Can You Connect AirPods To Two Devices At Once? Here's What You Need To Know

There's no denying that AirPods are the best wireless earbuds for your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. With Apple-exclusive features like location finding, control customization, and automatic in-ear detection, they make the experience a lot smoother for Apple users.

But while AirPods are indeed most compatible with Apple devices, at the end of the day, they're still just Bluetooth earbuds. This means you can readily connect them to any other Bluetooth-enabled source out there. AirPods can work with Android phones, non-macOS computers, and even smart TVs.

The question now, though, is: can you connect your AirPods to two different devices at the same time? Maybe you have an iPhone and an iPad and want to use the earbuds with both. Or perhaps you prefer to borrow your significant other's AirPods instead of buying your own.

The short answer to that is yes: AirPods can be paired with two or more devices at once. They'll still only work for one device at a time, but you won't have to repeat the pairing process after each use. But how exactly would this look if you were using two Apple devices versus two random ones with different operating systems?

AirPods will work flawlessly with two other Apple products, especially if they are signed into the same Apple ID. All you need to do is pair them to each of your devices — hold the open charging case next to your iPhone or iPad and follow the prompt that appears. If you have a Mac and paired the AirPods to your iPhone first, they should automatically connect without any extra steps.

Once paired, your devices will remember the AirPods and connect to them right away the next time you use them. If they don't, you can go to your Bluetooth settings, where you should find the AirPods as an available option. Besides quick connection, using the AirPods with two Apple devices you own also means you get to enjoy one of the best hidden AirPods features – automatic device switching. All models, except for the AirPods 1, can transfer audio to any other Apple device with the same Apple ID.

Here's how it works: Say you're watching YouTube on your iPhone, then decide you're more in the mood to listen to an audiobook on your Apple Watch. As soon as you play the audiobook, your AirPods will disconnect from the phone and switch to your watch. You won't need to connect it manually. If you change your mind, you can easily move back to your iPhone by hitting the back arrow that appears on your handset.

If you're not a fan of automatic device switching (it can be annoying and disruptive at times), you can turn it off. Launch Settings, open Bluetooth, and press the info icon to the right of your AirPods. Then, go to "Connect to this [device]" and choose "When last connected" instead of Automatically.

So you want to pair the same AirPods to two Apple devices, but they use different Apple IDs — maybe your other device is a work phone, or you're just borrowing your sister's AirPods. In this case, the process is a bit different. You'll still need to pair the two devices to your AirPods as you normally would, but unlike devices with the same Apple ID, the AirPods won't automatically switch to the other device. This means you'll have to do so manually.

On iPhone or iPad, long-press on "Bluetooth" from the Control Center and choose "AirPods." If you have an Apple Watch, start playing the audio you want to listen to, then select your AirPods from the list. For Mac computers, press the Bluetooth icon at the top and click on AirPods. Finally, on Apple TV, wait for the AirPods to pop up, then hit the TV button on the remote.

Depending on what devices you're using, automatic connection (where the AirPods automatically connect to the mobile device, computer, or TV they were last used with) may or may not work. We've personally tested this on an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 7, and AirPods 2. The AirPods automatically connected to the iPhone 15 Pro but wouldn't do so on the iPhone 7. We had to tap on it from the Bluetooth menu.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the original owner of the AirPods (the first Apple ID it was linked to) would always get access to the earbuds' location. Having said that, if you ever move away from the owner's device, you'll get notified about it, and the owner can track the AirPods' location on the Find My app.

The beauty of AirPods is that they aren't completely exclusive to Apple devices. You can use your AirPods with PCs, Linux computers, Android, and any other non-Apple operating system. For instance, you can pair them to an iPhone and a Windows PC simultaneously or have your AirPods connect to two Android phones.

As usual, you'll need to pair the AirPods to every device before use. The process is the same for Apple devices if you'll be using one. For other devices, though, follow these steps to get your AirPods paired:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your Android, Windows, or Linux system.
2. Go to your device's Bluetooth pairing screen.
3. Activate the AirPods' pairing mode:
4. For AirPods 1 to 2 and both AirPods Pro models: Open the charging case and long-press on the back button.
5. For AirPods 4 models: Open the lid and double-tap the invisible button on the front.
6. For AirPods Max: Hold down on the noise control button.
7. Back on your device, tap "AirPods" when it appears on your available Bluetooth list.

The AirPods should then connect to your non-Apple device, and you can now use them to listen to music and watch movies. When you want to transfer to a different device, you'll have to select the AirPods from the Bluetooth settings manually (applicable for both Apple and non-Apple products). Auto device switching, unfortunately, doesn't work. You also won't get other Apple-exclusive AirPods features.

What works in this case, though, is the auto-connection feature. Whenever you use your AirPods, they will automatically connect to the last device used, regardless of whether it was your iPhone, Windows PC, or Android phone. The AirPods will connect right out of the case, so you won't have to bother doing so manually.