To connect AirPods to Windows 10, put them in their case, open the lid, and press and hold the button on the back until the light flashes white. On AirPods 4 and newer, double-tap the front of the case instead. Then go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth, and select your AirPods. The same steps work for most wireless earbuds.
Applies to: Windows 10. Keep in mind that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Security updates now come only through the Extended Security Updates program, which stops on October 12, 2027.
Your PC needs Bluetooth. Most laptops have it built in. Desktop PCs may need a USB Bluetooth adapter.
Put the earbuds in pairing mode
- AirPods (1st to 3rd generation) and AirPods Pro 1 or 2: Put both earbuds in the case and open the lid. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 5 seconds, until the status light flashes white.
- AirPods 4 and newer, and AirPods Pro 3: These cases have no button on the back. With the earbuds inside and the lid open, double-tap the front of the case until the status light flashes white.
- AirPods Max: Press and hold the listening mode button for about 5 seconds, until the status light flashes white.
- Other earbuds: Check the maker’s instructions. Many go into pairing mode when you hold the case button or both earbuds’ touch areas.
Pair them with Windows 10
- Select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices.
- Turn Bluetooth on, then select Add Bluetooth or other device.
- Select Bluetooth.
- Select your earbuds when they appear in the list. Then select Done.
Next time, open the case near the PC. They usually reconnect on their own. If not, select them under Audio in Bluetooth settings and select Connect.
Send sound to the earbuds
Select the speaker icon on the taskbar, then the output name at the top of the menu, and choose your earbuds. For calls, pick them as the input device too in Settings > System > Sound.
If they won’t pair or sound is poor
- They don’t appear in the list. Put them back in pairing mode and keep the case open near the PC.
- They paired but won’t connect. Remove the device and pair again.
- Sound is choppy or tinny during calls. When the microphone is in use, Bluetooth earbuds switch to a lower-quality mode. Use a separate mic for calls if this bothers you.
- Bluetooth is missing or not working. Work through the fixes for Bluetooth problems in Windows 10, or update the Bluetooth driver.
- Only one earbud plays. Put both earbuds in the case, close the lid for 15 seconds, and open it again near the PC. Also check that the audio balance is centered in the earbuds’ sound properties.
- They still won’t pair. Reset them, remove them from the PC, and pair again. On models with a setup button, hold it for about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber, then white. For AirPods 4 and newer, follow Apple’s reset steps for your model.
- Sound cuts out. Stay within about 10 meters of the PC, with no walls in between. On a desktop, a USB Bluetooth adapter works better on a front port or a short USB extension cable than behind the case.
Frequently asked questions
Do AirPods features work on Windows?
Listening, calls, and the play and pause controls work. Features that depend on Apple devices, like automatic switching between your devices, don’t.
Can I use AirPods on a PC and a phone?
Yes, but they connect to one at a time. Connect them from Bluetooth settings on whichever device you want to use.
Can I turn noise cancellation on or off from Windows?
Not in Windows settings. On AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, press and hold the stem to switch modes. Changes to what the controls do have to be made from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but they still work when you use the AirPods with your PC.
Why do my AirPods show up twice in Windows?
Windows lists one entry for listening in high quality and another, called Headset or Hands-Free, for calls with the mic. Choose the first for music and videos, and the Headset entry when you need the mic.
Microsoft’s general pairing steps are in Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
To tell several headsets apart, you can rename a Bluetooth device in Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.