Having trouble pairing your AirPods? Follow along for how to fix AirPods that won’t connect to your iPhone.

One of AirPods’ popular features is how seamlessly they connect to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. However, there are a few things that can prevent the pairing process from going smoothly. Here’s what to do if you’re AirPods won’t connect to your iPhone.

How to fix AirPods that won’t connect to your iPhone

  • For second-gen AirPods make sure you’re running iOS 12.2, (first-gen AirPods require iOS 10 or later)
  • Double-check Bluetooth is turned on
  • Place your AirPods in the charging case and look for an Amber or Green light
  • Press and hold the setup button on the back of the charging case until it flashed white, then amber, then white continuously (this means they are ready to pair)
  • With the AirPods still in the charging case, open the lid next to your iPhone
  • Follow the on-screen instruction for pairing and setup

If you’re still having trouble, head to Settings → Bluetooth → look for AirPods and tap the “i” on the right hand side to pair them manually.

If you’d like to bring the iOS AirPods software UI to Mac, be sure to check out AirBuddy.

Further details on AirPods pairing can be found on Apple’s support page here. For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:

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