Frustrated. Why won't my Airpods connect to my MacBook?
Anyone know why my Airpods aren't connecting to my MacBook? I just got these Airpods and I cannot for the life of me get them to pair with my MacBook. This has never been an issue for me before. Am I doing something wrong?
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Expert Comments
Make sure macOS is up to date, and compatible
If you're using AirPods 2, make sure that your Mac has macOS Mojave 10.14.4 or later. AirPods Pro 1 require macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later. AirPods 3 require macOS Monterey or later. AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 (both models) require the latest version of macOS.
If you set up your AirPods with your iPhone and your Mac is signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account, your AirPods should connect automatically and be ready to use with your Mac. Place your AirPods in your ears and click Control Center in the menu bar. Click Bluetooth, then choose your AirPods from the list.
Make sure the AirPods are not already connected to another device like your iPhone.
You can attempt to factory reset the AirPods by putting both AirPods in the case, close the lid, wait one minute. Then open the lid, and long-press the setup button for 15 seconds until you see the status light change from yellow to white. After you close and re-open the lid, the AirPods should be back in the mode they were in when you first bought them, and should be ready to pair with any compatible device.
If all above has not helped, and there are no updates available for macOS, one of my first troubleshooting steps would be to create a secondary, temporary user account to see if it's a glitch unique to the account that is already on the mac computer.
These are Apple's official instructions to accomplish creating a new and or temporary user account:
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/add-a-user-or-group-mchl3e281fc9/mac
1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Users & Groups in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Click the Add User button below the list of users. (You may be asked to enter your password.)
3. Click the pop-up menu next to New User, then choose a type of user, for this, we will choose 'Administrator'.
4. Enter a full name for the new user, I like to name it: 'Test' for this.
5. Enter a password for the user, then enter it again to verify. Enter a password hint to help the user remember their password. For this, let's choose something as easy as possible, like: '1212' or 'temp'. (Keep in mind the user name cannot be the same as the password.)
6. Click Create User.
7. Log out of the current user profile by clicking on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner, click 'Logout' and confirm.
8. Log in to our new temporary user account, if it asks to set up an Apple ID, choose to 'Set up later', and I would quickly skip all other steps/leave everything on defaults. Apple assumes we will be using this permanently and wants to set it up nicely for us, but we just need defaults to troubleshoot with.
9. Try pairing your AirPods again by going to System Settings from the Apple menu, then click Bluetooth.
10. Make sure that Bluetooth is on.
11. Put both AirPods in the charging case and open the lid.
12. Do the following, depending on your device:
--For AirPods 4 (both models), double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
--For all other models, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white.
13. Click Connect next to your AirPods in the Nearby Devices list.
14. If sound still plays from your Mac speakers, click Control Center in the menu bar and make sure that your AirPods are selected as the output device.
15. If your AirPods don’t appear in Find My, make sure that you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both your Mac and iPhone, and that both devices are running the latest software version.
If none of these steps work, you may need to open a support request with Apple: https://support.apple.com/
1 (800) 275-2273
1 (800) MYAPPLE
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If you're using AirPods 2, make sure that your Mac has macOS Mojave 10.14.4 or later. AirPods Pro 1 require macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later. AirPods 3 require macOS Monterey or later. AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 (both models) require the latest version of macOS.
If you set up your AirPods with your iPhone and your Mac is signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account, your AirPods should connect automatically and be ready to use with your Mac. Place your AirPods in your ears and click Control Center in the menu bar. Click Bluetooth, then choose your AirPods from the list.
Make sure the AirPods are not already connected to another device like your iPhone.
You can attempt to factory reset the AirPods by putting both AirPods in the case, close the lid, wait one minute. Then open the lid, and long-press the setup button for 15 seconds until you see the status light change from yellow to white. After you close and re-open the lid, the AirPods should be back in the mode they were in when you first bought them, and should be ready to pair with any compatible device.
If all above has not helped, and there are no updates available for macOS, one of my first troubleshooting steps would be to create a secondary, temporary user account to see if it's a glitch unique to the account that is already on the mac computer.
These are Apple's official instructions to accomplish creating a new and or temporary user account:
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/add-a-user-or-group-mchl3e281fc9/mac
1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Users & Groups in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Click the Add User button below the list of users. (You may be asked to enter your password.)
3. Click the pop-up menu next to New User, then choose a type of user, for this, we will choose 'Administrator'.
4. Enter a full name for the new user, I like to name it: 'Test' for this.
5. Enter a password for the user, then enter it again to verify. Enter a password hint to help the user remember their password. For this, let's choose something as easy as possible, like: '1212' or 'temp'. (Keep in mind the user name cannot be the same as the password.)
