How to connect apple wireless headphones to your computer. How to connect AirPods to iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch: detailed instructions

It only takes three seconds to pair your AirPods with your iPhone and other Apple devices. Pairing yours with your Windows 10 computer requires a few extra steps, but shouldn't take more than a minute.

Pairing AirPods with a computer.

On your computer, open the Settings app and select Devices from the main menu. At the top of the Bluetooth and other devices page, click Add a Bluetooth or other device. In the "Add Device" window, click on "Bluetooth".

Place your AirPods into their case and open the cover. Press and hold the button on the back of the case until you see the status light between your two AirPods pulsing white, then release the button. Your AirPods should appear in the Add Device window. Click on them to pair and connect.

Reconnect after pairing.

After the initial connection between your computer or laptop and AirPods, you can reconnect the headphones and computer to listen to music, watch YouTube, video conferencing, etc. by going to the Bluetooth and other devices page in Settings. You'll see all paired audio devices listed under the Sound heading. Select headphones from the list and click the "Connect" button.

AirPods are new wireless headphones from Apple. They make it possible to interact with Siri, music and audio, and answer calls. They are popular with iPhone users but work with most iOS devices.

When you buy a new pair of headphones, you may be wondering how to connect it to your iPhone. It turns out that everything is simple. Most of the process is automated. Don't worry if something doesn't go as planned.

Before you begin, make sure your AirPods are charged (they usually come with a charged battery) and that the device you want to sync them with is compatible. If you're not sure, you can see the supported devices below, but almost all current Apple products will work with AirPods.

Connection process

Pairing AirPods with new iPhone models is surprisingly easy. Take your iOS device and case. You can connect AirPods to iPhone as follows:

1. Unlock the iPhone you want to connect to the pair of AirPods and go to the home screen (where you see all the application icons);
2. Open the case with the headphones without taking them out and keep them near the iPhone;
3. Wait until the iPhone detects the AirPods and click “Connect”;
4. Click "Done".

Airpods are connected and ready to go. Also, if you use the same Apple ID and iCloud account on several devices, AirPods will automatically be configured to work with them.

Compatibility and supported devices

AirPods work with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, but all devices are expected to have the latest software installed. The connection takes place via Bluethoth. The headphones are compatible with the following devices and software versions:

• iPhone (4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6, 7, 8, X), iPad, iPod touch, starting with iOS 10 and later;
• Mac running macOS Sierra 10.12.3 and later;
• Apple Watch with watchOS 3;
• Apple TV with tvOS11.

Essentially, they are compatible with all modern versions of Apple software. If the device is brand new, then it will work with these headphones, and even older devices can be easily connected if they have the software listed above installed.

AirPods not connecting to iOS or installed incorrectly? What to do?

If for some reason your headphones don't pair or sync with your iPhone after the above setup process, you'll need to hold down the setup button on your AirPods and try again. You should also do this if you are connecting the headphones to another iPhone:

1. Put your headphones in the case if you haven't already;
2. Press and hold the set button on the back of the AirPods charging case for 18 seconds, or until the charging light flashes orange and then white;
3. Repeat the initial installation process mentioned above in the article.

It's also worth mentioning that while AirPods should come with the latest software installed, it's worth updating them if possible.

Your AirPods are now connected and ready to work with your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device. Using them is very simple, just double tap your headphones to call Siri, answer a phone call, control music.

How to distinguish originals from fakes

Here are some tips to help you distinguish original Apple headphones from fake ones:

