Connect AirPods to a laptop: how to do it on Windows

Want to connect AirPods to a laptop to listen to music or take calls in Teams? It works with any Windows PC that has Bluetooth. Here you’ll find the steps for Windows 11 and Windows 10, the pairing mode for your model and help if the sound or microphone isn’t working properly.

1. Put your AirPods into pairing mode

On a PC, no window pops up like it does on an iPhone. So you start pairing yourself, on the charging case:

• AirPods 1, 2 and 3, AirPods Pro 1 and Pro 2: put both AirPods in the case, open the lid and press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white.
• AirPods 4 (both models) and AirPods Pro 3: the case has no visible button. Put both AirPods in the case, open the lid and double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.

As long as the status light is flashing white, the PC can find the AirPods.

2. Connect AirPods to a laptop: Windows 11

1. Open “Start”, then “Settings” and “Bluetooth & devices”. Turn Bluetooth on.
2. Click “Add device” and then “Bluetooth”.
3. Put the AirPods into pairing mode as described above.
4. Click your AirPods in the list. When Windows says the device is ready, click “Done”.

3. Connect AirPods to a PC: Windows 10

1. Open “Start”, “Settings”, “Devices” and then “Bluetooth & other devices”. Turn Bluetooth on.
2. Click “Add Bluetooth or other device” and choose “Bluetooth”.
3. Put the AirPods into pairing mode and click your AirPods in the list.

Depending on your version of Windows, the menus may have slightly different names. You only need to pair once. If the AirPods don’t connect automatically later on, click your AirPods in the Bluetooth settings and then “Connect”.

Set up sound and microphone correctly

If the sound is still coming from the laptop’s speakers, click the speaker icon at the bottom right of the taskbar and choose your AirPods as the output. You can also do this under “Settings”, “System”, “Sound”.

In some versions of Windows, the AirPods appear there twice: as headphones for music and as a headset with a microphone for calls. As soon as an app uses the AirPods’ microphone, Windows switches to the headset connection. The sound is then more muffled, a bit like on the phone. This is normal for Bluetooth headphones on a PC and not a fault.

Use AirPods in Teams and Zoom

1. Connect the AirPods to Windows before you start the meeting.
2. In Teams or Zoom, open the audio or device settings.
3. Choose your AirPods as the speaker and as the microphone.
4. Make a test call if the app offers one.

Tip: if you choose the AirPods only as the speaker and the laptop’s built-in microphone as the microphone, the sound usually stays clearer.

What’s different on a PC compared with an iPhone

Music, videos and calls work as usual on a PC. However, some features are only available with Apple devices:

• Siri and automatic switching between your devices aren’t available on a PC.
• The AirPods only get new software via an iPhone, iPad or Mac, not via Windows.
• On models with noise cancellation, you change the listening mode directly on the AirPod: press and hold the stem until you hear a chime.

Not working?

• The AirPods don’t appear in the list: check that the status light is flashing white and hold the case close to the PC. Charge the case for a while first.
• Your PC has no Bluetooth: many desktop PCs don’t have it built in. In that case, you need a Bluetooth adapter for the USB port.
• The connection drops or the sound stutters: install all updates via “Windows Update”. On older laptops, a new Bluetooth driver from the laptop manufacturer’s website sometimes helps.
• The AirPods connect to the iPhone instead of the PC: briefly turn off Bluetooth on the iPhone, or in Windows, click your AirPods and then “Connect”.
• Nothing helps: remove the AirPods in the Windows Bluetooth settings (“Remove device”). Reset them as described in the guide Reset AirPods and pair them again.

If only one AirPod ever plays, on your PC and on your phone, even though you’ve tried everything, that AirPod is probably faulty. You don’t need a new pair: you can get the left or right AirPod and the charging case individually from us.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn on pairing mode on AirPods Pro 3?

Put both AirPods in the case, open the lid and double-tap the front of the case. When the status light flashes white, the AirPods are ready. It works the same way on AirPods 4.

Why aren’t my AirPods showing up on my PC?

Usually they’re not in pairing mode or are currently connected to another device. Check that the status light is flashing white and search for devices again in Windows. There’s more help in the guide AirPods not connecting?

How do I connect AirPods to Teams?

First connect the AirPods to Windows. Then select them as the speaker and microphone in the Teams device settings.

Can I use the AirPods with my PC and my iPhone?

Yes. The AirPods stay paired with both devices, but only play sound from one at a time. On the PC, you select them in the Bluetooth settings. For the Mac, there’s the guide Connect AirPods to a MacBook.