6. Click Create User.
7. Log out of the current user profile by clicking on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner, click 'Logout' and confirm.
8. Log in to our new temporary user account, if it asks to set up an Apple ID, choose to 'Set up later', and I would quickly skip all other steps/leave everything on defaults. Apple assumes we will be using this permanently and wants to set it up nicely for us, but we just need defaults to troubleshoot with.
9. Try pairing your AirPods again by going to System Settings from the Apple menu, then click Bluetooth.
10. Make sure that Bluetooth is on.
11. Put both AirPods in the charging case and open the lid.
12. Do the following, depending on your device:
--For AirPods 4 (both models), double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
--For all other models, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white.
13. Click Connect next to your AirPods in the Nearby Devices list.
14. If sound still plays from your Mac speakers, click Control Center in the menu bar and make sure that your AirPods are selected as the output device.
15. If your AirPods don’t appear in Find My, make sure that you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on both your Mac and iPhone, and that both devices are running the latest software version.
If none of these steps work, you may need to open a support request with Apple: https://support.apple.com/
1 (800) 275-2273
1 (800) MYAPPLE
This is so helpful! In your experience, what's usually the shelf life for a pair of AirPods that are treated relatively well?
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I'm so glad if it helped! Generally it seems to be about the same as a smartphone, the longest I have heard of these lasting is six years. I have seen quite a few people report two to three years before they start noticing a difference in the battery life throughout the day. Hard to say for sure, if I had to give a hard number I would say four years should be the expected reasonable lifespan for these.
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Here are a few suggestions to get started troubleshooting:
1. Check that Bluetooth is on.
2. Check that a focus is not in play.
3. Check that the AirPods have a good battery.
4. Try connecting them to another device and see what they do.
5. Try forgetting your airpods in the bluetooth list.
6. Press the button on the AirPods case for 5 seconds and see if you have a blinking light.
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1. Check that Bluetooth is on.
2. Check that a focus is not in play.
3. Check that the AirPods have a good battery.
4. Try connecting them to another device and see what they do.
5. Try forgetting your airpods in the bluetooth list.
6. Press the button on the AirPods case for 5 seconds and see if you have a blinking light.
Reader Comments
On your MacBook, go to system settings, then bluetooth and make sure bluetooth is turned on. Put your AirPods in the case, open the lid, and press and hold the setup button on the back of the case. The light will flash white and then the AirPods will show up on your computer and you can click connect. That's all there is to it!
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sometimes your airpods and your macbook won't be compatible but it depends on the gen of your airpods and the version of your OS. basically you need the latest version of MacOS so update your computer if you're having issues
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This is going to sound silly, but are your AirPods charged and turning on? If you just bought them, they might need to charge a while before you try connecting them.
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Also disconnect your airpods from your phone before trying to connect them to your computer.
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Have you tried a factory reset? Sometimes starting from scratch is the best way.
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Before you do a factory reset, try restarting your MacBook to see if that solves the issue. Classic "turn it off and back on again" approach
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This is an option if they have tried ALL other pathways. There could be MANY reasons this is happening, but I'd recommend always seeing if your device can connect to another Macbook or iPhone before going nuclear. There is almost always another thing to try before nuking your machine.
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Other wikiHow readers have submitted their own tips on topics similar to this one.
Reader Tips from How to Pair, Use, and Charge Your AirPods: Easy Step-by-Step Guide
I wear my AirPods basically 24/7 because they have a "transparency" feature that makes it feel as if you're not wearing AirPods at all. It's not like with other earbuds, where you can't hear what's happening around you: you can still hear people talking to you, the environment, etc. Super nifty.
To check the battery of your AirPods on your Apple Watch, open your AirPods case, go to the control center, click on the battery, scroll down, and you will be able to see the battery of your case and AirPods.
Reader Tips from How to Connect Airpods Without a Case
Not only can you not connect your AirPods without a case, but you also need a case to charge them. So if you lose the case, you're pretty much out of luck.
Remember that the first time you get AirPods you have to both charge them and pair them with any device you want to use them on.
Reader Tips from How to Charge Apple AirPods
Some cases have a status light on the outside of the AirPods case; when it's lit, your AirPods are charging. In other cases, the light is on the inside, under the lid. If the light is green, the AirPods are fully charged; if the light is amber, they have less than a full charge.
Remember you need the case to charge them AND to pair them. If you lose the case, you simply cannot charge them. I think you can probably purchase replacement cases, however, if you lose yours.
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