Friday, March 29, 2024

How to connect Apple AirPods to an Android phone

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Although Apple loves its walled garden, the Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro can connect to Android devices. Why: Bluetooth connection is a standard across millions of devices, including Android smartphones. While Apple has some tricks in its iPhones and other devices, standards like Bluetooth and many of its codecs work with Android and PCs, even PS5s with an adapter, not just Apple gear.

To learn all about AirPods problems and how to fix them, check out this article from the audio experts at our sister site SoundGuys.

QUICK ANSWER

To connect your AirPods with an Android device, press and hold the white button on the AirPods case with the earbuds inside it. Then, open the Bluetooth settings on your phone and select the AirPods to pair devices.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

  • How to connect AirPods to Android
  • How to connect AirPods to Windows PC
  • What features are lost when using AirPods with Android?
  • What if AirPods can’t connect to Android?

How do you connect the AirPods to Android?

AirPods may even be one of the better options for your Android device, whether a Samsung, LG, Nokia, Google Pixel, or any other. Whatever it is, if it has Bluetooth and still works, it’ll connect to AirPods. If you don’t want the AirPods, we have plenty of picks for the best AirPods alternatives under $100 and even under $50.

Open the AirPods case and make sure the AirPods are in the case, not outside. In, not out. Then, when you’re ready to get pairing:

First, press the white button on the back of the AirPods case. The lone LED on the case will glow white. You need to continue to hold the button until the LED pulses white. Once it is, you’re ready to pair the AirPods with your Android phone.
Open the Bluetooth menu on your Android phone. Swipe to raise the quick settings menu, press and hold the Bluetooth icon, or find Bluetooth connections via Settings. A sub-menu called something like Connections/Connected Devices/Device connectivity, and then Bluetooth.

airpods bluetooth

Credit: Adam Birney / Android Authority

Make sure Bluetooth is enabled, and look for available devices. The AirPods should show as an option as long as the AirPods case is still flashing white.
Tap “pair” and allow the phone and the AirPods to establish a connection to your phone.

pair airpods

Credit: Adam Birney / Android Authority

That should be it. The AirPods should now be connected to your Android device and will always reconnect automatically when your phone’s Bluetooth is on.

Can you use AirPods with Android?

Yes, you can connect your AirPods to an Android device using Bluetooth pairing.

How do I control AirPods on Android?

Once paired with Bluetooth, you can use your music streaming apps, such as Spotify or Youtube, to control the sound on your AirPods. You can also use third-party apps such as the Assistant Trigger app or AirBattery to view the battery life of your AirPods and connect to Google Assistant. 

How do you pair the AirPods to a Windows PC?

There’s a similar process to pairing the AirPods with a Windows PC, whether a desktop or a laptop.

Press the white button on the back of the AirPods case. The lone LED on the case will glow white. You need to continue to hold the button until the LED pulses white. Once it is, you’re ready to pair the AirPods with your Android phone.
Click the Windows icon on your desktop toolbar and select Settings.

windows settings

Credit: Adam Birney / Android Authority

Select Bluetooth & devices and click “Add device.” The AirPods should show as an option as long as the AirPods case is still flashing white.

windows add device

Credit: Adam Birney / Android Authority

 Wait for your PC to discover the AirPods, which will appear on the list of available Bluetooth devices.
Click “AirPods,” and the devices should establish a connection.

Related: Bluetooth codecs 101: Everything you need to know 

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