After a long wait, you finally receive your Apple AirPods. And you just can’t wait to test them out on all your Apple products, from your Apple Watch to iPhone and even your Mac.
But then the inevitable happens, and the darn things aren’t pairing to your iDevices, Apple Watch, or your Mac.
You’ve run head-on into the AirPods not auto-pairing problem, and this is the last thing you want to troubleshoot!
Contents
- 1 Quick Tips
- 2 AirPods Not Connecting? Check The Basic Requirements
- 3 Setting Your AirPods Up
- 4 AirPods Don’t Automatically Connect? Not Seeing the Setup Animation?
- 5 AirPods not auto-pairing on your iDevice?
- 6 Right Or Left AirPods Not Pairing or Synching Together?
- 7 Is it not syncing with your Apple Watch?
- 8 Reset Your AirPods
- 9 AirPods not auto-pairing on your Mac? Quick Rescue Tips
- 10 AirPod iCloud Syncing Issues
- 11 How-To Update Your AirPods Software
- 12 Warning: Not Simultaneous
- 13 Lost Your AirPods Case?
- 14 Wrap-Up
- 15 Reader Tips
Quick Tips 
Follow These Quick Tips if Your AirPods Won’t Connect
- Toggle off Low Power Mode
- Charge up your AirPods and AirPods case
- Turn on Bluetooth
- Select your AirPods from the list of available Bluetooth audio devices
- Update iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS to their latest versions
Related Posts
- AirPods Went through the wash? What you can do
- Are Your AirPods Not Connecting to your Apple Watch? Fixes
- How-To Clean Your AirPods and Other Wireless Earphones
- Apple AirPods: Perfecting the AirPod Double Tap
- A Wish List for Apple’s Next Generation AirPods
- Find You Lost AirPods and AirPods Case with iOS Find My AirPods feature
- AirPod Sound Issues or Disconnecting on Calls?
- AirPod Safety
AirPods Not Connecting? Check The Basic Requirements
AirPods don’t work with all Apple Products. So first, make sure that you use a compatible Apple device with your new AirPods.
If you discover that your software is not supported, update to the latest iOS, macOS, tvOS, or watchOS if available.
Surprisingly, Apple TV and tvOS are only compatible with tvOS 11 and above. So for folks running older tvOS versions, your AirPods won’t connect to your Apple TV.
AirPod Hardware & Software Requirements
- iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 10.2 or later
- Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later
- Mac with macOS Sierra or later
AirPods One Tap Set-Up Requirements
- macOS 10.14.4, iOS 12.2, and watchOS 5.2
Turn Off Low Power Mode!
It appears that your AirPods have a difficult time pairing with your iPhone if you use low power mode.
So try toggling off low power mode by opening Control Center and tapping the battery icon, so it’s no longer in low power mode.
Or visit Settings > Battery and toggle off Low Power Mode. 
Then try pairing your AirPods again!
Setting Your AirPods Up
AirPods are utterly cool. They have a unique wireless chip embedded in them that enables them to pair quickly with your iPhone, iDevices, Apple Watch, Apple TVs, and most other Apple Products including Macs.
This technology bypasses the usual Bluetooth pairing process. Ideally, you open your AirPod case and presto, the AirPods pair and connect with your iPhone or other devices.
There are a couple of things you need to do the very first time you set-up your AirPods. So make sure you do these before moving to more advanced troubleshooting. Before setting up your AirPods, sign in to your iCloud account.
When you sign into iCloud, your AirPods should be automatically set-up to all your supported devices that are associated with that particular Apple ID.
Charge First!
Before you start, make sure that your AirPods are fully charged. To charge your AirPods, put them in your case and close the lid. The AirPods case holds multiple, full charges for your AirPods, allowing charging when you are on the go.
If you need to charge your case first, use either a Qi-compatible charging mat (for the AirPods wireless charging case) or plug the Lightning cable into your case and a USB port or charger.
And yes, you can use the wireless charging case with both the first-generation and second-generation AirPods as well as AirPods Pro!
The case charges with or without your AirPods inside.
