You can pair two AirPods to the same Mac, but only one will play audio at a time
Your Mac can remember multiple AirPods in its Bluetooth settings, but macOS does not support simultaneous audio output to two different Bluetooth devices. If you pair a second set of AirPods, your Mac will connect to whichever one you turned on most recently. The other set will disconnect automatically. This is a hardware limitation of how macOS handles Bluetooth audio, not a setting you can change.
If you want two people to hear the same audio from one Mac at the same time, you have different options depending on what you are trying to do. Some of those options work well; others require workarounds that feel clunky.
Key Takeaways
- macOS connects to only one Bluetooth audio device at a time, so a second set of AirPods will automatically disconnect when you turn them on.
- Sharing audio with a second person requires either AirPlay to a HomePod, a wired headphone splitter, or pairing one set of AirPods to a different device.
- You can pair multiple AirPods to your Mac in System Settings, but doing so does not let both play simultaneously.
- If both people need independent audio control, connecting each AirPods to a separate device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) is the most reliable approach.
How to pair a second set of AirPods to your Mac
Open System Settings and go to Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Put your second set of AirPods in pairing mode by holding the setup button on the back of the case until the light flashes white. Your Mac will detect them and show them in the list. Click "Connect" next to the AirPods name.
Once paired, both sets will appear in your Bluetooth settings. However, when you turn on the second set, your Mac will disconnect from the first set automatically. You can manually reconnect the first set by clicking them in Bluetooth settings, but only one will output audio at any given moment. Switching between them means disconnecting one and connecting the other.
Using AirPlay to send audio to multiple speakers at once
If you have a HomePod or HomePod mini, you can use AirPlay to send audio from your Mac to multiple speakers simultaneously. This works for music, podcasts, and system audio. Click the volume icon in the menu bar, hold Option, and click "Volume" to open the full audio menu. Select "Multi-speaker audio" and check the boxes next to each speaker or HomePod you want to use.
This approach works well if both people are sitting near speakers, but it does not work with AirPods directly — only with HomePods, Apple TVs, and other AirPlay-compatible devices. If you only have AirPods and no HomePod, this option is not available to you.
Connecting each AirPods to a different device
The most straightforward way to let two people use AirPods simultaneously is to pair each set to a different device. One person uses AirPods connected to the Mac, and the other person uses AirPods connected to an iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. Each device controls its own audio independently, and both can play at the same time.
This works perfectly if both people are watching or listening to the same content on the same app — for example, both watching a YouTube video on the Mac while one person's AirPods are connected to their iPhone instead. The audio will be slightly out of sync depending on the app, but for casual watching it is usually not noticeable.
Using a wired headphone splitter as a workaround
If your Mac has a 3.5mm headphone jack (older models only), you can use a passive audio splitter to run two sets of wired headphones from one jack. This does not work with AirPods directly, but you could use it with wired headphones or with Bluetooth adapters designed for that purpose.
Most modern Macs do not have a headphone jack, so this option applies only to older MacBook Air or MacBook Pro models from before 2016. If your Mac uses USB-C or Thunderbolt, you would need a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter first, which adds another layer of complexity. For most people, this approach is more trouble than it is worth.
Why macOS does not support dual Bluetooth audio output
The Bluetooth standard itself supports connecting multiple audio devices to one computer, but macOS is designed to output to only one Bluetooth audio device at a time. Apple made this choice to keep the user experience straightforward and to avoid audio conflicts or latency issues that can happen when multiple Bluetooth devices compete for bandwidth.
Windows computers have the same limitation with most Bluetooth audio devices, though some third-party software can work around it. On macOS, there is no built-in setting or third-party app that reliably enables simultaneous Bluetooth audio output to two different devices. If you need this feature, your best options remain AirPlay to multiple speakers or connecting each person to a separate device.
Checking which AirPods are currently connected
Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar to see which AirPods (or other audio device) your Mac is currently connected to. A checkmark appears next to the active device. If you have multiple AirPods paired, you will see all of them listed, but only the one with the checkmark is receiving audio.
To switch to a different set of AirPods, click on them in the Bluetooth menu. Your Mac will disconnect from the current set and connect to the one you selected. This takes a few seconds. If you want to disconnect AirPods entirely without switching to another device, click the X next to their name, but this removes them from your paired devices list — you will have to pair them again the next time you want to use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use AirPods Pro and regular AirPods on the same Mac at the same time?
No. macOS treats all AirPods the same way — only one set can output audio at a time, regardless of which model they are. Switching between them requires manually disconnecting one and connecting the other through Bluetooth settings.
Will connecting two AirPods to one Mac drain the battery faster?
Pairing two sets of AirPods to your Mac does not affect battery drain on either set. Only the AirPods that are actively connected and playing audio will use battery. The other set will go into standby mode and use minimal power.
What if I want to watch a movie with someone and both hear the audio through AirPods?
The easiest way is to have one person use AirPods connected to the Mac and the other person use AirPods connected to their own iPhone or iPad. Both devices can play the same video, and both will hear audio simultaneously. Alternatively, if you have a HomePod, you can use AirPlay to send audio to the HomePod while one person wears AirPods connected to the Mac.
Can I pair AirPods Max to my Mac along with regular AirPods?
Yes, you can pair both to your Mac in Bluetooth settings. However, only one will connect and play audio at a time. When you turn on the AirPods Max, your Mac will disconnect from the regular AirPods automatically.
Does using a Bluetooth splitter app work on Mac?
No reliable Bluetooth audio splitter app exists for macOS. Some apps claim to split audio, but they typically only duplicate audio to multiple speakers through AirPlay, not to multiple Bluetooth devices. For actual Bluetooth splitting, you would need to use separate devices or AirPlay-compatible speakers.