How to Connect and Pair AirPods With Any Device

By Suraj Giri, reviewed by Suraj Giri on September 26, 2026
Published September 26, 2026. 4 min read.

To connect AirPods to any device, put them in pairing mode, open the device's Bluetooth list, then select them. Set them up once on an iPhone while signed in to iCloud, and Apple sets them up automatically on your other supported devices signed in with the same Apple Account. This guide is part of AirPods Problems and Fixes; for other brands, see How to Pair and Connect Bluetooth Earbuds and Headphones.

An open white earbuds case with both earbuds inside, beside a phone and a small vase of flowers on a light oak desk — An open earbuds case next to a phone, ready to pair. Illustration: Gadget247News, generated with Runway

How to Connect AirPods

To connect AirPods, open the case, start pairing mode, then pick them in your device's Bluetooth list:

With your AirPods in the charging case, open the lid. (AirPods Max: start at step 2.)
Put the AirPods in pairing mode for your model (table below) until the status light flashes white.
On your device, open the Bluetooth settings and make sure Bluetooth is on.
When your AirPods appear in the list of Bluetooth devices, select them.

An iPhone skips the list: on the Home Screen, hold the open case next to it and a setup animation appears. Tap Connect, follow the on-screen instructions, then tap Done. On an iPad, start pairing mode, then hold the open case next to it and follow the steps on screen. To "sync" AirPods is to pair them, so the same steps apply.

Pairing Mode by AirPods Model

The pairing-mode action depends on your AirPods model, and on every model the status light flashes white when pairing mode starts.

Model	Action	Light
AirPods 1, 2 and 3; AirPods Pro 1 and 2	Open the lid, then press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 5 seconds	Flashes white
AirPods 4 (both models), AirPods 5 (both models) and AirPods Pro 3	Open the case next to your device, then double-tap the front of the case	Flashes white
AirPods Max	Press and hold the listening mode button for about 5 seconds	Flashes white

To connect AirPods 4, AirPods 5 or AirPods Pro 3 without pressing a button, double-tap the front of the open case: that is Apple's step for these models on every device. If the light won't flash white, How to Put AirPods in Pairing Mode has the next steps.

Four-step diagram: open the charging case lid, start pairing mode until the status light flashes white, open Bluetooth on your device, then select your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth devices. — The same four steps connect AirPods to an iPhone, Mac, Android phone, PC, Chromebook or TV. Diagram: Gadget247News

Connect AirPods to Your Device

Pairing mode is the same on every device; only where the device lists your AirPods changes.

Device	Where the AirPods appear	Full guide
iPhone or iPad	Hold the open case next to it for on-screen setup, or Settings > Bluetooth	How to Connect AirPods to iPhone
Mac	System Settings > Bluetooth, then Connect in the Nearby Devices list	How to Connect AirPods to a Mac
Android phone or tablet	Touch and hold Bluetooth, then Pair new device	How to Connect AirPods to Android
Windows PC	Bluetooth On in Settings > Bluetooth & devices, then New devices in the Bluetooth quick setting	How to Connect AirPods to a Windows PC
PS5, Xbox or Switch	Switch: System Settings > Bluetooth Audio > Pair Device; PS5 and Xbox: see the full guide	How to Connect AirPods to PS5, Xbox and Switch
TV	The TV's Bluetooth settings, if the TV has Bluetooth	How to Connect AirPods to a TV

Connect AirPods to a Chromebook

To connect AirPods to a Chromebook, pair them from the menu that opens when you select the time:

At the bottom right of the screen, select the time.
Select Bluetooth and turn it on.
Select + Pair new device.
Put your AirPods in pairing mode (table above), then select them when they appear.
Follow the on-screen instructions.

Your AirPods then show under Currently connected.

How to Check Your AirPods Are Connected

Your AirPods are connected when the device lists them as connected and sound plays through them:

Look in the Bluetooth list: the AirPods show as connected (Android says "Connected").
Play audio, with the volume on your device turned up.
If they connect but sound still comes from the device's speakers, choose the AirPods as the output. On an iPhone, open Control Center, tap the AirPlay button and select your AirPods. On a Mac, click Control Center in the menu bar, click Sound and make sure your AirPods are selected as the output device.

If Your AirPods Won't Connect

AirPods that never appear in the list, won't flash white or refuse to connect need Apple's fix order on AirPods Not Connecting: a software update first, a 15-second lid close later, a reset last. AirPods that connect and then drop out are a different fault, covered in Why AirPods Keep Disconnecting. Paired isn't the same as connected: the difference between pairing and connecting Bluetooth headphones explains why a saved pair can sit disconnected. Once they play, read How to Use AirPods Controls. A missing AirPod needs How to Find Lost AirPods, not pairing mode.

Connecting AirPods: Quick Answers

How do you put AirPods in pairing mode?

Hold the setup button on the back of the open case (AirPods 1, 2, 3, Pro 1 and 2), double-tap the front of the open case (AirPods 4, AirPods 5, Pro 3) or hold the listening mode button (AirPods Max) until the light flashes white. How to Put AirPods in Pairing Mode covers each model in full.

How do I connect my AirPods to my laptop?

On a Mac, open System Settings, click Bluetooth, start pairing mode and click Connect next to your AirPods. On a Windows laptop, turn Bluetooth on in Settings > Bluetooth & devices, then pick them under New devices in the Bluetooth quick setting; How to Connect AirPods to a Windows PC has every step.

How do I reconnect AirPods?

AirPods you've paired before reconnect without pairing mode: open the case near your device, or put them in your ears, then choose them in Control Center (AirPlay on an iPhone, Sound on a Mac) or under Saved devices on Android. Google's Android help says devices stay paired until you unpair them.