Your AirPods won't connect, or they show up in Bluetooth while the sound keeps playing somewhere else. Start with charging and pairing, then work through the fixes for your device. When it's time for a reset, use the instructions for your generation: the case controls differ by model.
Start with a charge and a quick restart
This addresses low power and restarts your earbuds without erasing their settings.
Put both earbuds in their charging case.
Close the lid.
Connect the appropriate USB-C or Lightning charging cable.
Leave the earbuds charging for at least 15 minutes. For AirPods Max, charge for at least five minutes before troubleshooting.
Check that the cable, power adapter, and outlet connections are secure.
For wireless charging, reposition the compatible case with its status light facing upward.
Try cable charging if wireless charging does not work.
Clear debris around the case's charging port with a dry, soft brush. Keep liquids and inserted objects out of the port, and avoid abrasive materials.
To restart AirPods or AirPods Pro, leave both earbuds inside the closed case for at least 10 seconds.
Reopen the case.
Try connecting again.
Make your AirPods appear in Bluetooth
With Bluetooth turned off, your iPhone or iPad cannot connect to AirPods.
Open Settings > Bluetooth.
Enable Bluetooth. Control Center's Bluetooth button disconnects accessories without fully switching off Bluetooth.
If you previously disconnected accessories through Control Center, select your AirPods' name on this settings screen to reconnect.
If they do not appear, put both earbuds in the case.
Close the lid for 15 seconds.
Open the lid.
For AirPods 1, 2, or 3 and AirPods Pro 1 or 2, hold the rear setup button until the light flashes white.
For AirPods 4, AirPods 5, or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the open case to enter pairing mode. These models use front taps instead of a rear setup button.
For AirPods Max, hold the listening mode button for about five seconds until the light flashes white.
For earbud models, hold the open case beside your iPhone or iPad.
Complete the onscreen setup.
For manual Bluetooth pairing, select your AirPods' name in the device list.
Check where your audio is playing
Wear your AirPods.
Open Control Center on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Select the AirPlay button.
Choose your AirPods' name as the playback destination.
Play some audio.
Raise the volume to check the connection.
If a car or speaker keeps taking over playback on your iPhone or iPad, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity.
Enable Keep Audio with Headphones.
Check the playback destination before resetting AirPods that are already paired but silent.
Restart your iPhone and update its software
Give your iPhone a restart before removing its pairing. On a Face ID iPhone, hold either volume button and the side button until the power slider appears. On iPhone SE 2 or 3, hold the side button alone.
Drag the power slider to shut down.
Wait 30 seconds.
Hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Try the AirPods connection again.
If the problem continues, back up your iPhone or iPad before updating its software.
Connect the device to power.
Connect it to Wi-Fi.
Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Select Download and Install when an update is offered. Use the latest release compatible with your device and AirPods model.
If restarting and updating do not restore the connection, forget the existing AirPods pairing and set it up again.
Forget the old pairing and reconnect
This replaces an existing pairing that still will not connect.
On your iPhone or iPad, open Settings > your AirPods' name. On a Mac, open System Settings > your AirPods' name.
Select Forget This Device. Unpairing also affects other devices using the same Apple Account.
Activate pairing mode using your model's control: hold the rear setup button for AirPods 1–3 or AirPods Pro 1–2, double-tap the open case's front for AirPods 4–5 or AirPods Pro 3, or hold the listening mode button for about five seconds on AirPods Max.
Select your AirPods' name in the intended device's Bluetooth list.
If they connect to another device but still refuse to connect to your intended iPhone or iPad, unpair them from that other device. On an iPhone or iPad, use Settings > your AirPods' name > Forget This Device; on a Mac, use System Settings > your AirPods' name > Forget This Device.
Put the AirPods back into pairing mode.
Select your AirPods' name under Settings > Bluetooth on the intended iPhone or iPad.
Connect to a Mac, Android phone, or Windows PC
Use manual Bluetooth pairing when connecting outside the nearby iPhone or iPad setup. Follow the paragraphs for your device below.
Put your AirPods in pairing mode using the model-specific control above.
On a Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Bluetooth.
Enable Bluetooth.
Under Nearby Devices, click Connect beside your AirPods.
If they connect without sound, choose your AirPods' name through Control Center > Sound.
For a Mac that still will not connect, turn Bluetooth off through Control Center.
Turn Bluetooth back on.
Reconnect from the Bluetooth device list.
On Android, swipe down to open the quick controls.
Touch and hold Bluetooth.
Choose Pair new device. If that option is absent, check Available devices or use More > Refresh.
Select your AirPods' name. For an existing pairing, select them under Saved devices.
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
Switch Bluetooth off for 10 seconds.
