How to Connect AirPods to a Mac

You have AirPods, new or already paired with an iPhone, and want to use them with a Mac. You will put them in pairing mode, connect them in Bluetooth settings, and pick them as the sound output.

Open the case next to the Mac

Put both AirPods in the case and open the lid. Keep the case within a few feet of the Mac. For AirPods Max, take them out of the Smart Case instead.

Hold the setup button until the light flashes white

Press and hold the button on the back of the case until the status light flashes white. Some newer models have no button; double-tap the front of the case instead. On AirPods Max, hold the noise control button. Flashing white means the AirPods are in pairing mode and visible to nearby devices.

Connect in Bluetooth settings

Choose Apple menu, System Settings, then click Bluetooth in the sidebar. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. The AirPods appear under Nearby Devices. Click Connect next to their name. Once connected, they move up to the My Devices list and show as Connected.

Select the AirPods as the sound output

Click Control Center in the menu bar (the icon with two toggle switches), click Sound, and pick the AirPods from the output list. Audio from the Mac now plays through them. The same list is under System Settings, Sound, Output.

Reconnect them next time

For later sessions, put the AirPods in your ears or open the case near the Mac, then choose them from the Sound section of Control Center. You can also click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and click their name. If the Mac was the last device they were used with, they often reconnect on their own.

If the AirPods are already paired with an iPhone. When the Mac is signed in to the same Apple Account as the iPhone, the AirPods appear in the Mac's Bluetooth list automatically, with no pairing needed. Skip straight to choosing them as the sound output.

If Connect does nothing. Close the lid, wait 15 seconds, reopen it, and hold the button again until the light flashes white. If the AirPods are listed but will not connect, hover over them in Bluetooth settings, click the info button, click Forget This Device, and pair again.