The status light is just outside your case (AirPods Pro & AirPods 2) or inside the case, between the two spaces for your AirPods (AirPods 1)
- When your AirPods are in the case, the status light indicates the charge status of the AirPods
- When the AirPods are not in the case, the status light indicates the charge status of the case itself
- A status light of green equals fully charged while amber means that charging is required
About AirPod Battery Life
- Your AirPods give you up to 5 hours of listening time or 2 hours (AirPods 1st gen) or 3-3.5 hours (AirPods Pro & AirPods 2nd gen) of talk time on a single charge
- With multiple charges in your case, your AirPods provide more than 24 hours of listening time or up to 11 hours of talk time
- Charging your AirPods for just 15 minutes in your case offers up to 3 hours of listening time or 1 hour of talk time
- The Batteries widget shows the charge status of your AirPods and the AirPod Case, so checking battery life is easy
it’s easy to check your AirPods battery level with the battery widget on iPhones
Before Setting-Up AirPods
Check that your AirPods status light flashes white. This flash means that your AirPods are ready to set up with one of your devices.
The AirPods status light is either on the outside of your case (AirPods Pro & AirPods 2) or for AirPods 1, inside the case, between the two spaces for your AirPods. 
If the status light isn’t flashing white, close the case. Wait 15-20 seconds and then reopen the case.
Set-Up AirPods For iPhones
- Confirm your iPhone is running iOS 13.2 (AirPods Pro), ioS 12.2 (AirPods 2) or iOS 10.2 or later (AirPods original)
- Unlock your iPhone screen via Face ID, Touch ID, or with your device passcode
- Open the case—with your AirPods inside—and hold it next to your iPhone
- Follow the setup animation
- Tap Connect
- For AirPods Pro or AirPods (2nd generation) you might be guided to set up Siri, if not already established on your paired device
- If you’re signed in to iCloud, your AirPods are set up automatically with any of your supported devices that are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID
Setting Up AirPods with Other Devices
Follow these steps to set up your AirPods with a device that isn’t logged into your iCloud account, connect to your Apple TV, OR set up AirPods to any non-Apple device
- Put your AirPods in the case
- Open the lid
- Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until you see the status light flash white
- Set up your AirPods as a Bluetooth device with your iPhone or iPod touch, Mac, Apple TV, or non-Apple Bluetooth device
AirPods Don’t Automatically Connect? Not Seeing the Setup Animation?
If you’re not getting the setup animation when you try to set up your AirPods with your iPhone or other iDevices, try closing the case.
Wait at least 15 seconds and then open the case again. Check and see if the status light flashes white.
If the AirPods status light still isn’t white, close the case and turn it over to the backside
- Find the Setup button near the bottom of the back of the AirPod case
Resetting your AirPods is as easy as holding the Setup button - Press and hold this button
- While holding, open the case and see if the status light now flashes white
- If not, keep pressing and holding this setup button until the status light flashes amber a few times and then finally flashes white
- Once the AirPod’s status light flashes white, you are ready to set your AirPods up!
Not Seeing Blinking White or Amber Light?
A few of our readers were unable to get their AirPods to pair successfully and never saw the white or amber light blink–even on sets of new AirPods! 
This problem seems to indicate that the AirPods are not connecting or making good contact with the electrical connections at the bottom of the AirPods’ case.
Try cleaning both the AirPods and the inside of the AirPods case, if possible. Then test.
Another reader placed a small piece of paper (or plastic) at the top of each AirPods before shutting the case, and that appears to help maintain good contact between the AirPods and the case.
If either of these tips works for you, we suggest you get in touch with Apple Support and let them know your AirPods are not making good contact between the case and the buds. They may replace the AirPods, the case, or both!
AirPods Fail to Connect to an iPhone or other Device?
If one or both of your Airpods fail to connect to a device, take both AirPods out of your ears and place them inside the AirPods case.
Close the case and wait for 10-20 seconds, then take them out with the case just beside your paired iPhone. 
AirPods not auto-pairing on your iDevice?
- Open Control Center
- Deep press the audio player (or for iOS 10, swipe from right to left to control audio)
- Tap the AirPlay icon, then choose the device you want from the list
- Turn Bluetooth OFF and then back ON
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth
- Toggle Bluetooth OFF
- Wait 15-20 seconds
- Toggle Bluetooth back ON
Right Or Left AirPods Not Pairing or Synching Together?
If you replace one of your AirPods for whatever reason (lost, not working, defective, etc.is have) and now the new AirPod is not pairing or syncing with the old AirPod, the easiest thing is to make your iDevices and Macs forget the old AirPod and then repair BOTH as new.
To Forget an AirPod
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth and find the old AirPod(s)
- Click the “i” to the right and choose “Forget This Device.”
- If there’s no Forget option, try resetting your network
- Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
- Once forgotten, set- up your SET of AirPods (Right and Left) as if they were new
Want to Forget All Devices that Your AirPods Ever Paired To?
This one’s easy! All you need to do is open the lid on your AirPod case, hold down the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white. And it’s like new again!
