How to Connect Your AirPods to Your Mac, MacBook Pro & MacBook Air

Pair your AirPods with your Mac to easily tune into video calls, podcasts, and music.

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By Ashleigh Page
May 27, 2021

If you’ve recently purchased (or been gifted!) a pair of AirPods, you’re probably wondering how to set up your AirPods to pair with your Apple computer. We’ll walk you through how to connect your AirPods to your Mac computer. Let’s get started!

Here's how to connect your AirPods to your computer:

  1. Click the Bluetooth icon at the top of your computer screen.
  2. Select Open Bluetooth Preferences. Open Bluetooth preferences to pair your AirPods to your Mac
  3. With your AirPods still in the case, open the lid.
  4. Press and hold the button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white. This will put your AirPods in pairing mode. Press button on the back of case to put AirPods in pairing mode
  5. In the Bluetooth menu you've jst opened on your Mac, click the Connect button next to your AirPods in the device list. Press Connect on Bluetooth Preferences to pair AirPods to Mac computer.

Related: Apple AirPods Guide: How To Connect (Pair), Set Up, Charge, Use AirPod Controls & More

Your AirPods are now paired with your Mac! If you’d like, you can also learn how to make your AirPods louder or change your AirPods default settings. To change your AirPods default settings, click the Bluetooth icon, select Open Bluetooth Preferences, and click the Options button next to your AirPods. This will allow you to enable skipping to the next track or pausing your music with a quick double-tap on your AirPods.

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Ashleigh Page

Ashleigh Page is an Associate Editor for iPhone Life. A longtime Apple enthusiast with a Bachelor's in English and Computer Science and three years of experience writing about tech, Ashleigh has written and tested hundreds of articles about devices and features within Apple's ecosystem. She specializes in iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Mac content and has authored a 60-page in-depth guide about the Apple Maps app. Based in North Carolina, Ashleigh is often crafting whimsical (and sometimes nonsensical) short stories and hiking when she's not working.
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