AirPods · Connect guide
How to connect AirPods
Sources checked · how we check
AirPods set themselves up on an iPhone with one tap. On a Mac, Android phone or Windows PC you put the case into pairing mode and pick AirPods from the Bluetooth list. How you start pairing mode depends on the model.
01 · Before you start
Check these first
- Put both AirPods in the charging case and make sure it is charged.
- Update your iPhone to the latest iOS. AirPods 4 need iOS 18.0 or later and AirPods Pro 3 need iOS 26 or later.
- Know your pairing-mode gesture: AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods 5: double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white. Other models: press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white.
02 · Connect
Step by step, by device
iPhone
Home Screen → open case next to iPhone → Connect
- Go to the Home Screen. With AirPods in the case, open the case and hold it next to your iPhone.
- Tap Connect when the setup animation appears, follow the prompts, then tap Done.
- AirPods then connect automatically to your other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
No animation? Open the case, start pairing mode, then choose the AirPods in Settings → Bluetooth.
Android phone
Settings → Connections → Bluetooth → pairing mode → select AirPods
- Go to Settings → Connections → Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth on. Menu names vary by phone.
- With AirPods in the case, open the lid and start pairing mode until the status light flashes white.
- Select your AirPods when they appear in the list of Bluetooth devices.
On a non-Apple device you can listen and talk, but you can't use Siri.
Source: Apple: set up AirPods with Mac and other Bluetooth devices
Mac
Apple menu → System Settings → Bluetooth → Connect
- If your AirPods are set up on an iPhone signed in to the same Apple Account, they may already be connected.
- Otherwise choose Apple menu → System Settings → Bluetooth and make sure Bluetooth is on.
- Put both AirPods in the case, open the lid and start pairing mode.
- Click Connect next to your AirPods in the Nearby Devices list, then check Control Center → Sound shows them as the output.
Source: Apple: set up AirPods with Mac and other Bluetooth devices
Windows PC or laptop
Bluetooth settings on → pairing mode → select AirPods
- Open your PC's Bluetooth settings and make sure Bluetooth is on.
- With AirPods in the case, open the lid and start pairing mode until the status light flashes white.
- Select your AirPods when they appear in the list of Bluetooth devices.
Apple gives the same steps for any non-Apple Bluetooth device. Siri isn't available.
Source: Apple: set up AirPods with Mac and other Bluetooth devices
If it still won't connect
If AirPods don't appear, put them back in the case, close the lid, and start pairing mode again until the status light flashes white. On iPhone, pair manually from Settings → Bluetooth if the setup animation never appears.
Frequently asked questions
How do I put AirPods in pairing mode?
With AirPods in the open case, double-tap the front of the case on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods 5, or hold the setup button on the back on other models, until the light flashes white.
Do AirPods work with Android?
Yes, as Bluetooth headphones. You can listen and talk, but Siri isn't available.
Why won't my AirPods connect to my laptop?
Check Bluetooth is on and the case is in pairing mode, flashing white. The laptop only lists AirPods while the case is in pairing mode.