Is it not syncing with your Apple Watch?
Turn your Apple Watch to airplane mode for a moment and then turn airplane mode off before you attempt to Airplay to the Airpods.
That tip should connect your Watch to your Airpods successfully.
Check out this article for more information on pairing your AirPods with your Apple Watch.
Reset Your AirPods
- Go to Bluetooth settings and forget your AirPods
- Put both AirPods in their case, open the lid
- Hold that small set-up button on the back of the case for about 10-20 seconds until the status light starts flashing amber (the status light is on the front of the case for AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro)
- Once the status light blinks amber three times, release that back button
- Now put your AirPods case (with AirPods inside) right next to your iPhone and hold the back button once more. Auto-pairing should initiate–press connect and go from there
Reset All Your iPhone’s Settings to Fix AirPods Sync Issues
If you are still out of luck and cannot get your AirPods to pair and connect to your device, unpair them again and then reset all settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. 
Performing this reset doesn’t remove any data, but it does change any kind of personalization to your settings back to factory defaults.
So this action impacts things like any accessibility setting changes, stored WiFi passwords, wallpapers, and so forth.
Once you reset all settings, perform another restart. Then try to pair them again.
AirPods not auto-pairing on your Mac? Quick Rescue Tips
- Turn Bluetooth OFF and then back ON
- Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth
- Turn Bluetooth OFF
- Wait 20-30 seconds
- Turn Bluetooth back ON
- Click the speaker icon in the menu bar and choose your AirPods under Output Device
- On your Mac, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth
- Wait for a few moments for your Mac to finish searching for Bluetooth devices, including showing your AirPods in the list (as “Not Connected”)
- Do not remove the AirPods from the list or take any other action
- Click on the volume icon in the menu bar and allow a few moments for the list to populate fully
- Select your AirPods if they show up
- Wait for the tone to sound in your AirPods, confirming the connection
- You may need to do multiple restarts on your Mac to clear out any old iCloud and Bluetooth caches
AirPod iCloud Syncing Issues
If you experience trouble getting your AirPods and iCloud to sync on your Mac or iDevice, try logging out of iCloud and then log back into iCloud. This action usually solves any syncing issue.
Other syncing issues include only getting one AirPod to work at a time. Our readers tell us that their AirPods seem fine for the first 24-48 hours with both working.
But then after that short honeymoon, the AirPods start going out of sync and only work individually.
One of our readers reports that holding down the setup button on the case for a very long time worked for him.
Press and hold the setup button until the light in the case flashes orange, maintain your hold of this button for an additional 20-30 seconds. After performing these actions, when he turned his AirPods back on everything worked normally.
So we say give this a try if you face sync problems!
How-To Update Your AirPods Software
Your AirPods update automatically in the background when the following is true:
- Both AirPods are in the charging case
- Your AirPods case is plugged into power and is charging
- You place any one of your previously paired iDevices near the AirPods
You can check all your AirPods’ information and firmware version in the Settings App.
- Connect your AirPods to your iDevice
- Go to Settings > About > AirPods
- If your AirPods firmware did not update automatically, try updating from this menu
Look for the model number, your AirPods unique serial number, and its hardware version.
Warning: Not Simultaneous
A lot of us iFolks want the ability to pair our AirPods on everything simultaneously. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Alas, this is currently NOT the case with AirPods. You still need to switch pairing when using non-Apple devices and computers. It’s not an automatic pairing.
So you still need to use your AirPods like any other normal Bluetooth device. Automatic pairing SHOULD work on all Apple devices that meet the AirPod basic requirements.
Lost Your AirPods Case?
If you misplaced, lost, or discovered that your AirPods case was stolen, fear not! You can get a replacement from Apple (for a charge of course) and still use your current AirPods with that replacement case. AirPods are not tied to the original case that came with them.
Unfortunately, the Find My AirPods feature works only for the AirPods themselves (Right & Left) but NOT for the case!
Wrap-Up
AirPods usually pair with our Apple and non-Apple devices very quickly. But sometimes things don’t work as planned. Luckily, fixing these pairing issues in most cases is relatively simple.
Most problems appear to be on the connections between AirPods and Mac computers, where the pairing isn’t as seamless as advertised. Our readers report that they often have to click the volume icon and wait a bit.
We all hoped and expected this pairing to be automatic.
Overall, most of our readers are thrilled with their AirPods! And of course, they are loving that there are no wires what so ever (and no more unwrapping tangled cords.)
