How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10

How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10

The AirPods are Apple’s wireless Bluetooth earphones that allow you to connect to your smartphone or laptop and listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.

They’re designed to be paired with just one device, but you can connect them to multiple devices to take advantage of the convenience of wireless listening. Here’s how to pair AirPods with a Dell laptop.

Keep on reading to find out how to connect AirPods to Dell laptops if not from Apple!

Connecting AirPods to your Dell laptop is a pretty simple process. First, make sure that the AirPods have at least 50% charge in them. Then, open the lid and press and hold the button on the back of the case for a few seconds until you see a blinking white light. Then, you need to open the Bluetooth menu on your laptop and select your AirPods. Once you do that, you’ll be good to go!

Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can connect your AirPods to your Dell laptop or any other Windows laptop. 

Step 1: Put your AirPods into their charging case and make sure they have enough charge in them. 

Step 2: Go into the Start menu on your laptop and open Settings. It is the gear icon that you see right above the power options. You could also type “Settings” in the search box of the Start menu, or you could use the Windows + I shortcut directly from your keyboard to open Settings. 

Step 3: When you’re in the Settings menu, navigate to Devices.

Step 4: You will see an option called “Bluetooth & other devices” on the very top. You need to make sure you have the Bluetooth turned on. If you don’t see an option like that, your laptop doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth. In that case, you would need to buy a USB Bluetooth dongle. 

Step 5: Look for the option “Add Bluetooth or other device” at the very top, and click on it.

Step 6: Once you’ve clicked it, you’ll see multiple options popping up. Select “Bluetooth” from there. 

Step 7: Now, open the lid to your AirPods case.

Step 8: You will see a button on the back of the case. Press and hold it for a few seconds or till you see a blinking white light from the charging light. 

Step 9: Check your laptop, and you will see your AirPods appear on the list of devices available to pair with your laptop. If you don’t see it, then wait a few seconds. You might also see a “Headphones” option appear that changes to “AirPods” later. 

Step 10: Click on “AirPods” 

Step 11: If your device is successfully connected to your laptop, you will see a message saying, “Your device is ready to go!” Once you see that, just hit “Done,” and now you have your AirPods connected to your Dell laptop or your Windows laptop in general. 

Test if it works properly by playing audio on your laptop and checking if you can hear what’s playing through your AirPods. 

What You Need to Remember

  • Since the pairing information is stored on your laptop, your AirPods will try to connect to it automatically when it’s turned on unless you connect it to your iPhone or any other devices after. 
  • You won’t be able to use Siri if you’re using your AirPods with your Dell laptop or any other Windows PC. 

Final Words

AirPods are one of the greatest inventions of Apple that everybody loves. It’d be a shame if you couldn’t use them with your laptop. We hope this article helped you learn how to connect AirPods to Dell laptops.

We show you the most effective ways to connect your AirPods to a Windows PC or laptop.

AirPods are designed to work seamlessly with other Apple devices. However, the same cannot be said when you try connecting your AirPods to a Windows laptop or PC.

The problem is, Windows has consistently dominated Apple’s macOS, amassing almost 75% of the Global desktop OS market share from 2013-2021. Given this backdrop, does it mean 75% of global PC users will miss out on AirPods’ features?

Thankfully, not! We’re here to show you some smart workarounds on how you can connect your AirPods to a Windows PC or laptop and get these two seemingly ‘incompatible’ devices to work together. Let’s dive in!

In This Article

  • How to Connect Your AirPods to a Windows PC
  • How to Disconnect Your AirPods From Your Windows PC
  • What to Do When Your AirPods Won’t Connect to PC
  • Conclusion

How to Connect Your AirPods to a Windows PC

While connecting AirPods or AirPods Pro to a Windows PC requires a few additional steps (as compared to your other compatible iOS devices), it’s still fairly simple.

The good news is that, like any other true wireless earphones, AirPods use Bluetooth – meaning that they can connect to other non-Apple devices that have a Bluetooth module. This includes Android, Xbox, and PlayStation.

However, before we get to the details of how to connect AirPods to a Windows computer, it’s worth noting that not every Windows computer has Bluetooth, especially custom-built desktop PCs.

You can check if your PC has Bluetooth by right-clicking on Start > Device Manager and see if there’s an entry for Bluetooth. There, you should find a Bluetooth option listed under Network Connections. If not, it means your device doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth capabilities.

After confirming that your PC has Bluetooth with the latest driver, here’s how you can connect your AirPods or AirPods Pro to your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC:

  1. Check your AirPods battery life by placing them in the case. If the status light is orange or green, it means they still have some juice left.

    The status light is either at the front of the case (AirPods 3rd gen. and Pro) or inside the case in the space between the two earbuds (AirPods 1st & 2nd gen).

    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Putting AirPods back on case
  2. Press and hold the setup button at the back of the case until the status light starts flashing orange and then white. This shows that they’re in pairing mode.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Enable AirPods’ pairing mode
  3. On your PC, open the Windows Start menu at the bottom left corner of the screen and go to Settings.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Going to Windows Settings
  4. Then select Devices.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Selecting ‘Devices’ icon
  5. Click on the Bluetooth & other devices selection on the left sidebar and ensure that Bluetooth is on. Then click on the plus sign at the top of the tab indicating: Add Bluetooth or other devices.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Adding Bluetooth devices
  6. This will take you to the Add a device tab. It will reveal a list of Bluetooth devices that are within range.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    ‘Add a device’ tab
  7. Select your AirPods from the list to pair them with your PC.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Selecting your AirPods from the list.
  8. Click Done and you will receive a message indicating that your AirPods have been connected successfully.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Completing the connection.
  9. Thereafter, you can remove your AirPods from their case and use them as you please.

