Bluetooth & Compatibility guides

Start here to learn how Bluetooth pairing works between your earbuds, headphones or watch and the devices around them. These guides also help you check whether two devices can work together at all. They explain the difference between pairing and connecting, why your phone can't find your Bluetooth earbuds, and what Google Fast Pair does on Android.

Other guides answer cross-brand questions: whether AirPods work with an Android phone, whether you can use an Apple Watch with Android, and how to connect Bluetooth headphones to a PlayStation, Xbox or TV.

For Bluetooth standards we check the Bluetooth SIG's own pages, and for each device we check its maker's support pages. If your earbuds connected before and now won't, the fix guide for your device is the place to start.