The basic process: pairing your AirPods Pro for the first time
AirPods Pro connect to your device through Bluetooth, which is a wireless technology that lets devices talk to each other over short distances. The first time you use them, you need to put them into pairing mode — a state where they're actively looking for a device to connect to — and then tell your device to find them.
Open the case with your AirPods Pro inside. On the back of the case, you'll see a small button. Press and hold it for about 15 seconds until the light inside the case flashes white. That white flashing means the AirPods Pro are now in pairing mode and ready to connect.
On your phone, tablet, or computer, go to the Bluetooth settings. On an iPhone or iPad, this is in Settings > Bluetooth. On an Android phone, it's Settings > Connected devices > Bluetooth or Settings > Bluetooth and device connection > Bluetooth. On a Mac, it's System Settings > Bluetooth. On a Windows computer, it's Settings > Devices > Bluetooth and other devices. Your AirPods Pro should appear in the list of available devices. Tap or click the name "AirPods Pro" to connect.
Key Takeaways
- AirPods Pro use Bluetooth to connect wirelessly, and the first connection requires you to hold the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white.
- Once paired to one device, your AirPods Pro will usually reconnect automatically when you turn them on near that device.
- You can connect the same AirPods Pro to multiple devices, but they actively use only one at a time.
- If your AirPods Pro won't connect, the fastest fix is to forget them from your device's Bluetooth settings and pair them again from scratch.
- The pairing process is the same across iPhones, iPads, Macs, Android phones, and Windows computers — only the menu location changes.
Reconnecting to a device you've already paired
After the first pairing, your AirPods Pro remember your device. The next time you open the case near that device, they'll connect on their own without any button-pressing. You don't need to do anything — just open the case and they'll show up as connected in your Bluetooth settings within a few seconds.
If they don't reconnect automatically, open your Bluetooth settings and look for "AirPods Pro" in the list of paired devices. Tap or click it to manually connect. If it's not in the list at all, that means the pairing was lost and you'll need to pair them again from the beginning.
Switching your AirPods Pro between multiple devices
You can pair your AirPods Pro to as many devices as you want — an iPhone, a Mac, an iPad, an Android phone, all of them. But they can only actively play audio from one device at a time. When you want to switch which device they're using, you have two options.
The easiest way is to start playing audio on the device you want to use. If you start playing music on your Mac while your AirPods Pro are connected to your iPhone, they'll automatically switch to the Mac and stop playing from the iPhone. This works when ready in most cases.
If that doesn't work, you can manually switch by opening the Bluetooth settings on the device you want to use and tapping or clicking "AirPods Pro" to connect. They'll disconnect from whatever device they were using and connect to the new one.
What to do if your AirPods Pro won't connect
The most common reason AirPods Pro won't connect is that the pairing got corrupted — the device and the AirPods Pro remember each other but can't actually talk. The fix is to forget them and pair them again. Go to your Bluetooth settings, find "AirPods Pro" in the list of paired devices, and select "Forget" or "Remove". Then pair them again by holding the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white and selecting them from the Bluetooth menu.
Before you do that, try the simplest fixes first: make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your device's settings, put your AirPods Pro back in the case for 30 seconds, and then open the case again. Sometimes that's all it takes. If your AirPods Pro are completely dead and won't charge, they won't connect at all — plug the case into a USB-C cable and let it charge for at least 15 minutes before trying again.
If you've forgotten them and paired them again and they still won't stay connected, try restarting your device. On an iPhone or iPad, hold down the power button and slide to power off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. On a Mac, click the Apple menu and select Restart. On Android, hold the power button and tap Restart. On Windows, click the Start menu and select Restart. This clears out temporary problems that can interfere with Bluetooth.
Connecting to Android phones and Windows computers
AirPods Pro work with Android phones and Windows computers, but the pairing process is identical to what you'd do with an iPhone or Mac — the only difference is where the Bluetooth menu is located. The pairing itself works the same way: hold the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white, then go to Bluetooth settings and tap "AirPods Pro".
One thing to know: if you're switching between an Apple device and an Android device or Windows computer, you'll need to forget the AirPods Pro from one before they'll reliably connect to the other. This is because they can only actively connect to one device at a time, and sometimes they get confused about which one you want. Forgetting and re-pairing takes about 30 seconds and solves this completely.
Understanding Bluetooth range and why connection drops
Bluetooth has a range of about 30 feet in open space, but walls, metal, and other obstacles can cut that in half. If you walk too far from your device with your AirPods Pro on, they'll disconnect. When you come back into range, they'll reconnect automatically — you don't need to do anything.
If your AirPods Pro keep disconnecting even when you're close to your device, the problem is usually interference from other wireless devices. WiFi routers, microwaves, and other Bluetooth devices in the same room can all cause this. Try moving away from these devices, or if that's not possible, forget your AirPods Pro and pair them again. Sometimes a fresh pairing handles interference better than an old one.
Checking your AirPods Pro battery and connection status
Once your AirPods Pro are connected, you can see their battery level in your device's settings. On an iPhone or iPad, open Control Center by swiping down from the top right, and the battery percentage appears there. On a Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen. On Android, go to Settings > Connected devices > Bluetooth and tap "AirPods Pro". On Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth and other devices and look for your AirPods Pro in the list.
The case itself also has a battery. If the case is dead, your AirPods Pro will run on their own battery but won't charge when you put them back in. The case charges via USB-C — plug it into any USB-C cable and power adapter. A full charge takes about an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use AirPods Pro with both an iPhone and a Mac at the same time?
You can pair them to both, but they only play audio from one at a time. Start playing something on whichever device you want to use, and they'll switch automatically. If you want to switch back, just play audio on the other device.
Why do my AirPods Pro keep disconnecting?
The most common causes are interference from other wireless devices, being too far from your phone, or a corrupted pairing. Try moving closer to your device and away from WiFi routers or microwaves. If that doesn't work, forget them from Bluetooth settings and pair them again.
Do I have to pair my AirPods Pro every time I use them?
No. After the first pairing, they remember your device and reconnect automatically when you open the case near it. You only need to pair them again if the pairing gets lost or if you want to connect them to a different device.
What if my AirPods Pro are paired but won't play sound?
Check that your device's volume isn't muted or turned all the way down. Also make sure the AirPods Pro themselves are selected as the audio output — on an iPhone, swipe down from the top right to open Control Center, tap the audio card at the top, and select your AirPods Pro from the list.
Can I pair AirPods Pro to a non-Apple device like an Android phone?
Yes. The pairing process is exactly the same — hold the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white, then go to Bluetooth settings and select "AirPods Pro". They work with any device that has Bluetooth, though some features like automatic switching between devices only work with Apple products.