How to get airpods connected to laptop

Apple AirPods pair magically with other Apple devices, thanks to Apple's H1 chip -- or W1 chip in the case of the original AirPods -- but you can pair them with other devices via plain ol' Bluetooth nearly as easily. (Just not as magically because a non-Apple device won't know to pause your music, podcast or video when you take an AirPod out of your ear.)

It took you all of three seconds to pair your AirPods with your iPhone ($270 at Amazon) and the rest of your Apple devices. Pairing your Apple AirPods with your Windows 10 PC requires a few extra steps, but shouldn't take more than a minute. We'll walk you through pairing your AirPods with your PC and how to reconnect. This story is updated periodically.

Pair AirPods with PC

On your PC, open the Settings app and choose Devices from the main menu. At the top of the Bluetooth & other devices page, first make sure that the toggle switch for Bluetooth is on. Next, click Add Bluetooth or other device at the top above the Bluetooth toggle switch. On the Add a device window, click Bluetooth.

Put your AirPods in their case and open the lid. Press and hold the button on the back of the case until you see the status light between your two AirPods start pulsing white, and then let go. Your AirPods should show up in the Add a device window. Click to pair and connect.

Reconnecting once paired

After making the initial connection between your Windows 10 PC and your AirPods, you'll be able to reconnect your AirPods and your PC for listening to music, watching YouTube, video conferencing and so on by heading back to the Bluetooth & other devices page in Settings. 

You'll see all of your paired audio devices listed under the Audio header. Select your AirPods from the list and click the Connect button.

AirPods are designed to seamlessly work with iPhones and other Apple devices. However, they are just like any other Bluetooth devices, so you can also connect to a Windows PC. If you need help in pairing these two, here’s our step-by-step guide on how to connect your AirPods to a Windows 10 computer and how to disconnect them as well.

How to Connect Your AirPods to a Windows 10 Computer

To connect your AirPods to a Windows 10 computer, put them in the case, open it, and press and hold the case’s button until the light starts flashing. Finally, go to Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices and click Add Bluetooth or other devices.

1. Put your AirPods inside their charging case. Close the case and wait a few seconds.

   Note: Make sure that the battery level of your AirPods isn’t too low. For best results, charge them until the battery level is above 20%. Check out our guide to find out how to check your AirPods battery level.

2. Then open the AirPods case. Keep the case open with the AirPods inside until you have finished connecting them to your computer.
3. Next, press and hold the button on your charging case until the LED starts flashing. Apple calls the circular button on the back of your AirPods case the Setup button. You will see the LED light on the inside of the older AirPods case, or the front of the new AirPods Pro case.
   
   
4. Then open the Windows Start Menu. This is the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
5. Next, select Settings. This is the gear icon above the power button.
   
   
6. Then click Devices. If you don’t see this screen, try expanding the window by or clicking the box icon in the top-right corner of the window. If you still don’t see Devices, click the home icon in the top-left corner of the window.
   
   
7. Next, click Bluetooth & other devices. You will see this in the left sidebar, but this should already be selected by default.
   
   
8. Then click Add Bluetooth or other devices. You will see this next to the plus sign at the top of the window.

   Note: First make sure that the slider under Bluetooth is turned on. Otherwise, you won’t be able to connect your AirPods to your computer.

   
   
9. Next, select Bluetooth. Once you select this as the kind of device that you want to add, a list of available Bluetooth devices that are available to connect with will open.
   
   
10. Then select your AirPods from the list. Allow your AirPods to pair with your Windows PC. You should see a window informing you that your device is ready to go.
    
    
11. Finally, Click Done. Now, you can take your AirPods out of the charging case and use them with your Windows computer.

Once you connect your AirPods to your Windows computer, it might be difficult to connect them to your other devices. If you want to make sure your AirPods automatically connect to your iPhone or other devices first, here’s how to disconnect them from your Windows computer:

How to Disconnect Your AirPods From a Windows 10 Computer

To disconnect your AirPods from a Windows 10 computer go to Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices. Then click your AirPods and select Remove device. Finally, click Yes to disconnect your AirPods from your Windows computer.

1. Open the Windows Start Menu.
2. Next, select Settings.
3. Then click Devices.
4. Next, click Bluetooth & other devices.
5. Then select your AirPods. You will see them under Audio.
6. Next, click Remove device.
   
   
7. Finally, click Yes to remove your AirPods.

If you want to make it easier to connect your AirPods, check out our step-by-step guide on how to rename your AirPods.

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Last updated on December 11, 2022 7:07 am

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