1. Price. The first thing you should pay attention to when purchasing. Obviously, original AirPods are much more expensive than those made by a third party;
2. Packaging and case. Look carefully at the case; it should be pure white, made of high-quality plastic, and smooth. If this is not the case, you can be sure that you have a fake in your hands;
3. Headphone color. This is the easiest way to distinguish the original from the fake. The original AirPods only come in white;
4. Build quality. The original headphones consist of three parts that are precisely connected to each other without unnecessary plastic. Also, compared to a fake, they look stronger, higher quality and heavier (due to the premium build quality);
5. Comfortable to wear. Try inserting AirPods into your ear. Apple headphones should fit neatly under the ear cavity and should not fall out;
6. Headphone control. The original ones do not have buttons. For control, they have built-in optical sensors and motion and voice accelerometers;
7. Company logo and other designations. The original Apple case does not have their logo. There should also be no other inscriptions. On the headphones themselves there should only be the letters L and R, which indicate which earphone is right and which is left;
8. Sound quality. The headphones are designed to produce the best sound using their own design. This design ensures deeper lows and crisper highs when listening to music. If the sound quality seems low to you, then this is a direct indicator that the headphones are fake;
9. Microphone quality. Among other things, checking the quality of a microphone is an easy way to understand whether your product is original or not. Usually people don’t pay attention to such a detail, but it’s enough just to call a friend and ask if he hears your voice loudly and clearly, if there are any extraneous noises.

If you're not buying AirPods from an official Apple store, these tips will help you make sure you get the original headphones and don't lose your money.

How to clean your headphones

Spending more than 10,000 rubles on headphones is not such an easy decision. And if you do purchase AirPods, don’t forget to take care of them, and then you won’t have to change them along with a new iPhone upgrade. After all, in the end you won’t just store them in a case. So here are some tips on how to clean your AirPods.

Dirt, dust, lint, earwax and more easily find their way onto the glossy white surface of the AirPods, requiring you to clean your earbuds from time to time. It's best to do this consistently to prevent dirt from accumulating.

• Microfiber. Buy a microfiber cloth and carry it with you at all times and wipe down your AirPods and their case every few days;
• Water. The headphones are made of plastic and glue, they are not waterproof or waterproof, but they are made very strongly. There are many reviews that these headphones remained functional even after being thrown into the washing machine. So don't worry if some water gets on them;
• Contrary to popular belief, hand sanitizer and similar cleaning solutions are bad for electronics. Don't use them for your AirPods. You risk damaging the surface of the plastic, or even the internal electronics. Instead, a little water and a microfiber cloth will help you remove dirt or grease from the surface;
• Cotton swab. While everyone would like their headphones to be one seamless piece of plastic, they aren't. And small cracks are easily filled with dust and dirt. In such places, the fabric will not help you. A cotton swab will be very convenient. It is also easy to remove earwax from the speaker grille;
• Finally, if you find a particularly stubborn stain, use an eraser.

This way you can clean your headphones from dirt, and to preserve their appearance for a long time, don’t be lazy and follow the tips below.

• Polish your Airpods with a microfiber cloth from time to time to keep the color vibrant and the surface shiny;
• Don't forget about ear hygiene;
• If you do not use headphones, store them in a special case;
• Try to make sure that only you use your headphones. This advice also applies to the issue of hygiene.

There are four options:

• Just open the case next to your iPhone. A notification will appear on the screen indicating the charge of the case and headphones.
• Add a Batteries widget. Now the charge of all devices is visible on the first screen of the iPhone.
• Ask Siri. It is convenient if the voice assistant is called by double tapping on the earpiece.
• Use Apple Watch. Swipe up on the watch's home screen and tap the first percentage icon. Apple Watch will show the charge level of the headphones.

2. Teach your headphones to pronounce the caller's name

Go to Settings, find “Phone”, click on “Call Announcement” and select “Headphones Only”. Now, when someone calls you, Siri will say the caller's name.

3. Connect AirPods to Android devices

Place the headphones in the case, open the lid and press the only button on the case body. When the AirPods light blinks, the headphones can be found on any Bluetooth device. True, some functions will still only work in conjunction with Apple technology.

4. Assign convenient commands for tapping on headphones

The only way to control AirPods is by double tapping the headphones. Both of them are initially set to call Siri, but this can be changed. For example, pause on one earphone, and go to the next track on the other.

To assign commands, go to Bluetooth settings and select your connected AirPods there.

5. Find lost headphones with Find My iPhone

If your earphone falls out and you can't find it, use the Find My iPhone app. You'll see your AirPods on a map and can even make the earbuds beep.

