AirPods can be paired with more than just Apple products
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AirPods work best within the Apple ecosystem, but they still function as standard Bluetooth earbuds everywhere. Here’s how.
AirPods, AirPods Proand AirPods Max use the H1 or H2 processor that communicates directly with other Apple products for easy pairing. These devices are registered with the users iCloud so devices on the same network can easily detect AirPods and pass them on to whoever is playing audio.
The patented nature of this automatic clutch and shift technology leads many users to believe they are only working with Apple products. However, that is not the case.
Getting the AirPods into general pairing mode is easy. Simply press and hold the back button on the charging case with the lid open and AirPods inside to start the pairing process. For AirPods Max, press and hold the Noise Control button for a few seconds.
Pairing AirPods with a game console
There is only one modern game console that supports audio from Bluetooth devices out of the box: Nintendo Switch. Both Playstation and Xbox rely on proprietary audio solutions, so gamers are usually out of luck without workarounds.
Pairing AirPods with Nintendo Switch:
- Open the System Settings app on Nintendo Switch
- Scroll down and select “Bluetooth Audio”
- Press and hold the pairing button on the AirPods until the indicator light flashes
- Select “Pair Device” on Nintendo Switch
- The AirPods appear as an option in the menu
For other consoles, there are some impractical solutions. For example the AirFly by TwelveSouth may route audio from a headphone jack to the AirPods. This device can be connected to the headphone jack of the console controller.
AirFly and the newer AirFly Pro can bridge the gap between AirPods and incompatible products
Another solution is to turn on the Xbox app iPhone. Users can connect to a party chat using the app and AirPods without connecting to the console. Just open the Xbox app with AirPods connected and join a party chat.
Playstation doesn’t have party chat functionality built into the app, so this solution won’t work there. Users can always rely on Discord for that, but these workarounds won’t be able to get game audio to AirPods.
Pairing AirPods with an Android phone
Pairing with another computer, mobile phone or tablet is almost identical. Android phones have a Bluetooth menu for pairing devices.
- Open the Settings app on the Android phone
- Tap the Bluetooth menu
- Press and hold the pairing button on the AirPods until the indicator light flashes
- Select the AirPods from the Bluetooth menu on the Android phone
Depending on the version of Android, the Bluetooth version used by the device, and many other factors, AirPods may be less reliable on Android devices. So while AirPods will pair, they may not work as expected.
Pairing AirPods with a Windows PC
Windows 10 and Windows 11 have very similar pairing processes as their settings apps haven’t changed much for this feature.
- Open the Settings app on the Windows PC
- Select “Bluetooth and Devices”
- Select “add device”
- Press and hold the pairing button on the AirPods until the indicator light flashes
- Select the AirPods from the Bluetooth menu on the Windows PC
Users are less likely to experience problems pairing AirPods with a Windows PC as the device is used in a stationary position.
Rinse and repeat
Like other Bluetooth headphones, AirPods need to be re-paired regularly with the non-Apple product.
If the AirPods are used exclusively with that product, they do not need to be paired again, but once paired with another product, the previous product cannot be paired again without repeating the pairing process.
Apple’s proprietary ecosystem enables special functionality between its products. Once outside that ecosystem, things like automatic pairing and Spatial Audio no longer work.