How to connect your AirPods to non-Apple devices

AirPods are nice wireless earphones, but especially when you use them in the rest of Apple’s ecosystem. Yet they are just bluetooth earphones, so you can also connect them to other devices.

The H1 or H2 processor in the AirPods can easily communicate with other Apple products, making pairing them very simple. It is slightly different with non-Apple devices, but the earphones from the manufacturer – contrary to what some people think – do work with products other than Apple’s.

Pairing AirPods with Android or Windows

To get the AirPods into the correct mode for pairing, all you need to do is press the button on the back of the charging case with the case lid open and the earbuds still inside. With the AirPods Max, instead, you have to press and hold the noise canceling button for a few seconds.

With an Android phone you then only have to open the settings and bring up the bluetooth menu. Select the AirPods from the menu and you’re good to go. On a Windows PC, open the settings and select Devices and then Bluetooth and other devices. Then press Add Bluetooth or other device and select the wireless earbuds from the list.

Pairing with consoles

You can also pair your AirPods with the Nintendo Switch. To do this, you need to open the system settings on the game console and then scroll all the way down. Select here Bluetooth audio , then press and hold the button on the case until the light starts blinking. Then press To link on the Nintendo Switch. Now your AirPods will appear as an audio option in the menu.

If you want to connect the AirPods to other consoles, such as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, you have to put in a little more effort. For example, you can use an external device, such as the AirFly from Twelve South. This allows you to play audio on your AirPods from a headphone jack, which can be found, for example, on your DualSense controller.