AirPods Not Connecting to Mac? Here’s What to Do!

Why Won’t My AirPods Connect to My Mac?

There are many reasons why your AirPods won’t connect to your Mac. It could be a Bluetooth issue, or your AirPods are not within range of your Mac.

Now that you know why your AirPods are not connecting to your Mac, it should make it easier for you to pinpoint the problem and find the appropriate fix. Let’s get started.

Keep Your Mac Up to Date

Before overwhelming yourself with the troubleshooting instructions, ensure that your Mac setup runs on the most recent version of the macOS.

Follow these instructions to update your macOS:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the drop-down list.

3. Choose Software Update on the next window.

Install the new updates and test your AirPods. If your AirPods still don’t connect to your Mac, follow the troubleshooting tips below to diagnose and fix the issues.

1. Enable Bluetooth On Your Mac

AirPods utilize Bluetooth technology to establish a connection to your device. As a result, Bluetooth must be ON before you can link your Mac to Bluetooth devices.

1. Click on the Bluetooth icon from the top-right corner of the screen.
2. Use the toggle to activate Bluetooth on your device.

Test if your AirPods work after enabling Bluetooth on your Mac.

2. Put Your AirPods Into Pairing Mode

AirPods distinguish the devices from one another using the iCloud account setup on them.

So, if you’re connecting the AirPods to a Mac with a different iCloud account, you must utilize the pairing mode to connect to it.

Here’s how to put your AirPods into Bluetooth pairing mode:

1. Place the AirPods in their charging case.
2. Open the lid of the charging case.
3. Press and hold the Setup switch on the back of the device.
4. Bluetooth pairing mode is ON when the status light begins to flash.

Try connecting your AirPods to your Mac to see if you still have connection issues.

3. Manually Link Your AirPods to Your Mac

AirPods automatically connect to the devices they know upon opening the lid of their charging case.

However, sometimes they fail, and you must manually link them to your device through the Bluetooth settings.

1. Click on the Bluetooth icon from the top-right corner of the screen.
2. Double-click on your AirPods from the list of devices.

Move on to the next steps if they still don’t get connected.

4. Select AirPods As the Output Device

Your device could be connected to several output devices, making it appear that your AirPods are not connecting to your Mac.

In such cases, you can disconnect all other devices to ensure the AirPods are the primary output device or manually set them under your Mac’s output devices.

Here’s how to manually select your AirPods as the output device:

1. Keep your Mac’s Bluetooth on and the AirPods in range with the charging case open.
2. Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Select System Preferences from the drop-down.

4. Open the Sound section.

5. Navigate to the Output tab and select your AirPods.

Check if your AirPods can connect to your Mac. Still not connecting? Move on to the next step.

5. Restart Your Mac

A simple restart refreshes your device’s system memory, resolving minor technical problems or software glitches. Restarting your Mac provides a chance to start fresh, and here’s how to do it:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select Restart from the drop-down.

3. Confirm the process by choosing Restart when prompted.

Wait a few minutes until your Mac boots up, and try connecting your AirPods.

6. Remove Your AirPods As a Bluetooth Device On Mac

Bluetooth connections could corrupt over time due to various updates your device receives or other technical issues.

In such cases, you must remove the link by forgetting your AirPods as a device on your Mac and re-establish a clean connection.

Here’s how to forget your AirPods as a Bluetooth device:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Preferences from the drop-down.

3. Open the Bluetooth section.

4. Hover on your AirPods and click the X icon when it appears.

5. Click Forget Device when the confirmation message pops up.

Wait a few minutes, then reconnect your AirPods.

7. Charge the AirPods Charging Case

The AirPods charging case works as a power bank for your AirPods. So, you need to keep it charged so it can power the batteries of your AirPods.

You should use a Lightning cable to plug the charger case into a USB port or wall charger, and it takes a few hours until it gets fully charged.

8. Charge Your AirPods

The AirPods require battery power so they can function correctly. So, ensure they have enough battery life before using them. You only need to place them inside the charging case and wait for the status light to turn green.

9. Clean Your AirPods and Charging Case

Digital devices, including AirPods, require constant maintenance to keep them from hardware difficulties.

10. Update Your AirPods Firmware

There is also the possibility that your AirPods won’t connect to your Mac if you haven’t installed the latest firmware.

Here’s how you can check your AirPods’ firmware version:

1. Connect your AirPods to your iPhone. Make sure that you have the latest version of iOS.
2. Open the Settings app, and go to Bluetooth.
3. tap the Info (i) button next to the name of your AirPods.
4. Look in the About section to find the firmware version.

As of this writing, here’re the latest firmware versions.

• AirPods Pro (2nd generation): 5B58
• AirPods Pro (1st generation): 5B59
• AirPods (2nd and 3rd generation): 5B59
• AirPods Max: 5B59
• AirPods (1st generation): 6.8.8

11. Reset Your AirPods

AirPods have a reset function that wipes minor software glitches, such as connectivity or battery-draining issues. Like on an iPhone, resetting your AirPods gives them a fresh start, as if they were new.

Here’s how you can reset your AirPods:

1. Place the AirPods in their charging case, close the lid for 30 seconds, then open it again.
2. Press and hold the Setup switch on the back of the device. The status light should change from flashing amber to white.
3. Your AirPods reset when the status light flashes white.

Reconnect the AirPods as a new device.

12. Repair Your AirPods With Apple

If none of the instructions in this article helped, consider contacting Apple support, as they are the only official technical support Apple provides.

We’ve found the best way to get quick support is through Apple’s online chat feature. It only takes about two minutes for a technician to respond.

Wrap-Up: AirPods Not Connecting to Mac

There you have it–our step-by-step guide to fixing your AirPods not connecting to your Mac. As you can see, troubleshooting connection issues with your AirPods is not difficult as long as you know what to look for.