Why Won’t My AirPods Connect? 5 Fixes That Actually Work

Updated on October 28, 2026

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Your AirPods won’t connect to your iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC: no pop-up appears, or the connection fails. Apple points to three main causes. A low battery, outdated software, or a pairing that needs to be redone.

Common symptoms and causes

• The AirPods show up neither in Settings > Bluetooth nor in the AirPlay list.
• Nothing appears when you open the case near the iPhone.
• The AirPods don’t connect automatically, or jump to another of your devices.
• The AirPods won’t connect to a Mac, a PC or an Android phone.

As for causes, the usual suspects are earbuds or a case with too little charge, software too old for the model, or a corrupted pairing (the pairing is the saved link between the earbuds and a device). Devices signed in to different Apple Accounts also block automatic connection.

Before you start

• Update the iPhone or iPad (iOS, iPadOS) or the Mac (macOS) first. On a Mac, the minimum version depends on the model: macOS Sequoia or later for AirPods 4, macOS Tahoe or later for AirPods Pro 3.
• Keep both earbuds in the charged case, close to the device.
• Identify your model. AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3 are controlled by a double tap on the front of the case; the others have a setup button on the back.
• AirPods Max are not covered by the reset in solution 5: Apple gives them separate articles.

Warning: solution 5 erases data, namely the pairings of your AirPods. It removes them from every device on your Apple Account, and you will have to pair them again. Before you start it, note which devices you use them with.

Solution 1: charge the AirPods and read the case light

1. Put both AirPods back in the case and check that they are charging.
2. Plug the case in with its Lightning or USB-C cable, depending on the model.
3. Without a cable, place the case on a Qi or MagSafe charger with the lid closed and the light facing up.
4. Find the status light: on the front of the case, or between the earbud slots on the Lightning case of 1st and 2nd generation AirPods.
5. Let it charge until the light turns green.

A green light means a full charge. On a wireless charger, it stays on for 8 seconds and then goes out: that is not a fault.

Tip: the case charges with or without the earbuds. Leave them inside and you charge everything at once.

What the status light tells you:

• Green: charged.
• Solid amber: partially charged.
• No light: needs charging.
• Slow amber flash: charge below 95% (up-to-date AirPods 4, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3).
• Fast amber flash: earbuds below 95% and case below 25% (same models).
• Flashing white: AirPods in pairing mode, ready to be paired.

Solution 2: check Bluetooth and restart the connection

1. On the iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth on.
2. Put both earbuds in your ears.
3. Open Control Center and tap the AirPlay icon.
4. If the AirPods appear, select them, play a sound and raise the volume.
5. If they don’t appear, put both earbuds back in the case and close the lid.
6. Wait 15 seconds, then reopen the lid near the iPhone.
7. If nothing shows up, on AirPods 4, AirPods 5 or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case until the light flashes white.
8. On other models, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the light flashes white.
9. Keep the case open near the device and follow the on-screen instructions.

The AirPods show up in AirPlay and sound comes out of the earbuds. If only one earbud works, see our guide on when only one AirPod works.

Tip: the AirPlay test in steps 2 to 4 settles it fast. If the AirPods are listed there, the connection exists and the problem is the audio output you picked.

Solution 3: AirPods that don’t connect automatically

1. Check that the iPhone, iPad and Mac are signed in to the same Apple Account.
2. Install the iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates on each one.
3. On the Mac, open Control Center > Sound and choose your AirPods.

The AirPods now switch on their own to the device you are using.

Solution 4: AirPods that won’t connect to a Mac, PC or Android phone

On a Mac

1. On the Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth on.
2. Put the AirPods in the case and open the lid.
3. Put the AirPods in pairing mode, until the light flashes white, as in solution 2.
4. Under Nearby Devices, click Connect next to the AirPods.

The AirPods show as connected.

On Android

1. On an Android phone, open Settings > Connections > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth on.
2. Open the case, put the AirPods in pairing mode, then tap their name in the device list.

The AirPods show as connected. Audio and calls work, Siri does not. The settings specific to AirPods Pro are covered in our guide on using AirPods Pro with Android.

On a Windows PC

Put the AirPods in pairing mode, until the light flashes white, as in solution 2. Then look for them in the Bluetooth device list in the PC settings.

Solution 5: as a last resort, reset the AirPods

Warning: step 3 removes the AirPods from every device on your Apple Account, and the reset erases their pairings. You will have to pair them again.

1. Put the AirPods back in the case, close the lid and wait 30 seconds.
2. Open Settings > Bluetooth.
3. If the AirPods are listed under My Devices, tap (i) next to their name, then Forget This Device, and confirm. If they are not listed, go to the next step.
4. Open the case lid with the earbuds inside.
5. AirPods 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation, AirPods Pro 1st or 2nd generation: press and hold the setup button on the back for about 15 seconds, until the light turns amber and then white.
6. AirPods 4, AirPods 5 or AirPods Pro 3: when the light is on, double-tap the front of the case.
7. Double-tap the front of the case again when the light flashes white.
8. Double-tap a third time when it flashes faster, then wait for the light to turn amber and then white.
9. With the case open near the iPhone, follow the on-screen instructions to pair the AirPods again.

The light turns white and the iPhone offers to connect. If not, close the lid with the earbuds inside, wait 20 seconds, reopen it and repeat the 15-second press or the series of double taps.

Good to know: Apple gives a 15-second wait on its troubleshooting page, then 30 and 20 seconds on its reset page. Follow the timing of each step. The details for each model are in our guide on resetting AirPods and AirPods Pro.

If nothing works

Does the light still not turn white after a second reset? The problem is probably hardware. Stop here and contact Apple Support or an Apple Store, with the color of the light and the list of fixes you have already tried.

If a repair isn’t worth it, here are three recent wireless earbuds to compare.

Take better care of your AirPods: our toolbox

A case that is always charged avoids most connection failures; these accessories help keep it ready.

Frequently asked questions

Why won’t my AirPods connect to my iPhone anymore?

Most often, the earbuds or the case have a low battery, Bluetooth is off, iOS is too old or the pairing is corrupted. Charge the case, check Settings > Bluetooth, then close the case for 15 seconds and reopen it near the iPhone. If the AirPods still can’t be found, forget them in the settings and reset them.

How do I reset AirPods that won’t connect?

Open the case lid with the earbuds inside, then follow the method for your model. On 1st to 3rd generation AirPods and 1st and 2nd generation AirPods Pro, hold the setup button for about 15 seconds; on AirPods 4, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3, make three double taps on the front of the case, following the light. The light turns amber and then white, and the AirPods are ready to pair again.

Why don’t my AirPods connect automatically?

Automatic connection requires the same Apple Account and up-to-date software on all your devices. Check the account on each one, then install the iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates. On a Mac, then choose the AirPods in Control Center > Sound.

How do I connect AirPods to a Windows PC?

Put the AirPods in pairing mode (light flashing white), then look for them in the Bluetooth device list in the PC settings. Siri doesn’t work on a non-Apple device; audio and calls do.

What does the flashing amber light on the case mean?

On up-to-date AirPods 4, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3, a slow amber flash means a charge below 95%. A fast flash means earbuds below 95% and a case below 25%. Charge the case until the light turns green.