And readers tell us that their AirPods provide them with excellent audio quality and extended battery life with the slim and trim AirPod case. Plus, AirPods appear extremely quick to charge.
The final score is that our readers are pretty darn happy with Apple’s latest modern accessory–the Apple AirPods.
Reader Tips
- Bryce spent hours trying to reconnect his AirPods. Once he turned off low power mode they connected on the first try!
- Daniel provides these great tips: if you have your phone plugged in and charging (lightning cable) – and you connect your AirPods afterward – there are times when the phone audio does not correctly route your audio through the AirPods. Just unplug the lighting cable, take out your AirPods of your ears – and then put them back in – and then the AirPod audio works again.
For most of her professional life, Amanda Elizabeth (Liz for short) trained all sorts of folks on how to use media as a tool to tell their own unique stories. She knows a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides!
Her clients include Edutopia, Scribe Video Center, Third Path Institute, Bracket, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Big Picture Alliance.
Elizabeth received her Master of Fine Arts degree in media making from Temple University, where she also taught undergrads as an adjunct faculty member in their department of Film and Media Arts.
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I’ve tried everything. I reset them, turned my bluetooth on and off, charged them, and followed the instructions. They won’t connect to neither my phone or my Mac and I don’t know what to do. Sometimes they will end up connecting and say connected and then the sound will still be on the device and not in my airpods and then the airpods will disconnect. What do I do?
Air pods don’t work! Very disappointing. Pairs with non-apple laptop, works for one video, won’t work for the next one. Pair/connect again. Won’t work. Have to remove device, start over and then, again, it only works for one video/audio. Unless you are all Apple, don’t spend the money on Air Pods
Wow, great article, it helped right away. No blinking or amber…. cleaned contacts in case and done!! It paired right away.
Thanks again
I am really appreciated with current advices. Had a problem with synchronizing of 2 airpods. Then i did long reset ( i pressed backward button for 40-60 secs). Then it all went back.
i lost 1earbud can i use another bud a friend gave me
Hi James,
Yes, as long as the replacement AirPod is the same generation or model as the current one–you cannot mix and match AirPods generation 1 with AirPods generation 2 nor AirPods Pro.
I receive a my replacement right AirPod but it can’t connect to my charging case and with the left AirPod
Hi Julie,
Check the information on the underside of your AirPods to ensure they are the same model. Both AirPods need to be the same model to work together–the replacement AirPod must match the generation of your current AirPod and AirPod case.
AirPods Pro
Model number: A2084, A2083
AirPods (2nd generation)
Model number: A2032, A2031
AirPods (1st generation)
Model number: A1523, A1722
my airpods case isn’t resetting. when i open it infront of my phone nothing pops up. and the left ear isn’t working all of a sudden. how do i fix this
Hi Kofi,
Charge your AirPods and then place both AirPods into it. Close the case and let it sit for at least 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds, open the case.
Go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the “i” icon next to your AirPods.
Then tap Forget This Device and tap to confirm.
With the lid still open, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for 15 seconds or longer until you see the status light flashing amber
Move your iPhone right next to the AirPods and wait for the setup animation to appear
Follow the on-screen steps
what if it gets stuck at the on-screen steps?? because that’s what mine does
This is awesome
do you have a phone number for support so I can talk to someone about my airpod problems
HI Paul,
Find all of Apple Support phone numbers for any country or region on this site
What do I do if I lost one
You can replace that missing AirPods with a new one via Apple’s replacement program for $69. Make sure you purchase a match to your current AirPods series-go to Settings > General > About > AirPods to check for model number and hardware version to confirm what AirPods series you currently have.
My daughter lost her one of her AirPods so I purchased her another set.
I am now trying to pair the one that she had with the case to my phone.
But I can’t get the case light to blink white.
Do you have to have two AirPods in the case for it to reset or pair to a different phone?
Hi Marty,
Great question.
From our research and trial and error, it does indeed seem like you need both AirPods in the case to pair with an iPhone.
We suggest you try using one of your daughters AirPods temporarily and see if you can then pair to your iPhone.
The only caveat is all the AirPods need to be of the same generation.
You cannot pair one AirPod 1 and one AirPod 2–that’s because they have different wireless chips!
Keep us posted on if this works for you (or not)
Make sure you are not in low power mode. I was trying for hours to reconnect my AirPods without ANY luck. I tried every way. Once I turned off low power mode they connected on the first try
Hi Bryce,
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
Liz
Thanks for writing this was actually really helpful in getting my airpods going again after I had a lost one returned by apple. At first the replaced airpod wasn’t playing music Here’s what I did:
– Bluetooth forgot the device
– Held setup button till they re-paired
Thank you!