6. Charge your headphones one at a time

If you really need headphones right now and your AirPods are dead, charge one earbud and use it while the other charges. This way you will quickly replenish the device’s charge and spend a minimum amount of time without headphones.

7. Make ear pads for AirPods

To make ear pads for AirPods, you will need:

• 16–18 mm ear pads from AliExpress;
• needle;
• thin marker;
• lighter.

Put the ear pads on the AirPods, mark the holes in the headphones with a marker, heat the needle and press holes in the ear pads.

Ready! Now AirPods sound a little differently and fit tighter in the ear canal.

If the iPhone does not see the headphones or they do not work, then the problem may lie in both the software and the hardware. In this article we will look at solutions to problems with connecting wired and Bluetooth accessories.

This article is suitable for all iPhone Xs/Xr/X/8/7/6/5 and Plus models running iOS 12. Older versions may have different or missing menu items and hardware support listed in the article.

iPhone doesn't recognize wireless Bluetooth headphones

Wireless headphones may experience problems, including those related to iOS. First, try restarting Bluetooth and pairing the accessory again. To do this, go to “Settings” - “Bluetooth”.

Increase

Make sure your headphones are working properly. Connect them to another device and check for sound. Also look out for large sources of interference and keep in mind that the Bluetooth signal only extends a few meters (usually about 2-3) and has poor penetration through concrete walls.

In addition, an important point is to simultaneously connect headphones. iOS 11.3 introduced the AirPlay 2 feature, which makes it possible to pair multiple audio sources at one time. Earlier versions of the system do not have this functionality, so you won’t be able to play music on two headphones at once. Therefore, pay attention to the fact that you cannot use several accessories at the same time.

AirPods

If you have branded AirPods headphones, then do the following:

Third party headphones

First of all, be sure that the device is operational and charged. When connecting third-party headphones, hold down the corresponding pairing button on the accessory body. After that, go to the Bluetooth menu on your iPhone and select the desired device.

You can also try forcing the headphones off. To do this, go to the Bluetooth settings, find the accessory you need and select “Forget this device.”

Increase

If the problem with connecting headphones could not be solved, then the only software fixes left are a complete reset of the iPhone. It can be done directly on the device by going to “Settings” - “General” - “Reset”. In this case, all data will be lost.

Increase

An alternative way to reset settings is to connect to a PC. To do this, connect your iPhone to your computer, launch iTunes, and restore the device.

Increase

iPhone does not recognize wired headphones (EarPods and others)

Problems connecting wired headphones are most often associated with various physical problems. And first of all, you should check the 3.5 mm MiniJack connector through which the connection is made. It is noteworthy that in iPhone 7/7 Plus and newer the headphones are connected via a lightning connector, therefore, you need to inspect it. By the way, you can also connect regular headphones to the latest iPhones; for this you need to use an adapter.

After almost two months of absence, the much-hyped AirPods have finally gone on sale. At the end of December, the first customers received the coveted white boxes for pre-orders. Needless to say, many were impressed by the exciting promotional video with their capabilities, demonstrated back in September last year at the presentation of iPhones. Is everything true?

In this post we will provide a short manual regarding the features of operating innovative AirPods. Although no special instructions are required, the interaction is intuitive.

Primary settings

So, first of all, take the case with the headphones out of the packaging. This is what the basic configuration of a wireless headset looks like. In order for the headphones to turn on, you just need to open the case lid. Now you need to make the first connection to the device. This could be an iPhone or any other Apple gadget. Activation and connection to devices is basic. The only thing you need to do is to carry out the initial setup, and then pairing will occur automatically.

For initial setup and creating a “trusted pair,” bring the slightly open case (with headphones inside) to the device (pre-activate Bluetooth on it). This is necessary so that the headphones do not connect to all gadgets nearby, but work only with a device from the list of trusted ones.
After this, the connection procedure should automatically be initiated on the smartphone screen; nothing more is required from you. When completed, click on “Done”. You can use it!