Remember that some AirPods features might not work when you use them with a Microsoft laptop or a Windows PC. This includes features such as automatic in-ear detection, instant pairing, battery status display, gesture customization, and Siri.

Looking to get the most out of your AirPods? Check out our collection of AirPods tips and tricks to make your life easier.

How to Disconnect Your AirPods From Your Windows PC

Like any other Bluetooth device, you can easily disconnect your AirPods from other devices once you’re done using them. Here’s how you can disconnect your AirPods from a Windows PC:

  1. Go back to Settings from the Windows start menu, then click the ‘Devices’ option.
  2. Select the Bluetooth & other devices option. You will see your AirPods’ name on the right side under Audio.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Find your AirPods under the Audio device selection
  3. Select the AirPods and click on the Remove device button.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Select ‘Remove device’ option.
  4. Confirm your selection by clicking Yes to remove the device.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Confirming device removal

What to Do When Your AirPods Won’t Connect to PC

AirPods aren’t perfect, even when you pair them with iPhones or other Apple devices. So it’s no surprise that there will be some connection issues when you use them with a Windows PC.

But fret not, we’ve rounded up the tried-and-true methods to troubleshoot connection issues between AirPods and Windows PCs.

Disconnect AirPods from Apple devices

When you open the lid on an AirPods case, nearby Apple devices can pick up the signal and connect to them. This will prevent your Windows PC from initiating a pairing process since Bluetooth pairing works on a first-come-first-serve basis.

That said, there’s no chance the manual pairing on Windows can beat Apple’s instant pairing speed.

If you have trouble pairing your AirPods to a Windows PC, try turning off the Bluetooth on all other nearby devices – especially other Apple devices. If you need the Bluetooth on those devices to be in ‘On’ mode, try forgetting your AirPods from them or simply resetting your AirPods.

Run the Windows troubleshooter

Windows’ troubleshooter is a built-in feature that can help you detect potential causes of your Bluetooth connectivity issues. If you’re unsure what causes your AirPods not to connect to Windows, this is your best chance at identifying the problem.

Here’s how you can run the Windows troubleshooter:

  1. Open the Start menu
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Opening Windows Start Menu
  2. Go to Settings > Update & Security (Windows 10) or Settings > System (Windows 11) and click Troubleshoot.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Going to Windows troubleshooter
  3. Click on Other Troubleshooters.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Selecting Other toubleshooters
  4. Select Bluetooth, and click Run the troubleshooter.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Running the troubleshooter for Windows Bluetooth
  5. Wait for Windows to detect the potential problem.
    How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
    Windows Troubleshooter scanning for issues
  6. Apply the recommended fix if necessary.

Here’s an example of a successful Bluetooth troubleshooting dialog. Yours may be different depending on the issue.

How to connect airpods to dell laptop windows 10
An example of a successful Bluetooth troubleshoot dialog

Manual troubleshooting

Windows will likely be able to find any hardware or software-related problems that cause your AirPods to not connect properly to your PC.

But in case it doesn’t, here are several manual troubleshooting measures you can try:

  • Make sure your PC’s Bluetooth is on. You can check this in Settings > Devices > Bluetooth.
  • Ensure that your AirPods have enough charge and that they’ve been updated with the latest firmware.
  • Check whether the Airplane mode is active. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Airplane Mode to verify this.
  • Turn Bluetooth off and on again. Go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices > switch the slider off. Wait for a few seconds, then turn it back on.
  • Update your PC’s Bluetooth driver by following this guide.

While you’re exploring any of these troubleshooting measures, make sure your AirPods are clean and free of debris and earwax build-up, so they don’t throw up glitches when you try to connect them to your Windows computer.

When all else fails, you can always narrow down the issue by testing your AirPods with other devices.

If they work, then the problem lies with your PC or laptop. But if they don’t, there might be underlying issues with your AirPods. In that case, contact Apple support to see if you’re still under warranty and viable for a replacement.

Conclusion

By now, you should be listening to your jam or having an online meeting using AirPods with your Windows PC.

Although they work best with Apple devices, AirPods can connect to most Bluetooth-enabled devices – albeit with some features disabled.

Did you find significant issues when connecting your AirPods to a Windows PC? Or is there any step you think we missed? Let us know in the comments!

How do I connect my AirPods to my Dell laptop?

About This Article.
Open the Action Center..
Right-click the Bluetooth tile and click Go to Settings..
Click the toggle next to "Bluetooth" to turn it on (if it's off)..
Click Add Bluetooth or other device and select Bluetooth..
Put your AirPods into Pairing Mode..
Click your AirPods..
Click Done..

Why won't my AirPods connect to Dell laptop?

You may need to update the Bluetooth driver on your computer but you will need to check with your IT people to see if you can do this. And your IT people may be blocking pairing with BT devices.