How to pair AirPods with PC, Mac, and other devices

Apple's AirPods "just work" with iPhones thanks to their W1 chip, but they're also standard Bluetooth headphones . That means they can work with any device that supports Bluetooth audio, even Android phones.

Pairing won't be as easy as pairing with an iPhone, and the connection can be unreliable, but they can work with anything from Android phones or Windows PCs to other Apple devices like Apple TV. Pairing with a Mac or iPad is easier.

Connect AirPods on devices

• 1. Put AirPods in pairing mode
• 2. How to connect AirPods to Windows 11 PC
• 3. How to connect AirPods to Windows 10
• 4. How to pair AirPods or AirPods Pro with your Mac
  • How to connect AirPods to your Mac for the first time
  • How to Automatically Switch AirPods to Your Mac
• 5. How to pair AirPods with another device
• 5. How to reconnect AirPods to your iPhone or iPad
• AirPods Features You Can't Use on Android and Windows
• Third-party apps to restore missing features

1. Put AirPods in pairing mode

To put your AirPods in pairing mode, here's what you need to do:

1. Place AirPods in the charging case.
2. Open the lid of the box, you will see the light turn on, indicating the battery charging status.
3. Press and hold the round button on the back of the AirPods case. The light inside the case will start flashing white. This indicates that your AirPods are in pairing mode.

While the white light is flashing, the AirPods will be visible to other devices. In other words, they will appear as peripherals that can be paired from the Bluetooth settings, just like any other Bluetooth headphones or speakers.

2. How to connect AirPods to Windows 11 PC

Before you can connect your AirPods to your Windows 11 PC, you'll need to make sure Bluetooth is turned on on your PC. You can do this in the Settings app.

First, click the up arrow on the system tray, then select the Bluetooth icon from the menu that appears.

Next, click on the “ Open Settings ” button located near the bottom of the context menu that appears.

You’ll now be taken to the Bluetooth & Devices page in the Windows Settings app. Toggle the slider next to Bluetooth to the “ On ” position . With Bluetooth turned on on your PC, you can start pairing your AirPods.

To connect AirPods to your Windows 11 PC, you navigate back to the Bluetooth & Devices page in the Settings app, then click the “ Add Device ” button next to the option that lets you pair a new Bluetooth device with your PC.

The Add a Device window will appear immediately. Click the “ Bluetooth ” button at the top of this window.

Windows will start searching for Bluetooth devices in range. Since your AirPods are also in pairing mode, it may take a moment for Windows to find them. Tap the name of your AirPods from the list of found devices.

The connection setup process will take a few seconds. Once the pairing is successful, you will receive a notification about it, and you can use the headset immediately.

3. How to connect AirPods to Windows 10

Pairing AirPods with a Windows 10 PC takes a few extra steps, but it shouldn't take more than a minute.

Pair AirPods with Windows 10 PC for the first time

1. On your PC, open the Settings app > select Devices from the main menu.
2. Select Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device .
3. On the Add a device >  Bluetooth window .
4. Place your AirPods in the case and open the lid. Press and hold the button on the back of the case until you see the status light between the AirPods start flashing white, then release. Your AirPods will appear in the Add a device window . Tap to pair and connect.

Reconnect after pairing

Once connected to a device, AirPods can automatically reconnect, but it will prioritize the phone or tablet. Therefore, the next time you use AirPods and it does not automatically pair with Windows 10, you do the following:

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & other devices > under Audio > select AirPods > click the Connect button.

If you don’t see any Bluetooth options after a while, your AirPods may have left pairing mode and you’ll see a flashing white light. Just press and hold the circular setup button again and your AirPods will go back into pairing mode.

Once they're connected, the AirPods will function like regular Bluetooth headphones with whatever device they're paired with.

Use AirPods or AirPods Pro on Windows

Sometimes you may not hear system sounds through your AirPods after connecting them to your Windows PC. This happens when Windows is using a different output device to play sound.

To change that, click the volume icon in the system tray, select the current output device, then select AirPods or AirPods Pro from the list of devices.

You can do the same using the quick settings panel on Windows 11. Click the volume icon in the system tray and select the sound button in the bottom right corner of the quick settings. Then select your AirPods from the output device list.

If you then use your AirPods on another device (like an iPhone), you'll need to reconnect them manually. To do this on Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices , select your AirPods, and click Connect . On Windows 11, click the V icon next to Bluetooth in the quick settings panel and click your AirPods.

Note that Windows doesn’t let you change the default gesture for AirPods. However, you can double-tap the first and second generation AirPods to play and pause music. If you have AirPods (3rd generation), you can do this by tapping the stem.

If you have AirPods Pro, you can squeeze the stem to switch between Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation modes. On AirPods Max, you'll need to use the Noise Control button to do the same.

On the plus side, Windows lets you change the name of your AirPods. The process is the same as renaming any Bluetooth device on Windows.

Using a pair of AirPods on a Windows desktop or laptop makes for a pretty good listening experience. Your AirPods can be a good backup pair of headphones when your PC headphones stop working. If you’re willing to deal with potential issues with the microphone and lack of seamlessness, you’ll be fine.

4. How to pair AirPods or AirPods Pro with your Mac

Unlike the iPhone, you don't get a pop-up window on your Mac when you bring your AirPods or AirPods Pro case next to it. So how do you pair AirPods with your Mac?

How to connect AirPods to your Mac for the first time

If you haven’t used AirPods or AirPods Pro with your Mac before, you’ll need to pair them first. However, if you’re using an iPhone, chances are your AirPods are already connected to your Mac, so take a minute to check that first.

