Give your device something to connect to
- Check that both earbuds are charging and Bluetooth is on before trying manual pairing.
- Use your model's case gesture and watch for a flashing white light, then select your AirPods on the device.
- If they already appear, try selecting them for audio before pairing again.
When there's no setup card to tap, we'd try manual pairing after the charging and Bluetooth checks, because you can pair AirPods without that animation. The useful checkpoints are the case's flashing white light, the AirPods entry on your screen and, finally, audio in your ears.
These steps cover AirPods and AirPods Pro with charging cases on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The pairing interfaces described here apply to iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 or later, with the latest software installed on the device you're connecting to.
Prepare the earbuds and the device
Update your iPhone or iPad to the latest iOS or iPadOS version, or your Mac to the latest macOS version, before retrying. Then put both AirPods in their charging case and confirm that both earbuds are charging. Check the pair, including the earbud you haven't been using.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap Bluetooth. On Mac, open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Bluetooth in the sidebar. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in that screen so you're ready to select the AirPods when they appear.
For iPhone or iPad pairing, connect the device to Wi-Fi or a cellular network too. Pairing without that network connection may leave Find My features unavailable, so it's worth handling this before you complete setup.
A missing setup animation has another route
On an iPhone or iPad, open the case with your AirPods inside and hold it next to the device you want to use. If the setup animation appears, follow its instructions and tap Done. That gives you an onscreen route through setup without needing the manual case gesture.
If the animation never appears, continue to manual pairing below. You can select the AirPods directly in Bluetooth after using the gesture for your model, so the missing animation doesn't end the setup attempt.
If your AirPods are already available in the AirPlay device list, go to the audio check below first. If they're absent from that list, or appear but won't connect, continue with the case preparation and manual pairing. Both situations lead to another pairing attempt, but an available audio connection is worth checking first.
Use the right case gesture on iPhone or iPad
Put both AirPods back in the case, close the lid and wait 15 seconds before opening it again. Keep the earbuds inside during the pairing gesture. Use the iPhone or iPad instructions here, or continue to the Mac section if that's the device in front of you.
For iPhone or iPad, hold the open case next to your device. Choose the gesture by your AirPods model: the newer cases use a front double-tap, while the older charging-case models use the setup button on the back.
- AirPods 4, both models, and AirPods 5, both models: double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
- AirPods Pro 3: double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
- Other AirPods and AirPods Pro charging-case models: press and hold the setup button on the back until the status light flashes white.
Once you get the white flashing light, select your AirPods when they appear in Bluetooth. Keep the charging case open, with the earbuds inside, next to your iPhone or iPad while you follow any onscreen pairing instructions. The light is your cue to move to the device and finish the connection there.
Finish pairing on your Mac
With your updated Mac's Bluetooth settings open, bring the case next to the computer and leave both AirPods inside with the lid open. The model split is the same as on iPhone, but the older-model Mac pairing instruction also gives you an approximate button-hold time.
For AirPods 1, 2 or 3, or AirPods Pro 1 or 2, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about five seconds, or until the status light flashes white. Watch the light as you hold the button so you can see the pairing cue.
For AirPods 4 or 5, or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case so the status light flashes white. Keep the open case with the earbuds inside next to the Mac during this gesture.
In the Mac's Bluetooth device list, select your AirPods and click Connect. That last click completes the manual pairing action on the computer. If you'd like guided help alongside setup, you can open Apple's pairing instructions (opens in a new tab).
After you set up AirPods with one Apple device, they connect automatically to your other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account. That account condition matters when you're expecting a pair set up on your iPhone to become available on your Mac.
Check that you can actually hear audio
Take the AirPods out of the case and put them in your ears. Open Control Center on your device, then tap or click the AirPlay button. This is where you choose the earbuds for the listening test.
If your AirPods appear in that device list, select them and play audio from your device with its volume turned up. Hearing that audio through the earbuds is the useful result: you've moved from finding the AirPods to using the connection.
When to contact Apple Support
On iPhone or iPad, a Bluetooth control you can't turn on, including a grayed-out setting, is a reason to contact Apple Support. The same applies if you can't connect any Bluetooth accessories to that device. Tell support which of those situations you're seeing so the conversation starts with the right symptom.
Contact Apple Support as well if the accessory manufacturer has confirmed that the accessory works correctly but it still won't connect to your iPhone or iPad. You can use the contact option in Apple's Bluetooth help (opens in a new tab) to get assistance with those conditions.
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