Since installing 12 beta regular updates my airpods show connected cut do not work. I have removed and reinstalled to no avail.it shows connected but keeps looking for other devices and as result I can not use the pods.
Please help
Brand new today, syncs fine but sound onl out of right ear, ideas/help please
Brand new AirPods won’t blink white as if to go into poring mode. It turns from green to white but no blinking
Same Problem, please post if you have resolved it, thanks
Hi Bassel,
Try cleaning the inside of your AirPods case and/or adding a bit of pressure to get a better connection between the AirPod and the connection inside the AirPod Case–some folks placed a piece of paper on the top of the AirPods before shutting the case to get better connectivity.
If this works, contact Apple Support and see if they will replace your AirPods case and/or the AirPods since the connection/contact is loose.
Liz
Hi Josh,
Some people found that adding some pressure by pushing gently down on the AirPods themselves when in the case to get better contact and connections established between the buds and the case’s contacts. You might also try cleaning both the buds and the case (the inside of it) to help with that connection as well.
Some readers even placed a small piece of paper on top of the AirPods when shutting the case to improve the contact between the two.
If this helps, contact Apple and see if they will replace your case and/or AirPods since the connection is not secure.
Liz
This tip help with my connectivity when pairing. My left was not connecting and was on 0% percentage battery. If both airpods are not connected to the case the pairing cannot be done.
I did not have any trouble with my airbuds until I got the XR phone. Now they do not want to pair up with my phone. If I get them paired and I use them m, then recharge them, I have to try and reconnect them to my phone again.
Help please.
Lisa
My air pods are not connecting properly they are the first generation
Only one connects !
And I can’t talk to Siri
Help
Otherwise they are going in a drawer and I will advise people not to invest .
My comment is over the years Apple has went down hill !
Seriously considering Samsung !
I’m done
I use my AirPods with a Windows PC Win7 and all my Apple devices obviously. I find that this technique works to enable connection to each device normally. On Windows I have to go to Bluetooth devices, control device and just connect. Apple devices just connect as normal.
So on iPhone forget this device(AirPods), now on Windows delete AirPods if present, add the AirPods to Windows. Now add the AirPods to iPhone and connect.
In other words connect to Windows first and then to Apple. It always works for me for my win7 PC, iPhone X, iPad and MacBook.
I’m getting tired of trying to sync the AirPods to my different devices each and every time I want to use my iPad Pro, mini pad – I mac without success. it does not sync to all my devices ever – only my iPhone – tried resetting and still does not work. Always getting the notice unable to connect get pods within range. This Bluetooth device is the worse!!!! Bring back the regular use of earphones for the Iphones because Bluetooth sucks!!!
Now I’m having to go to your store with all my devices just to get the Genius to connect something that should be so simple for us non computer Genius’. I’ve lost patience already. Disappointed in this product and we bought two. What a waste !!! Will not recommend to any of the older generation — stick with the regular earphones at least their guaranteed to work.
Since pod touch was updated iOS or something or rather iPods will not pair with ipod
Hi Trenna,
Sorry to hear about your issues with your iPod and AirPods. Have you restarted your iPod after the update? If not, try that and if you’re still not able to pair, try a forced restart by pressing and holding both the Home and Power buttons at the same time until you see the Apple Logo on-screen. Then check again if the iPod and AirPods pair.
If not, it’s possible that your AirPods software (firmware) isn’t up to date. This normally happens automatically and in the background, without us, the users really knowing. But sometimes things don’t work–like life!
In order for your AirPods firmware to update, you need to do the following:
Place the AirPods in the charging case
Plug the AirPods case into a wall outlet, so it’s charging
Place a previously connected device (like your iPod or another device) next to the AirPods case
Your iDevice must connect to the internet
Look for your AirPods current firmware version and other info at Settings > About > AirPods.
SK
Left and/or Airpod Not Working after re-pairing, toggling various settings, Apple TV not seeing them?
I tried everything. From multiple forums. When it hit me, why were there a lot of ppl with this same problem but not anywhere near the # of ppl who are obviously are buying them? Time is the answer, my friend, Time.
First, Airpods get dirty. Thankfully, they are easy to clean with their porcelain-ish finish. But how about the case receptors? They obviously collect dirt, dust, ear wax, pizza crumbs, etc. So, I tried the only thing that has worked: Clean the Airpod Case and the stems of the Airpods, themselves.
Follow these steps:
1) Take the Airpods out of the case.
2) Grab a Q-tip.
