How to Set Up Your New AirPods - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Set Up Your New AirPods

by

AirPods, introduced last December, are Apple's completely wire-free earphones that have a W1 chip inside for simple pairing between devices.

AirPods work like magic, and while they're easy to set up, the process may not be intuitive to all users who received AirPods this Christmas, so we thought we'd share some quick, easy to digest instructions.

AirPods duo

  1. Remove the AirPods from the packaging.
  2. Leave the AirPods in AirPods case.
  3. Power on your iPhone or iPad, unlock it, and go to the Home screen (aka the main app screen).
  4. Open up the lid to your AirPods case.
  5. Hold the AirPods case with open lid next to your iPhone or ‌iPad‌.
  6. Your iOS device will recognize the AirPods and you'll see a popup to connect your AirPods.airpodsnotconnected
  7. Tap "Connect."
  8. You'll be instructed to press and hold on the back button of the AirPods case.airpodsholdbutton
  9. Press it for a few seconds, and the popup on your iPhone will change to "Connecting."
  10. When the connection is complete, the popup will display the battery life for both the AirPods and the case.airpodsconnected

That's all there is to it. Once this setup process has been completed, your AirPods will re-pair to your iOS device whenever you open up the case lid. This re-pairing process takes just a few seconds, so your AirPods are essentially ready to go whenever you pull them out.

Your AirPods are linked to your iCloud account, so once you pair them with one device, your other devices know they exist. You can switch connections between your devices through the standard Bluetooth settings options, where AirPods will be listed on any device that you're signed into with your ‌iCloud‌ account.

airpodsbluetoothmenu
On iOS devices, go to Settings --> Bluetooth and tap "AirPods." On a Mac, click on the Bluetooth icon in the status bar, choose AirPods, and then select "Connect." On Apple TV, open up the Settings app, choose "Video and Audio," scroll down to "Audio," select "Audio Output" and choose AirPods.

On iOS devices, you can also use the Now Playing widget in Control Center to select AirPods, and on ‌Apple TV‌, you can hold down the Home button on the main ‌Apple TV‌ screen to bring up a shortcut to audio options.

Update: As some MacRumors forum members have pointed out, when pairing with an iOS device signed into your ‌iCloud‌ account, the step involving a button press may not be necessary. In this situation, the AirPods should be ready to pair after opening the case near an iPhone or ‌iPad‌.

Top Rated Comments

113 months ago
Do you actually need to hold the button on the AirPods case to connect them initially? I can’t remember I had to press it the first time I connected them with my iPhone. Ever since I performed a reset, I had to press it.
No, it is not needed. The button is there for connecting to non-Apple devices.
The author should read the manual for AirPods first, then write a guide.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pezboy Avatar
113 months ago
Why the hell do we need a set up guide?? This whole article should be, open airpods. Aaaaaannnnd done
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firewire9000 Avatar
113 months ago
I appreciate the article but the information shown here is incorrect. You don’t need to press the button. In fact, these steps are for when the AirPods are previously connected to other devices.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
113 months ago
.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMRJIJ Avatar
113 months ago
Eek... will not buy
Never make a purchase decision based on some random guy on a tech forum.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
113 months ago
Tough crowd.

Or... Thanks for spending your xmas morn posting these articles, MR. :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday August 20, 2026 8:00 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. As usual, the iPhone event is expected to take place in the first half of September. Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to...
macOS 27 next to MacBook Pro Running macOS 27

macOS Golden Gate Marks the End of an Era

Thursday August 20, 2026 2:19 pm PDT by
macOS 27 Golden Gate is not compatible with any Macs with Intel processors, marking the end of an era. The update, which is currently in beta ahead of a release later this year, is limited to Apple silicon Macs with an M1 chip or newer. Last year, Apple said that macOS 26 Tahoe would be the final macOS release compatible with Intel-based Macs, so this was an expected development. Intel...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple Says CarPlay Ultra is Coming to These Vehicle Brands

Wednesday August 19, 2026 12:53 pm PDT by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. More than a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change in the foreseeable future. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. ...