This article describes how to connect AirPods to a MacBook Air in order to produce a lightweight, portable pair of headphones for mobile work and audio listening.
How to Connect Your AirPods to a MacBook Air
The process of connecting AirPods to a MacBook Air is rather straightforward. With a few mouse clicks and button taps, you’ll be listening to Bluetooth audio in no time at all. Here’s what you should do:
Tip: This section should be skipped if you’ve already connected these AirPods to an iPhone and the iPhone and MacBook Air are both logged into the same iCloud account. If this is the case, go to the next section. Hopefully, the AirPods are already connected to the Mac. Simply place the AirPods in your ears, select Bluetooth from the menu bar, select the AirPods from the list, and then select Connect.
1. In the upper-left corner of your screen, select the Apple menu, then System Preferences.
2. Click Bluetooth.
3. Turn Bluetooth on by selecting it from the drop-down menu. Keep this window open for the remainder of the procedure.
4. Open the cover of the charging case while both AirPods are still in it. Press and hold the button on the AirPods case until the status light on the device begins to flash.
5. The AirPods will be shown in the Bluetooth preferences window at a moment’s notice. To connect, press the Connect button.
6. In a matter of seconds, the AirPods will be connected to your MacBook Air, and you’ll be able to listen to audio files on your computer.
Tip: You won’t need to repeat all of these procedures in order to utilise the AirPods with your MacBook Air in the future. Simply insert the AirPods into your ears, select Bluetooth from the Bluetooth menu in the top right corner of the screen, select the AirPods from the list, and then select Connect.
Can You Connect Two Pairs of AirPods to One MacBook Air?
Do you have a friend who is interested in hearing what you’re listening to? Two pairs of AirPods can be connected to a single MacBook Air through the Lightning connector. To accomplish this, repeat the steps outlined in the previous section to connect both pairs of AirPods to the MacBook Air.
Things are about to get a little more tricky. An other solution is required because the macOS operating system does not permit audio output to two pairs of AirPods. Here’s what you should do:
1. Audio MIDI Setup can be found under Finder > Utilities > and launched from there.
2. Select Create Multi–Output Device from the drop-down menu after clicking the Plus sign.
3. Check the box next to the two pairs of AirPods to confirm your purchase. Select your AirPods from the drop-down menu for the Master Device. Check the Drift Correction box next to your friend’s AirPods to see whether they need to be adjusted.
4. Make your way to the Apple menu, System Preferences, Sound, Multi-Output Device, and save your changes. After that, the audio from the MacBook Air is transmitted to both pairs of AirPods.
Why Won’t My AirPods Connect to My MacBook Air?
If you’ve followed the instructions in this article and your AirPods still won’t connect to your MacBook Air, or if you’re not hearing audio from them, try the following steps to resolve the problem:
- Bluetooth can be turned on and off. To turn on Bluetooth, go to the Bluetooth menu in the top right corner of the screen, select Turn Off Bluetooth, and then click Turn On Bluetooth.
- Remove the AirPods from your ears and reconnect them. Set up your AirPods a second time by selecting the Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth > hovering your cursor over the AirPods and clicking the X.
- AirPods should be charged. In order to recharge the Apple AirPods, place them in their case and plug them into a computer or a power adapter (not included).
- Take a look at our other AirPods troubleshooting recommendations: What is causing my AirPods to not connect? as well as how to fix AirPods that aren’t working properly.