3) Get your wife’s bottle of nail polish remover (or your own – acetone). Side note: I originally thought of rubbing alcohol but none nearby.
4) Dip 1 Q-Tip into acetone and then into the bottom of each of the two holes in the Airpod case and twist it in there for a few seconds).
5. Take same Q-Tip and clean the bottom of the stems where the Airpod comes into contact at the bottom of the hole. Let dry for 30 seconds.
And within 1 min….voila’! iPhone did the animation (which had grown erratic), appeared as a selectable audio output on my Apple TV., etc. etc. etc.
Hope this helps as I love these things too much to be buying or waiting in line in to exchange them.
TGF, Thank you for sharing your success story and the well documented tip.This is really very helpful. We will make sure to update the post with your ideas. Thank you for stopping by.
Btw, if anyone lost an AirPod don’t waste your money and buy another box, just go to Apple and buy the one AirPod and then sync it together with the case.
When I want to connect my AirPods it’s tell me that “make sure you AirPods is tuned on and in range” but my AirPods are with me.
I do everything but it’s same
When I want to connect my AirPods it’s tell me that “make sure you AirPods is tuned on and in range” but my AirPods are with me.
I do everything but it’s same
Hi,
My airpods doesn’t work since i updated new ios 11.1.2. could you please help me out for this.
Thanks,
Hi Satnam,
Sorry to hear that your AirPods are giving you trouble after iOS 11.1.2 update. I assume you’ve already tried unpairing and then re-pairing your AirPods to your phone or device. But just in case you have not, please unpaid them, restart your device, and then re-pair them to it.
If that doesn’t work. Unpair them again and then reset all settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. Performing this doesn’t remove any data but it does change any kind of personalization to your settings back to factory defaults.
Once your reset all settings, perform another restart. Then try to pair them again.
If they still aren’t working, let’s try to reset your AirPods:
1. Go to Bluetooth settings and forget your AirPods
2. Put both AirPods in their case, open the lid
3. Hold that small button on the back of the case for about 10-20 seconds until the status light inside your AirPods case light starts flashing amber
4. Once the status light blinks three times, release that back button
5.Now put your AirPods case (with AirPods inside) right next to your iPhone and hold the back button once more. Auto-pairing should initiate–press connect and go from there
Hopefully, one of these tips works for you. Let us know.
SK
I am trying to pair my brand new airpods to my new iPhone X and have shutdown and restarted my iPhone X and with them next to the each other I get NOTHING and the airpods do not show up in the Music control panel at all.
The airpods are fully charged and when opening the case, the light is green and when you press the setup button on the BACK of the case is says the light shoudl go to FLASHING WHITE , but on my Airpods, it goes to SOLID WHITE and NO FLASHING besides no response from the phone to pair them
Hi Steven,
That’s no fun and very frustrating. One thing that shouldn’t make a difference but why not try is turning on AirDrop and setting it to everyone. Sometimes these weird things actually work.
The only other thing I can think of trying is plugging both your iPhone X and AirPods case into a power source. If that doesn’t work, call or contact Apple, you might have a bum pair.
Here’s something I’ve noticed if people are having problems with phone audio working.
If you have your phone plugged in and charging (lighting cable) – and you connect your AirPods afterwards – there are times that the phone audio will not route correctly thru the AirPods.
Just unplug the lighting cable, take out your AirPods of your ears – and then put them back in – and then the audio will work. There seems to be a bug when your phone is plugged in that is preventing phone audio to be connect to the AirPods. Everything else works – just not the phone.
Hi Daniel,
This is an awesome tip! Thank you. It’s funny how the order of things makes a big difference. Thank you for sharing—I’ll give this one a try too since this occasionally happens to me.
Cheers,
Liz
Hi, I bought my wife the AirPods and she loves them but she lost one of them so she’s only been using one. I bought her another pair and now we have the new pair plus one from the old set. Thanks have unpairs the one from her phone and now I’m trying to pai it to mine but I’m not having any luck. Please advise.
Kind regards
Hi Suha,
Wow, that’s a problem we haven’t heard before. Have you tried placing one of the new AirPods into the missing Airpods place in the old case when pairing? I’m wondering if it’s not pairing because it is not detecting both AirPods in the case? I have no idea if this will work but it’s a first thought–that somehow not having two is impacting pairing.
I’ll look more into this issue and if I learn anything, I’ll update this comment. And please if you find a way that works, let us know. I’m sure others are in the same situation.
Cheers,
Liz
Hi I lost one AirPod and in paired it and now I’m m trying to pair the one to the phone and it won’t work. Do you n Ed to have a pair in order to pair it to the phone?