Switch Bluetooth back on.
If the old pairing still fails, open the AirPods' More options menu.
Select Remove device.
Activate AirPods pairing mode again.
Select Add device to pair them.
If Windows still cannot connect, open Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
Choose Run beside Bluetooth.
Follow the diagnostic prompts.
Reset your AirPods or AirPods Pro
Put both earbuds in the case.
Close the lid for 30 seconds.
If your AirPods are listed on your iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth.
Tap the information button beside their name.
Choose Forget This Device.
Confirm the removal.
Open the case lid.
For AirPods 1, 2, or 3 and AirPods Pro 1 or 2, hold the rear setup button for about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber and then white. The next three double-tap actions apply only to models with a tap-controlled case.
For AirPods 4, AirPods 5, or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case while the status light is on.
Double-tap again when the light flashes white.
Double-tap a third time when the flashing speeds up.
Wait for the light to flash amber and then white.
Once the light flashes white, hold the open case near your iPhone or iPad to reconnect. On another device, select your AirPods' name in its Bluetooth list.
If the light never flashes white, close the case for 20 seconds.
Reopen the case.
Repeat your model's reset sequence.
Once white flashing appears, hold the open case near your device to reconnect.
Use the case control for your exact model, because the rear-button and double-tap reset sequences are different.
Restart and reset AirPods Max
This addresses an AirPods Max connection failure with a restart, followed by a factory reset if needed.
Charge your AirPods Max to at least 50 percent if they can charge.
Hold the listening mode button and Digital Crown together until the light flashes amber.
Release both controls at the amber flash. Continuing to hold them initiates a factory reset.
Try reconnecting the headphones by selecting your AirPods' name in the device's Bluetooth list.
If the restart fails, hold the listening mode button and Digital Crown for approximately 15 seconds, through the amber flashing until the light flashes white.
For nearby iPhone or iPad setup, remove the headphones from the Smart Case.
Hold them beside the device within 60 seconds.
Complete the onscreen setup.
Tap Done.
Troubleshoot one earbud, dropouts, and ownership alerts
A single silent earbud, repeated dropouts, or an ownership alert needs a more specific fix. If charging, pairing, and the correct reset all fail, arrange service.
For one nonworking AirPod, charge both earbuds in a charged case for 30 seconds.
Open the case near your iPhone or iPad to check that each earbud is charging.
Wear only the affected earbud, leaving the other in the closed case.
Test audio.
If it works, recharge both earbuds for 30 seconds.
Test them together.
If the affected earbud does not work on its own, use your model's reset sequence above.
If one connected earbud remains silent, open Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual.
Center the Balance slider.
For intermittent dropouts, test locally stored audio with your source device nearby.
Move away from wireless interference, including microwaves and wireless speakers.
Position your AirPods and source device without walls or other obstructions between them.
If you see an alert about another Apple Account, ask the previous owner to remove the AirPods through Find My. A hardware reset does not clear that association.
The account owner can also sign in at iCloud Find Devices.
Have the owner select the AirPods in the device list.
Have the owner choose Remove or Remove This Device.
Pair the AirPods with your device after the account association is removed.
For an AirPods Mismatch alert, check the models to confirm that both earbuds belong together and match the case.
Recover the correct component or obtain a compatible replacement for a mixed-up earbud or case.
If the connection still fails, open Apple's AirPods repair page.
Select the available service or support option to arrange help or inspection.
Report a host-device problem too if Bluetooth is unavailable or every Bluetooth accessory fails to connect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update AirPods firmware if they will not connect at all?
Apple's firmware update procedure requires a working connection to a compatible Apple device. Connect the AirPods to an updated Apple device on Wi-Fi. Charge both earbuds in the closed case, or plug in AirPods Max. Keep them within Bluetooth range for at least 30 minutes. Reconnect afterward. Without a compatible Apple device, arrange a firmware update through an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.
Why do my AirPods keep switching to another Apple device?
Supported AirPods switch automatically between Apple devices. To stop this on an iPhone, open Settings > your AirPods' name while connected. Open Audio & Routing if that submenu is present. Set Connect to This iPhone to When Last Connected to This iPhone.
Does an app's Bluetooth permission fix AirPods pairing?
An app's Bluetooth permission controls functions such as accessory discovery or control. Enabling it is not a general fix for AirPods pairing problems. For an app that needs those functions, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Bluetooth. Enable access for the relevant app.
Can I pair USB-C AirPods Max using a cable?
Yes. Connect AirPods Max 1 with USB-C or AirPods Max 2 to a compatible Apple device using a USB-C to USB-C cable. Cable pairing applies to those headphones; an AirPods charging case does not provide this function.