The most common reason AirPods disconnect is that Bluetooth is turned off on your device, or your AirPods are paired to a different device

AirPods fail to connect for a handful of specific reasons, and most of them take under five minutes to fix. The problem is almost always one of these: Bluetooth is off, your AirPods are paired to a different device, the connection needs to be reset, or the AirPods battery is dead. This guide walks you through each one in order, starting with the fastest checks.

Start with the simplest fixes first — turning on Bluetooth and checking whether your AirPods are in range. If that does not work, move through the remaining steps in order. Most people find the answer by the time they reach the forget-and-re-pair step.

Key Takeaways

  • Check that Bluetooth is turned on in your device's settings — this is the single most common reason AirPods won't connect.
  • If your AirPods are paired to another device (like your Mac or iPad), they will not connect to your phone until you switch them over.
  • Forgetting the AirPods in your device's Bluetooth settings and re-pairing them fixes most connection problems that survive the first two checks.
  • If your AirPods still won't connect after these steps, the battery may be dead — place them in the charging case for at least 15 minutes.
  • A factory reset of your AirPods (holding the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds) solves persistent problems, but you will need to pair them again from scratch.

Check that Bluetooth is on and your device is in range

Before anything else, verify that Bluetooth is actually turned on. On an iPhone or iPad, swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center. Look for the Bluetooth icon — it looks like a sideways triangle made of dots. If it is greyed out, tap it to turn Bluetooth on. Wait a few seconds, then check whether your AirPods appear in the list of available devices.

AirPods need to be within about 30 feet of your device to connect. If you are farther away than that, move closer and try again. If Bluetooth was already on and your AirPods still do not appear, move to the next step.

Switch your AirPods from another device

AirPods can only connect to one device at a time. If you have used them with your Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch recently, they are probably still paired to that device and will not connect to your phone. To switch them over, open the AirPods case near your phone (but do not put them in your ears yet). Your phone should show a popup asking whether you want to connect. Tap "Connect" and wait for the popup to disappear.

If you do not see a popup, open Settings on your phone, tap Bluetooth, and look for your AirPods in the list. Tap the information icon (a small circle with an "i") next to your AirPods name, then tap "Forget This Device." Close the case, wait five seconds, and open it again near your phone. The connection popup should appear this time.

Forget and re-pair your AirPods

If your AirPods are already paired to the correct device but still will not connect, forgetting them and pairing again usually fixes the problem. On your phone, go to Settings, tap Bluetooth, find your AirPods in the list, tap the information icon next to them, and select "Forget This Device." Confirm by tapping "Forget" again.

Now close your AirPods case and wait 10 seconds. Open the case near your phone — a white popup should appear on your screen asking you to connect. Tap "Connect" and wait for the status to change to "Connected." This process resets the connection without erasing any of your phone's other settings.

Charge your AirPods if the battery is dead

If your AirPods will not connect and you have not charged them in several days, the battery is likely dead. Place both AirPods in the charging case and close the lid. Leave them there for at least 15 minutes. The case itself needs to be plugged in — if the case battery is also dead, plug the case into power using the Lightning cable (or USB-C cable on newer models) and wait 30 minutes.

After charging, open the case near your phone. You should see the connection popup. If you do not, try the forget-and-re-pair steps above. A completely dead battery sometimes leaves the AirPods in a state where they need to be re-paired even after charging.

Restart your phone or other device

If you have tried the steps above and your AirPods still will not connect, restart the device you are trying to connect to. On an iPhone, hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag it to turn off the phone, wait 10 seconds, then hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.

On an iPad, hold the top button and either volume button until the slider appears, then follow the same process. Once your device restarts, open your AirPods case near it and try to connect again. Restarting clears temporary connection problems that the forget-and-re-pair step did not catch.

Factory reset your AirPods as a last step

If your AirPods still will not connect after all the steps above, a factory reset will clear any deeper problem. Place both AirPods in the charging case and close the lid. Find the small button on the back of the case and hold it down for 15 seconds. The light inside the case will flash amber, then white — when it flashes white, release the button. Your AirPods are now reset to factory settings.

Open the case near your phone and the connection popup should appear. Tap "Connect" and complete the pairing process. This erases the AirPods' memory of all previously paired devices, so if you use them with multiple devices, you will need to pair them again to each one. If they still will not connect after a factory reset, the AirPods themselves may have a hardware problem and should be checked by Apple Support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my AirPods keep disconnecting even though they are paired?

Constant disconnecting usually means the battery is low, Bluetooth interference is nearby, or the connection needs to be reset. Try charging your AirPods fully first. If that does not work, forget and re-pair them using the steps above. If disconnecting happens in a specific location, try moving to a different room — microwaves, routers, and other wireless devices can interfere with Bluetooth.

Can I connect my AirPods to two devices at the same time?

No, AirPods can only be actively connected to one device at a time. However, they can be paired to multiple devices. To switch between them, open your AirPods case near the device you want to use, and the connection popup will appear. Tap "Connect" to switch over.

What if my AirPods are lost and I need to pair new ones?

Open the case of your new AirPods near your phone and the pairing popup will appear automatically. Tap "Connect" and follow the on-screen steps. If you previously owned AirPods, your phone may try to reconnect to the old ones — if that happens, tap "Not Your AirPods" and continue with the new pairing.

Do I need to unpair my AirPods before selling them?

Yes. Go to Settings, tap Bluetooth, find your AirPods, tap the information icon, and select "Forget This Device." Then perform a factory reset by holding the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the light flashes white. This removes all your information and returns them to factory settings.