Sorry, but mine will not pair with my iPhone 7, when I open the case, the light is blinking GREEN NOT WHITE. I hold down the button (for OVER 60 second) waiting for the blinking WHITE light, never happens. Brand new, right out of the box, and it doesn’t want to pair. Expensive paper weight, and not much of a weight. Going to have to learn not to buy Apple products as they are now expensive garbage.
Hi
My AirPods right side sometimes working some times not (red !) I don’t know what is the issue !
I tried many steps but it didn’t work
Please if you can help me
Thanks
Mostafa
Hi Mostafa,
Sorry to hear that. AirPods are so fabulous that it really stinks when they don’t work as expected. For your particular issue with the right AirPod, first try cleaning the contacts on the bottom of both AirPods with a dry, lint-free cloth or tissue. The contacts are the silver ends at the bottom Of each AirPod. After cleaning, put them back in the case and hold the sync button on the back for at least 30 seconds. See if that solves your problem with the right AirPod.
If that didn’t help, forget the AirPods from your device. Then reset your network settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings—write down any WIFI passwords as this action clears them. After resetting your network settings, hold back sync button until the center of the AirPods’ case flashes amber. Hold for at least 15 seconds and then reconnect your AirPods as usual.
If that doesn’t work, call Apple Support, explain your issue, and ask for a right AirPod replacement due to a non-operational/defective unit.
Keep us posted!
Liz
I was tired asking for people on how to sync my airpods with apple devices . Here is where I got all my questions answered The best facilitator I ever met.
Hi Elizabeth,
My AirPods worked great about two months, but now I have the problem that my phone (iPhone 6) don’t see the charging case of AirPods. I already reset AirPods, as you mentioned before, tried to forger network, set the phone on Airplane mode, but it doesn’t help.. AirPods are working only if my phone is very close to them, then i put the phone in my pocket they are automatically deactivating.
Hi Sarkhan,
It must be very frustrating indeed! I’m thinking it would be a good idea for you to fully charge your AirPods and AirPods case. Place both AirPods in the Case and then charge the AirPods using your iPhone wall charger. Let them charge overnight. Once fully charged, then see if this problem still exists.
If so, follow the steps to unpair and re-pair. If they still don’t work after all that, visit an Apple Store and have them take a look at them. Remember to bring your receipt too!
Good luck and keep us posted,
SK
Apple AirPods are a marketing hoax. Inadequate testing before release of this product is a major problem. Pairs with one device and not the other despite iCloud syncing. Personally, I believe this product to be a giant rip off of consumers. don’t buy
Hi
I have the same issue
# flashing green
# still white when button is pressed, then back to previous status when stop pressing
# no screen appearing nowhere
Did someone solve this issue ?
Thanks for your rich info
Does the case pairing work on iPhone 6 ?
Hi Alex,
Good news! Yes, Apple’s AirPods work with all devices running iOS 10 or later, including iPhone 5, SE, 6, 6s, and 7 models. So if you haven’t updated to iOS 10–do this BEFORE you pair your AirPods. And make sure you have an iCloud account–this is required.
An added benefit for AirPods is arriving in the next iOS 10 update–iOS 10.3. It’s called Find My AirPods and works like Find My iPhone. It finds them within a range of 15-30 feet and plays a sound from the AirPods that will locate them when you can’t find them.
If you get them, let us know your thoughts!
Cheers,
Liz
I have had my AirPods for 18 days now and they worked like a charm till today. I have the same exact problem. My left Pod stopped receiving sound. I contacted Apple and they told me to take them back as they have no fix for this issue. 🙁
Terry,
I’m glad Apple is replacing your AirPods. But this is a terrible development, that they work for a few weeks and then suddenly stop. I hope this is an anomaly and not a sign of things to come. Especially considering that the majority of iFolks will shortly receive their AirPods in Feb.
Hold on Tight…this AirPod ride might get a little bumpy.
Cheers,
Liz
Thanks for your time giving good tips but sadly nothing seemed to work. It is a manufacture problem, so the only viable option is to contact support.
Let’s just hope I won’t have to wait until February…
Thanks again.
Hi Denis,
Thanks for the update. I’m sorry nothing worked for you. There certainly are reports of malfunctioning AirPods and it appears that Apple is quick to replace without too much hassle (other than having to wait for the replacements to ship–currently at about 6 weeks or so.) If you haven’t already contacted Apple Support, please do this as soon as possible. Since there is no Apple Care for the AirPods, it’s best to report troubles quickly. We are really surprised Apple Care isn’t offered.