How to Check if Your AirPods Are Connected to Your Mac

Most AirPods users own an iPhone. And thanks to Handoff on Apple devices, the AirPods you used with your iPhone may have automatically paired with your Mac if both devices are using the same Apple ID. To check if your AirPods and Mac are connected:

1. Open Control Center from the menu bar on your Mac.
2. Click the Sound section of Control Center.
3. You'll see a list of Output devices . If you see AirPods here marked with a blue icon, that means they're connected to your Mac.

Otherwise, if you see your AirPods here but the icon isn't highlighted in blue, click on it to establish a manual connection after your AirPods are taken out of the case.

Note : AirPods (3rd generation) require macOS Monterey or later to automatically connect to your Mac, while AirPods Pro (2nd generation) owners need to have at least macOS Ventura installed. So make sure to update your Mac software.

How to pair AirPods with your Mac

If your AirPods or AirPods Pro don’t appear in the list of output devices, you can pair them with your Mac manually. The process is similar to pairing AirPods with a non-Apple device. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Place AirPods back in the charging case, but don't close the lid.
2. Press and hold the Setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white. Do not release the button until the light flashes to enter pairing mode.
3. On your Mac, click the Apple icon in the menu bar and go to System Settings > Bluetooth .
4. Your AirPods or AirPods Pro should appear in Nearby Devices . If not, use the toggle at the top to turn Bluetooth off and back on.
5. Hover over your AirPods and click Connect .

How to Automatically Switch AirPods to Your Mac

One of the standout features of AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max is that they can seamlessly switch between your Apple devices. For example, you can put your AirPods in your ears and start playing music from your MacBook, and it will automatically play through the headphones instead of the built-in speakers.

This process usually happens automatically — you don’t need to do anything. But if you’re using your AirPods with another device, like an iPhone, you’ll need to click Connect in the notification that appears on your Mac.

However, if you're not a fan of this feature, you can prevent your AirPods from switching between your Apple devices.

In most cases, your AirPods will automatically connect to your Mac, and you won’t need to do anything other than put them in your ears and play some audio. But if that doesn’t happen, now you know how to pair your AirPods manually and select them from the audio output options.

5. How to pair AirPods with another device

To pair your AirPods with any other device or an older Mac, just look for the easy pairing button on the AirPods charging case. Look at the back of the AirPods case. See that faint silver circle near the bottom, just above the Lightning port? That’s the “setup button” you need to pair your AirPods with other devices, used when the W1 fails to pair with other devices automatically.

For example:

• Android : Go to Settings and tap the " Bluetooth " option under Wireless & networks . Make sure Bluetooth is turned on and you should see your AirPods as an available device here.
• Windows 7 : Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > Add a device, then select AirPods.
• Mac: Click the Apple menu and go to System Preferences > Bluetooth . Select your AirPods in the list and click " Pair ".
• Apple TV : Navigate to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth . Select AirPods from the list.
• Other devices: Just navigate to the Bluetooth settings screen, where you can view and connect Bluetooth devices. AirPods will appear as an option here like any other Bluetooth headset.

5. How to reconnect AirPods to your iPhone or iPad

AirPods will be disconnected from your iPhone after pairing them with a non-iOS device. You will need to reconnect them to your iPhone to use them again.

To do this, first put your AirPods back in the case. Go to your iPhone’s home screen, open the AirPods case, and hold it near your iPhone. (This process also works on iPad, if you want to pair your AirPods to your iPad instead of your iPhone.)

You should see a message saying “ Not Your AirPods ” appear on the screen. Tap “ Connect .” You’ll then be prompted to press and hold the circular button on the back of the case. Release the button when “ Connecting ” appears on the screen and they should automatically reconnect to your iPhone.

AirPods Features You Can't Use on Android and Windows

AirPods are optimized to work well with Apple devices, and there are features that can't be used on non-Apple devices, even though you can use many of their basic input and output functions on other operating systems. You can't use the following AirPods features when connected to Android and Windows devices:

1. Customizable double-click command

When a pair of AirPods are connected to your iPhone, you can change the double-tap action on your AirPods. This can pause, play, and skip audio, or activate Siri. When you pair your AirPods with a non-Apple device, you can’t change the double-tap command you set on your iPhone.

2. Automatic detection when wearing headphones

A pair of AirPods connected to an Apple device can enable automatic detection when wearing the headphones. Your AirPods stop playing audio when they detect that the AirPods are not in your ears and automatically resume playing audio when they detect that the AirPods are back in your ears.

On Windows or Android devices, this feature is not accessible. As long as the AirPods are connected to your device, they will continue to play audio whether you are actually wearing the headphones or not.

3. Battery status

When paired with an Apple device, you can easily see the battery status of each AirPod and the charging case. However, the only way to check your AirPods battery status on Windows and Android devices is through third-party apps.

Third-party apps to restore missing features

MagicPods for Windows : MagicPods is a free app that restores automatic detection when wearing headphones, displays battery information, AirPods pop-up animations, and connection options. The app supports AirPods 1, 2, 3, Pro, and Max.

AndroPods for Android : AndroPods restores battery level indicator, automatic detection when wearing headphones, and voice assistant features in AirPods connected to Android devices. The app is free to use and supports AirPods 1, 2, 3, and Pro.

See also:

• Instructions for using Bluetooth on devices
• How to share data between 2 iOS devices using AirDrop
• Instructions for using Bluetooth headphones properly