AirPods won't show up in Bluetooth settings, or the setup card never appears? The pairing control depends on your model, and newer cases use a front double-tap instead of a rear button. Start with the setup instructions below, then use the connection and reset steps if your AirPods still won't pair.
Pair AirPods with your iPhone or iPad
On your iPhone, go to the Home Screen.
On an iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth.
Turn on Bluetooth.
Bring the open charging case, with both earbuds inside, beside your device.
Tap Connect on the setup card.
Complete the feature setup prompts.
Tap Done.
For AirPods Max, start on your iPhone or iPad's Home Screen.
Remove AirPods Max from the Smart Case.
Bring them beside your device within 60 seconds.
Tap Connect.
Complete the setup prompts.
Tap Done.
Tip — pairing with an iPhone signed into iCloud also sets up your AirPods on supported devices using the same Apple Account.
Choose the right pairing control for your model
For manual setup, use your model's control below, then select your AirPods in the receiving device's Bluetooth settings.
- 1.AirPods 1–3 and AirPods Pro 1–2 — Keep both earbuds in the open case. Hold the rear setup button for about five seconds, until the light flashes white.
- 2.AirPods 4, including the Active Noise Cancellation model, and AirPods Pro 3 — Keep both earbuds in the open case. Double-tap the front until the light flashes white.
- 3.AirPods Max — Hold the listening mode button for approximately five seconds, until the light flashes white. Older instructions call this the noise control or noise cancellation button.
Get connected when the setup card does not appear
The wrong pairing control leaves your AirPods undiscoverable during manual setup.
Put your AirPods into pairing mode using the matching control above.
Open Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad.
Select your AirPods.
Check your iPhone's software against your model's minimum requirement. AirPods 1 need iOS 10; AirPods 2 need 12.2; AirPods 3 need 15.1; and AirPods 4 need 18.
AirPods Pro 1 need iOS 13.2. AirPods Pro 2 with a Lightning case need iOS 16, while the USB-C version needs iOS 17. AirPods Pro 3 need iOS 26.
For AirPods Max, the Lightning model needs iOS or iPadOS 14.3 or later. The first-generation USB-C model needs 18 or later, and Max 2 needs 26.4 or later. Apple recommends the latest compatible software.
Connect on a Mac
Choose the Apple menu > System Settings > Bluetooth.
Turn on Bluetooth.
Activate your AirPods' pairing mode using the matching case or headphone control above.
Under Nearby Devices, click Connect beside your AirPods.
Apple requires the latest version of macOS for AirPods 4, both models, and for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3.
If the connection fails, follow the reset instructions below, then repeat these pairing steps.
Use AirPods with an Android phone
Start in your phone's Bluetooth controls; labels vary by manufacturer.
- 1.Swipe down and hold the Bluetooth tile.
- 2.Turn on Bluetooth.
- 3.Choose Pair new device.
- 4.Activate the pairing control for your AirPods model until the light flashes white.
- 5.Select your AirPods under Available devices.
Add AirPods to Windows or a Chromebook
On a Windows 11 PC with built-in Bluetooth or a compatible USB Bluetooth adapter, put your AirPods into pairing mode.
Click the taskbar's Network, Sound, or Battery area.
Enable Bluetooth.
Select the Manage Bluetooth devices chevron beside the Bluetooth control.
Choose your AirPods under New devices.
Click Done.
On a Bluetooth-capable Chromebook, activate AirPods pairing mode.
Select the bottom-right time > Bluetooth.
Turn on Bluetooth.
Select + Pair new device.
Select your AirPods.
Tip — Windows 11 also offers pairing through Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices, where you enable Bluetooth, choose Add device, and select your AirPods in the Bluetooth device list.
Send audio to AirPods that are already paired
Wear your nearby AirPods. On iPhone or iPad, tap the AirPods/output icon in Control Center, on the Lock Screen, or on an app's Now Playing screen, then select your AirPods. This selects the audio destination after pairing.
On a Mac, choose Control Center > Bluetooth > your AirPods. This menu connects previously paired or account-associated AirPods.
Automatic switching works with AirPods 2–4, all AirPods Pro, and all AirPods Max on compatible Apple devices using the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication. After initial pairing, start audio or answer a call on the device you want to use. Fully automatic Mac switching requires macOS Sequoia or later.
Reset AirPods that still will not pair
A reset is a recovery step, separate from ordinary pairing. Use the sequence for your case or headphones below.
Place both earbuds in the case.
Close the lid for 30 seconds.
If your AirPods appear on an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth.
Tap the information button beside your AirPods.
Tap Forget This Device.
Confirm the removal. Unpairing on iPhone or iPad also affects devices using the same Apple Account.
Open the case lid.
For AirPods 1–3 or AirPods Pro 1–2, hold the rear setup button for about 15 seconds, until the light flashes amber and then white.
For AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case while the light is on.
Double-tap again when the light flashes white.
Double-tap a third time when the flashing speeds up. Amber followed by white signals the reset. These three timed double-taps reset the AirPods; ordinary pairing uses a single double-tap.
Follow the nearby-device setup prompts to pair again.
For AirPods Max, charge them to at least 50% before recovery if they accept a charge.
Hold the listening mode button and Digital Crown together, releasing when the light flashes amber to restart them.
If restarting does not help, hold both controls for approximately 15 seconds, continuing through amber until the light flashes white to factory-reset them.
Pair AirPods Max again using proximity setup or their Bluetooth pairing control.
If pairing still fails and your device reports an association with another Apple Account, ask the previous owner to remove it using the steps below. A reset alone does not remove Find My Lock.
Remove a previous owner's account association
This clears the account association that prevents a new owner from completing setup.
Ask the previous owner to open Find My > Devices > their AirPods on an iPhone or iPad signed into the associated Apple Account.
Have them expand the device card.
Have them select Remove This Device.
Have them confirm with Remove.
Complete pairing on your own device after the removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to download an app to pair AirPods?
No. AirPods need no separate pairing app. Use the nearby setup card on iPhone or iPad, or your device's Bluetooth settings.
Can I pair AirPods Max with a USB-C cable?
Not as a replacement for Bluetooth pairing. The included USB-C to USB-C cable connects AirPods Max 1 with USB-C or AirPods Max 2 to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with a USB-C port for lossless, ultra-low latency audio. Keep Bluetooth on and pair them wirelessly as well, because Apple requires it for Siri, Spatial Audio, and audio calls.
How do I set up a replacement AirPod or charging case?
Put both compatible earbuds in the case. Connect the case to power. Close the lid and wait 20 minutes. Open the case. If the light is not flashing white, perform your model's reset. Once it flashes white, close the lid. On your iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth. Tap the old pairing's information button, then Forget This Device. Reopen the case beside your device's Home Screen. Tap Connect, complete setup, then tap Done.
Can two pairs of AirPods listen to the same iPhone?
Yes, on an Audio Sharing-compatible iPhone. With your own headphones connected, open the output selector in Control Center, on the Lock Screen, or in Now Playing. Tap Share Audio. Bring the second pair nearby. Follow the setup prompts, activating that pair's pairing mode if requested.