Airpods Won't Connect? Here's the Fix

AirPods are reliable accessories that you can easily pair and connect with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. If you are having trouble connecting your Airpods, here's how to fix Airpods won't connect issue.

Why Are Your Airpods Not Connecting?

Your AirPods might not connect because of a lot of different things, like a low battery, a bug in the firmware, a problem with the way they connect, or even a problem with how they are made.

Sometimes, dirt from your ears can get stuck in your earbuds and make it hard for them to connect. Other times, a bug or glitch in your AirPods' firmware can mess up the Bluetooth searching, or the Bluetooth itself can break and not recognize your AirPods. This can happen on a Mac or PC or mobile device.

It can be hard to figure out exactly what's wrong with your AirPods, so it's best to do some basic checks before getting into the technical side of things.

There are a lot of reasons why your AirPods might not work with your other Bluetooth devices. Some possible explanations are:

• Low power in the battery.
• Bluetooth not working properly
• Debris on the charging case or Airpods
• Software not updated
• Device needs to be reset
• Pairing mode issue
• Hardware damage

How to fix AirPods won't connect on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Fix #1: Check for iOS version and updates

Make sure you have the latest version of iOS on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, or the latest version of iPadOS on your iPad.

AirPods and other electronics can have problems if they don't get updates. So make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch has the latest version of iOS®. Here is how to find out:

1. Backup your device.

2. Connect your Airpods to power and Wi-Fi.

3. Tap Settings, then General, then Software Update.

4. If you see an update (or two), tap Install Now next to the one you want to install. If you see Download and Install instead, tap it to download the update, enter your passcode, and then tap Install Now.

Check to see if your AirPods work after you've updated your device. If not, try the next fix.

RELATED: How to connect Airpods to iPhone.

Fix #2: Check the charge and battery

Your AirPods won't connect to your device if they aren't fully charged. If your AirPods have a low charge, they might not be able to connect to your other devices. Here are some options.

Check the charge on the Airpods case

Put your AirPods in their case and open the lid to make sure they have enough power. If you see a small green light, they are fully charged. A yellow light means that they aren't.

Check the charge on AirPods using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

You can also see how much power your AirPods have left on your device. Do these things:

1. Go to Control Center > Bluetooth to make sure that Bluetooth is turned on on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

2. Put your AirPods in their case, then hold the case close to your device and open the lid.

3. Wait a moment, and a pop-up window will show you how charged the AirPods and their case are.

Check the charge on your AirPods using the battery widget

If you're wearing your AirPods, this method will work.

1. Swipe right on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to get to the widgets.

2. Scroll down and tap Edit. Then, to add a new one, tap the plus sign in the top left corner of the screen.

3. Tap Batteries in the list of widgets, and then choose the widget's size.

4. Put the widget where you want it, and then tap Done.

5. Open the widget page whenever you want to see how much power is left in your AirPods.

Fix #3: Check the Bluetooth

Your AirPods won't work if your Bluetooth isn't turned on. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Bluetooth to check. If it isn't on, press the button (it will switch from gray to green).

Fix #4: Reset your Airpods

AirPods can get stuck in pairing mode, where the white status light won't stop blinking and the button on the charging case won't work. If this happens to you, you should try to reset your AirPods as a first step.

1. Go to Settings and select Bluetooth. 

2. Tap the i icon next to your AirPods in the My Devices section.

3. Tap Forget this Device.

4. Place both AirPods in their case and open the top of the case.

5. Press and hold the small setup button on the back of the case for 10–20 seconds, or until the status light starts flashing amber.

6. When the status light blinks amber three times, you can let go of the setup button.

7. Hold down the setup button until the status light starts to flash white. You should see your AirPods listed in your device's Bluetooth settings. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, auto-pairing should start.

RELATED: How to reset Airpods.

How to fix AirPods won't connect to Mac

Follow these easy steps if you want to connect your AirPods to your Mac. They are a little different from the ones you may have tried on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Fix #1: Check for updates

Make sure that the operating system on your Mac is the most recent version. Back up your Mac before you start. Then do these things:

1. Select System Preferences from the Apple menu at the top left of your screen.

2. Click Update Software.

3. Click Update Now or Upgrade Now.

Update Now installs the latest updates for the version that is already installed, like an update from macOS® Big Sur 11.5 to macOS® Big Sur 11.6.

Upgrade Now installs a major new version with a new name, like macOS Monterey. Software Update only shows you updates that will work on your Mac.

RELATED: How to connect AirPods to Mac.

Fix #2: Check the charge

Your AirPods won't connect to your device if they aren't fully charged. Here are some options.

Put your AirPods in their case and open the lid to make sure they have enough power. If you see a small green light, they are fully charged. A yellow light means that they aren't.

Check the charge on your AirPods using your Mac

You can also look at your computer to see how much power your AirPods have left. Do these things:

1. You can take your AirPods out of the case or leave them in and open the lid.

2. Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen.

3. Choosing your AirPods.

4. The battery life will show up for both the AirPods and the case.

Fix #3: Check the Bluetooth

Go to Apple > System Preferences on your Mac, then click Bluetooth. If the pop-up window says that Bluetooth is turned off, turn it on .

Fix #4: Check your connection

Make sure your AirPods are connected to your Mac.

1. Place your AirPods in the case and open the lid.

2. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case or the noise control button (only on AirPods Max) until the status light flashes white.

3. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth.

4. Choose AirPods from the list of all the devices.

If your AirPods show up in the list of devices but won't connect, you can remove them from the list by clicking the X to the right of the AirPods. Then do these things:

1. Close the case, wait 15 seconds, and then open the lid again.

2. Hold down the "Setup" button on the charging case for 10 seconds. If your AirPods are ready to connect, the status light should flash white.

3. Hold the case next to your Mac with the lid open and your AirPods inside.

4. Follow the steps on your Mac's screen.

Fix #5: Reset your Airpods

If you still can't connect, follow the steps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to reset your AirPods.

Still Not Pairing? Contact Apple for Help

If you've tried all of these things and still can't get your AirPods to go into pairing mode, you should contact Apple for help. You can do this by getting in touch with Apple support online or by going to the Apple Store or an authorized Apple service provider near you.

Conclusion

Your AirPods should now work well with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac, and you should be able to listen to music and podcasts anywhere. You should also know everything you need to know to fix this problem if it comes up again. Even so, there are other things you can try if your AirPods keep getting disconnected. Do you have any other ideas to fix AirPods won't connect issue? Tell us in the comments so that everyone else can try them out.