
Set audio presets with the Companion App
You can save presets separately for 2.4GHz and for Bluetooth. Think of this as "gaming" vs. "music/other" mode. 2.4GHz is much better for gaming, so always use the USB-C dongle when playing on your PlayStation, Switch, or other devices.
While gaming, use the 2.4GHz mode and select your preset from the list. The icons to the right of the Arctis GameBuds show whether the device has established connections via 2.4GHz and Bluetooth.
If you're listening to music, press the Bluetooth button in the app to adjust your presets for Bluetooth specifically. These will only be active while listening in Bluetooth mode, so it's ideal for music and similar from your phone or other devices.
Click the EQ preset to bring up a list of audio presets. You can scroll down the list to the ones that start with "Music" or just type "music" in the search bar to filter. Click on any of the presets to select them, and they will instantly apply — you can listen to music at the same time and hear the difference right away.
Note: If you happen to use Sonar on PC with the GameBuds, keep the preset on Flat if you already have one set on the app. Setting a preset on both the app and on Sonar in PC will lead to audio distortion.
Adjust audio settings in the Companion App
Other than the rich assortment of custom-made presets, the app also features a variety of additional settings to customize your hearing experience even more. Scroll slightly down in the app to see them.
With Noise Control, adjust the how much noise is coming through to your earbuds. Toggle between ANC and Transparency Mode to adjust how you hear your surroundings. You can also adjust to what degree the ANC works.
For Microphone, select how loud you want to be heard and whether you want any Sidetone (feedback of your own voice while using the microphone) and to what degree.
Volume Limiter is a safety setting for maximum volume. Certain countries, such as Brazil and those in the European Union, impose legal regulations on safe hearing levels. Disabling or overriding this may result in exposure to sound levels that could cause hearing damage. By doing so, you acknowledge and accept full responsibility for any risks.
If you find that your Arctis GameBuds are quiet, make sure to check the output volumes on the device you're using. For example, set the headset volume on the PlayStation 5 to max, and then simply adjust it via your earbuds. Similarly with PC.
Additional options can be found by pressing onto the cogwheel in the upper right corner of the app. Among them you can find Wear Sense, which automatically pauses audio if the earbuds detect that they are taken out of your ears.
If you don't want this feature, you can disable it there and choose "Continue Playing Audio" instead.
How to change controls on the Arctis GameBuds
Remapping controls is a huge quality-of-life option for your GameBuds. Make them truly own by setting them up with your app, getting easy access to your favorite functions that you use the most. The process is quite straightforward from the app.
In the main screen of the map, tap the cogwheel in the upper right corner. That opens up the Settings menu with various options. You will see "Button Mapping" among them, so press that.
You will see a list of Customizable Controls and Other Controls. Note that the latter aren't configurable. You can change the functions of Single and Double Press, for each earbud.
Click onto the Single Press button to change the function of what it does. If you want to adjust this for the right earbud, tap onto the image of the earbud — you can toggle between Left and Right like that.
The process is the same for the Double Press shortcut.
Hopefully, you learned a lot about how to get the most out of your Arctis GameBuds! If you have more questions, check out our Support section for more articles or reach out to us. And if you're looking to use these awesome new earbuds, buy them now. Just check out what the critics say about the new SteelSeries earbuds.
