How to Connect AirPods to iPhone

How to Connect AirPods to iPhone for the First Time

To connect AirPods to iPhone for the first time, follow Apple's setup steps:

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. With your AirPods in the charging case, open the case and hold it next to your iPhone. A setup animation appears.
3. Tap Connect.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions, then tap Done.
5. If you're signed in to iCloud, your AirPods also set up automatically on your other supported devices with the same Apple Account.

Some people call this syncing AirPods; it's the same pairing. Apple lists the iOS version each model needs:

AirPods model	iOS needed to pair
AirPods 1	iOS 10.0 or later
AirPods 2	iOS 12.2 or later
AirPods 3	iOS 15.1 or later
AirPods 4 (both models)	iOS 18.0 or later
AirPods 5 (both models)	iOS 27
AirPods Pro 1	iOS 13.2 or later
AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning)	iOS 16.0 or later
AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)	iOS 17.0 or later
AirPods Pro 3	iOS 26 or later
AirPods Max 1 (Lightning)	iOS 14.3 or later
AirPods Max 1 (USB-C)	iOS 18 or later
AirPods Max 2	iOS 26.4 or later

For full functionality, Apple still recommends the latest iOS.

Pair Manually If the Setup Animation Doesn't Appear

No setup animation means you pair from Bluetooth settings, and the pairing control depends on the case. How to Put AirPods in Pairing Mode covers every model.

Pair AirPods 4, AirPods 5 or AirPods Pro 3 From Bluetooth Settings

AirPods 4 (both models), AirPods 5 (both models) and AirPods Pro 3 go into pairing mode with a double-tap on the case:

1. With both AirPods in the charging case, open the lid.
2. Double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
3. Go to Settings → Bluetooth and tap your AirPods when they appear in the list.

Pair AirPods Pro 1 or 2, or AirPods 1 to 3 From Bluetooth Settings

AirPods 1, 2 and 3 and AirPods Pro 1 and 2 use the setup button instead:

1. With both AirPods in the charging case, open the lid.
2. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white.
3. Go to Settings → Bluetooth and tap your AirPods in the list of devices.

Connect AirPods Max to iPhone

Apple's AirPods Max steps begin with an iOS update:

1. Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS, then go to the Home Screen.
2. Take your AirPods Max out of the Smart Case. Within 60 seconds, hold them next to your iPhone until the setup animation appears.
3. Tap Connect, then tap Done.

If you're signed in to iCloud, AirPods Max also set up on your other supported devices with the same Apple Account.

How to Check AirPods Are Connected (and See the Battery)

AirPods are connected when your iPhone's audio plays through them. Two checks confirm it:

• Sound: open Control Center, tap the AirPlay button, select your AirPods, then play audio with the volume turned up.
• Battery: open the lid, go to Settings → Bluetooth, tap the name of your AirPods, then tap the Info button next to them to check their charge.

The same screen renames them: tap the name of your AirPods, enter a new name, then tap Done.

Are AirPods Added to Find My?

Yes: AirPods you pair with your iPhone show up in the Devices list in the Find My app, if Find My is on for that iPhone. AirPods 3, AirPods 4 (ANC), AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Pro (all models) and AirPods Max can also be added to the Find My network (Settings → Bluetooth → More Info button). AirPods link to one Apple Account, so a previous owner has to remove them first; see how to reset AirPods without the previous owner.

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If AirPods Won't Connect to iPhone

AirPods that won't connect follow Apple's fix order, with a reset last. Update iOS, put both AirPods in the case so they charge, and check that Bluetooth is on. Then close the lid for 15 seconds, open it and use pairing mode again. The full order is in our guide to AirPods not connecting to your phone; AirPods that connect and then drop are covered in Why AirPods Keep Disconnecting.

Connecting to Another Device?

A Mac should connect to your AirPods automatically when it's signed in with the same Apple Account as your iPhone, and an Android phone pairs them in its Bluetooth settings. For a Mac, Android phone, Windows PC, TV or console, connect and pair AirPods with that device's steps.

AirPods and iPhone: Quick Answers

Each answer points to the page with the full steps.

How do I force AirPods to connect?

Put the AirPods in pairing mode, then select them in Settings → Bluetooth. Double-tap the case front on AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3, or hold the setup button on other models until the light flashes white. The rest of the order is in AirPods Not Connecting.

Why are my AirPods suddenly not pairing?

Apple's support page gives no single cause; its fix order starts with updating iOS and charging both AirPods in the case, then pairing again after a 15-second lid close. If it started after an update, compare yours with the latest AirPods firmware version and see AirPods Not Connecting.

How do I connect AirPods to a laptop?

On a MacBook, AirPods set up with your iPhone should connect automatically when the Mac uses the same Apple Account; if not, pair them in System Settings → Bluetooth. On a Windows laptop, put the AirPods in pairing mode and select them in Bluetooth settings, as in How to Connect AirPods to a Windows PC.