We wish you good luck and hope your replacements arrive swiftly. When they do, please send us an update on how they’re working out for you. Hopefully, your problems will be a part of the past, of 2016. And 2017 will bring forth a lot of fun with AirPods!
Happy New Year,
Liz
Hey guys I need help.
When I paired them for the 1st time everything worked but seconds later the Right AirPod stoped working.
I’ve done everything but I can’t get it working again, it’s not charging or being detected by the device? Any advice would help.
Hi Denis,
Oh man, that really stinks! It must feel very frustrating to get this great new product…and turns into a not so great experience. I sent your problem to a few of our writers, to see if they’ve encountered this particular problem. You are the first to report this. But we have a couple of ideas. You might have tried some of these already–apologies in advance.
Just in case this tip passed you by, try turning off Bluetooth on your iPhone, wait 10-20 seconds, and then turn Bluetooth back on. Check if both AirPods now connect
Next, turn off Automatic Ear Detection in Settings > General > Bluetooth. Then select the “i” next to your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth devices. And while on this same settings menu, double check that your Microphone is set to Automatic. And make sure Double-Tap AirPods is set to Siri or Play/Pause (not OFF)
Now see if things get working again.
If not, go back to that same menu and instead turn Microphone to the Right. And set Double-Tap to Siri. Check if your Right AirPods works this time by double tapping on the outside of your Right AirPod and asking Siri a question. You may need to double tap a few times as it does not detect your tap and activate Siri every single time
If nothing is working, try forgetting your AirPods and then repair them with your iDevice. If they don’t repair, press and hold the setup button for at least 15 seconds, until the status light flashes amber a few times and then flashes white.
If none of these tips help as well as those outlined in our article, we suggest that you contact Apple Support, make a Genius Bar reservation or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider for assistance. You’ll want an inspection of your AirPods. It’s likely that Apple will replace them under your current product warranty. We hope it doesn’t come to this.
Keep us posted and best of luck…and as a reminder, once you finally (FINALLY) get these AirPods working as expected, you are going to love them!!! Keep that in mind as you work through these troubles.
Cheers,
Liz
I am very happy with mine I’ve had them since last Thursday and have used them extensively with no issues especially the losing one side or the other I gave routinely started with a single just for use as a phone headset then died the second pod for stereo listening and everytime they since right up.
Also I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of time I can use them I feel asleep listening to an audio book most likely I dozed off around 12 and woke up the following morning at 6 am and they were still going only had 6% left but they weren’t dead.
So far they are a home run for me!!!
Richard,
That’s fabulous! I’m so happy that your AirPods are working as expected. I love that the battery lasted through the night, that’s great to hear about.
Thanks for letting us know.
Cheers,
Liz
I have new pair of AirPods out of the box it was flashing green – followed the steps you outlined but light never flashes amber when pressing and holding start up button – goes back to flashing green. Is there any other way to reset the device to get the flashing white light?
Gregg,
Hi there and sorry to hear that our tips aren’t working for you. From the info you provide, I assume you are having some difficulty pairing your AirPods to devices. We have a couple of thoughts to get that working.
First, remember to restart your devices or macs when AirPod setup does not complete successfully. So before you do anything, restart the device or mac you tried to pair the AirPods with (but failed)
Next, the easy one–turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone (or iDevice), wait 20-30 seconds, and then turn Bluetooth back on. Now follow these instructions and see if your AirPods connect:
Press the Home button to unlock your iPhone screen.
Open the case—with your AirPods inside—and hold it next to your iPhone.
A setup animation appears on your iPhone.
Tap Connect, then tap Done.
If that still doesn’t work, try the following:
Update your iOS if there is an update available
Make sure your AirPods are in the charging case to pair them with your iPhone
Keep the lid OPEN
Now try to press AND hold the set-up button on the back of your charging case
See if the status light blinks white
If so, your AirPods are in pairing mode
Go to your iPhone’s or other device’s Bluetooth settings and choose your AirPods
Consider also temporarily disconnecting or turning off any other active Bluetooth devices nearby before you attempt to pair your AirPods, just in case there’s any wireless interference happening.
Another suggestion is to turn on Airplane mode and THEN try pairing your AirPods to your device.
Finally, if these issues continue, we suggest that you contact Apple Support for assistance and possible replacement.
Hopefully, something here works for you. Please share and let us know if anything helped or if you found another solution. I’m sure many others face similar issues and having some advice here always helps!
Good Luck,
Liz