By the way, we draw your attention to the fact that AirPods are a headset not only for iPhones. They are quite compatible with any Apple device that supports Bluetooth transmission. These can be computers, tablets, laptops, even smart watches - Apple Watch.

In the future, the headset can quickly switch to broadcasting from any other Apple device that is combined with this iPhone under one AppleID account. The headphones instantly synchronize with the new device, and are ready to resume playback where they left off.
Many users have also successfully paired their AirPods with smartphones from other manufacturers. It's clear that they don't have Siri, AppleID, and therefore the functionality of wireless headphones will not be used to its fullest, but still such an opportunity exists, and this cannot but rejoice. In this case, in order to listen to music or answer a call, the standard “double tap” manual is quite enough. More details about them in the next section.

Control Features

In general, all control of the device comes down to double taps of the body. You need to call Siri, make (or answer) a call, pause playback (or continue it) - everything is done by double-tapping the outer part of the speaker - right in the center.

You can independently set the control mode that is most convenient for you. To do this, in the “Bluetooth” section (in the device settings) - among the list of other devices, find your AirPods headphones. In the “Double-tap the headphones” item, you can check the boxes next to the desired control mode. Here you can enable or disable automatic ear detection (that is, when the headset is brought to your ears, it is activated by default). Give the headphones an original name to make them easier to find in the list of connected devices. Activate automatic microphone activation when you start speaking.
At first glance, it may seem that the proposed management tools are somehow very few, but in fact you won’t need any more. The bulk of communication tasks “hands-free” can be performed by the assistant built into the iPhone system - Siri. The user gives her voice commands, which the device paired with the headset “hears” through microphones built into the bottom of the AirPods.
So you can call anyone, listen to the weather report (news), “write” and send a message - without even touching the touchscreen. Siri will make the sound louder/quieter, find the desired song from the list, remind you of a meeting, and much more. At the same time, you will not disturb anyone, the information will be fed into your ear.

Both headphones have their own chip and microphone, which means they can be used separately. In the default settings, both microphones are active, since this virtually eliminates the appearance of extraneous noise during communication. And all your subscribers are guaranteed to always hear you - even on a crowded street in a strong wind.

Possible connection problems

Sometimes users have some difficulties connecting wireless headphones. Especially when trying to pair with new devices from other manufacturers, after successfully connecting with gadgets from Apple earlier.

If for some reason the headset does not automatically start, it is recommended to take the following steps.

• During initial setup, try placing the case closer to the device. Since sometimes problems arise with the stability of the Bluetooth connection. The optimal distance is about 5 cm. You can also disable and re-enable Bluetooth on the device paired with the headphones.
• Having slightly opened the case with the headphones, press and hold the service key built into the case. It is located on the back of the case - in the center.

Keep it pressed until the status indicator on the top panel inside the case (between the two headphones) starts flashing white. This resets the previous settings and the headset is again ready for the initial connection to a new gadget.

• The third possible reason for connection failure is a discharged battery, both the headphones themselves and the battery built into the case. Connect the case (via the connector located at the bottom) with a Lightning cable to the charger (or USB port), and try pairing again later. Typically, the full charging process takes a couple of hours.

If the connection is successful, the charge level will be displayed on the iPhone screen - separately for the headphones, and separately for the case. In the future, this information will be displayed in the battery widgets on the smartphone.
Moreover, the battery of the case itself can be recharged even without headphones inside, plug it in and calmly go about your business. Then it is enough to place the AirPods “on the base” for 15 minutes to provide them with several hours of full operation.

This is what the manufacturer promises us, knowingly warning us about possible deviations - up or down - due to different settings and intensity of use of the headset by different owners. Users who have tried it confirm that the headphones do withstand the promised day of broadcasting (of course, with fast charging cycles).
So that the user has an idea of ​​the charge level of the case without unnecessary movements, it has a special indicator (we have already talked about it). So if it lights up green, the case’s battery is fully charged. If it’s yellow, it means there’s only enough energy left to charge the AirPods once. Or you can simply ask Siri how much charge is left.