AirPods are one of the most popular wireless earbuds on the market, and for good reason. They’re easy to use, offer excellent sound quality, and provide a comfortable fit. But if you’re new to AirPods, you may wonder how to connect them to your laptop.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the simple steps of connecting your AirPods to your laptop, whether you’re using a Mac or a Windows PC. We’ll also provide some troubleshooting tips in case you have any problems.
Why Connect Your AirPods to Your Laptop?
There are many reasons why you might want to connect your AirPods to your laptop. For example, you might want to use them to listen to music, watch videos, or participate in online meetings.
AirPods also offer some advantages over traditional wired headphones, such as:
- Convenience: AirPods are wireless, so you don’t have to worry about getting tangled up in cords.
- Comfort: AirPods are designed to fit comfortably in your ears, even for long periods of time.
- Sound Quality: AirPods offer excellent sound quality, so you can enjoy your music and videos to the fullest.
Now that you know why you might want to connect your AirPods to your laptop, let’s get started! In the next section, we’ll walk you through the steps of connecting your AirPods to a Mac and a Windows PC.
How to Connect AirPods with a Mac
First, ensure that your Mac’s operating system is up to date. To do so, navigate to the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your desktop screen and select “About this Mac.” A screen will appear, and you can then select “Software Update.”
Apple states that regular, 2nd generation AirPods require macOS Mojave 10.14.4 or later, while AirPods Pro require Catalina 10.15.1 or later.
After ensuring that your Mac is up to date with the latest software, simply follow these simple steps to connect your AirPods.
If you can’t find it, it’s the gear-shaped icon on your desktop. Spotlight (the magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner of your desktop) can also be used to search for System Preferences.
#2. Choose Bluetooth
The Bluetooth icon is easily accessible in the system preferences.
#3. Insert both AirPods into the case and close the lid
Pairing your Mac with your AirPods will only be possible when the lids are closed. This is pretty simple.
The light should begin to blink white. When that happens, you can let go of the button.
Wait for your AirPods to appear on your devices before clicking Connect. That should be the end of it.
Note: If you don't see your AirPods, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and restart the process.
What if you don’t own a Mac? Well, the procedure should be nearly identical. Almost everything.
How to Connect Apple AirPods to a Windows Laptop
Put your AirPods in the case and press and hold the small button on the back until the status light begins to blink white. Your AirPods should now appear in the Add a device window of your PC’s Bluetooth settings, where you can pair and connect them.
- Place your AirPods in their case and ensure that they are fully charged.
- Go to the Start menu and select Settings. It’s the gear-shaped icon to the right of the power button. You can also search for Settings in the Start menu.
- Select Devices.
- Make sure Bluetooth is turned on at the top of the Bluetooth & other devices section. The switch should be turned to the right and blue.
- Select Bluetooth or other device.
- Select Bluetooth from the Add a device window.
- Remove the AirPods case lid. (If you have AirPod Max, skip this step.)
- For several seconds, press and hold the small button on the back of the case until the status light on the front of the case begins to blink white. The AirPods are placed in pairing mode by pressing the button on the back of the case.
- The AirPods should appear in the list of devices that can be paired with your PC. They may appear as Headphones at first, then change to AirPods after a few moments.
- Select AirPods.
Windows will establish a connection with the AirPods and display a success message. Click the Done button. You can now listen to PC audio with your AirPods.
How to Disconnect AirPods from Bluetooth on an Windows laptop
You may choose to remove your AirPods from the Bluetooth menu on your laptop. The removal procedure is simple and quick.
To open the Start Menu, click the Windows logo in the bottom left corner (Windows 10) or the bottom taskbar (Windows 11).
To open Settings, look for the gear icon and click it.
#3. Enable Bluetooth and devices
On Windows 10, go to Devices, then Bluetooth & other devices. Users of Windows 11 only need to click Bluetooth & devices in the left-hand column.
#4. Take off your AirPods
Windows 10
Locate your AirPods under the Audio tab in Windows 10 and select Remove device.
Windows 11
Find your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth-connected devices at the top of the page in Windows 11. Select Remove device after clicking the three vertical dots.
Follow the steps in the How to connect AirPods to a Windows laptop section of this post to reconnect your AirPods.
Troubleshooting an Laptop Bluetooth Connection with AirPods
A dead battery is the most common cause of a failed connection. Before attempting again, place your AirPods in their case and charge them for a few hours.
When connected to multiple devices, AirPods can have trouble syncing. A reset is the best way to resolve the problem.
To reset AirPods and AirPods Pro, follow these steps:
- Close the case and place the AirPods inside.
- Wait 30 seconds before reopening the lid.
- To remove your AirPods from the Bluetooth list and pair them again, follow the steps in this post.
To reset AirPods Max, follow these steps:
- Hold down the Digital Crown and Noise Control buttons located at the top of one of the ear coverings.
- Hold these two buttons together until an amber LED light flashes at the bottom of the same ear cover.
- To reset your AirPods Max, press and hold the Digital Crown and Noise Control buttons for about 15 seconds, or until you see a white LED light.
If your AirPods work flawlessly with all devices except your laptop, your PC is most likely to blame. Make sure your Bluetooth is turned on. If that fails, the Windows troubleshooter may be of assistance.
Hopefully, the troubleshooter will analyse and resolve the problem.
Bluetooth Shortcuts for Windows are Extremely Useful
Try the following shortcuts to save time when pairing or connecting a Bluetooth device in Windows.
On Windows 10 and Windows 11:
- To access the action centre, press Windows + A.
- Toggle Bluetooth on or off by clicking the Bluetooth icon.
- Optionally, right-click the Bluetooth icon and select Settings.
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