If you own a Dell laptop and recently acquired a pair of AirPods, then you’re probably wondering how to connect the two devices. While it’s true that AirPods are designed to work seamlessly with Apple products, they also work well with Windows laptops. So, what’s the best way to connect AirPods to your laptop?
To connect your AirPods to your Dell laptop, start by charging the AirPods. Then, enable Bluetooth settings on your laptop and pairing mode on your AirPods. Place your AirPods in your ears. Finally, select your AirPods from the laptop’s Bluetooth & other devices menu page.
Connecting AirPods to a non-Apple device like a Dell laptop may not be as intuitive as it could be, but once you figure out the right steps, you’ll be jamming out in no time. Let’s take a closer look at the process and some troubleshooting tips in case you hit a snag.
How to Connect AirPods to a Dell Laptop
Like any other truly wireless earphones on the market, the Apple AirPods (on Amazon) use Bluetooth, which means they can connect to most other non-Apple devices that have Bluetooth.
Since all of the latest Dell laptops support Bluetooth, you shouldn’t have a problem connecting your AirPods to them. If, for some reason, your Dell laptop doesn’t support Bluetooth, you can attach a Bluetooth dongle (on Amazon) to your USB port in order to connect your AirPods to your laptop.
Once you’ve established that your laptop has Bluetooth capabilities (or the appropriate adapter), proceed with the following steps:
Step 1: Charge AirPods and Case
First, you’ll need to charge your AirPods and case fully to get a stable Bluetooth connection. Otherwise, they’ll keep on stuttering, or they might not connect to your laptop at all.
Check that the battery is full. If it isn’t, place your AirPods in the charging case and wait until they’re fully charged.
Step 2: Enable Bluetooth Settings on Your Laptop
To enable Bluetooth on your laptop, open the Action Center menu by pressing “Windows + A” on your keyboard. Right-click on the Bluetooth icon and click “Go to Settings.”
Alternatively, you can enable Bluetooth by pressing “Windows + I” to open Windows settings, then go to “Devices” and select “Bluetooth & other devices.” Toggle on Bluetooth and a notification will inform you that your laptop is now discoverable.
Step 3: Enable Pairing Mode on Your AirPods
Once you’ve confirmed that your AirPods are fully charged, find the button on the back of the charging case and press it until the light flashes white. Your AirPods are now in Pairing Mode. Take them out of the charging case and place them in your ears.
Step 4: Pair
On your laptop’s Bluetooth & other devices menu page, click “Add Bluetooth & other devices” next to a plus sign above the Bluetooth toggle. All available Bluetooth devices within range, including your AirPods, will show up in the list. Select your AirPods from the list and click “Pair.”
When your AirPods establish a connection with your laptop, you’ll hear a ding or beeping sound.
Adjust the audio input settings if audio still plays from your laptop’s speaker instead of the AirPods after pairing. Go to your Windows taskbar and click the speaker icon to open the Sound Control Panel. In the drop-down menu, select “Headphones” and choose your AirPods as the default audio device.
Troubleshooting Tips
In some cases, your AirPods may fail to connect with your laptop due for a few different reasons. Thankfully, there are troubleshooting techniques you can try that can get them working properly in no time. They include:
Ensure Your AirPods Are Fully Charged
If your AirPods have a low battery, they won’t work properly. So, make sure you charge them fully before pairing them with your laptop.
Check if Bluetooth Is Turned On
Before trying out more complex troubleshooting techniques, check whether Bluetooth is on, and that the laptop is not in Airplane Mode. Sometimes the problem isn’t as complicated as you think. You can confirm if Bluetooth is on by going to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth.
If Bluetooth is on yet there’s no connection, you can turn it off and then on again after a few minutes to see if it sorts out the issue.
Disconnect Your AirPods From Nearby Apple Devices
When you open the lid of your AirPods case, nearby Apple devices may pick up the signal and connect to them. Since Bluetooth pairing works on a first-come-first-serve basis, and manual pairing on Windows doesn’t stand a chance against Apple’s instant pairing speed, your AirPods will automatically connect with the Apple device.
Therefore, it’s best to turn off Bluetooth on all other nearby devices — especially Apple devices. And if you want Bluetooth on those other devices to remain on while using your AirPods, click on the option to forget your AirPods on those devices.
Restart Your Laptop
Restarting your Dell laptop is an easy fix that usually resolves many issues and can quickly straighten out this hitch. Go to the start menu, click on the Power icon, and select “Restart.”
Run the Windows Troubleshooter
The issue may originate from your laptop and not your AirPods. You can try running Windows troubleshooter to resolve the issue if that’s the case. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings and select “Updates & Security” (Settings > “System” on Windows 11).
- Click “Troubleshoot,” select “Bluetooth,” and click “Run the troubleshooter.”
- Wait for Windows to detect the possible issue. After a few minutes, you may receive recommendations to fix the problem. Apply the recommended fix and see if it works.
Update Your Laptop’s Bluetooth Driver
An outdated or incompatible driver is one of the major causes of Bluetooth connection problems. You can update your laptop’s Bluetooth driver manually with these steps:
- Open Settings and click on “Updates & Security.”
- Select “Windows Update” and click on “Check for updates.” (If there are no available updates, there won’t be an option to check for updates).
- Select “View optional updates” and click on “Driver updates.”
- Choose Bluetooth from the list and then click “Download and install.”
If you need help finding a new Bluetooth driver, visit Dell’s website and download the latest Bluetooth driver there.
Reset Your AirPods
If none of the above troubleshooting tips worked, you might have to reset your AirPods and pair them with your laptop afresh. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to Settings on your laptop.
- Select “Bluetooth” and click “Forget this device” next to your AirPods.
- Put the AirPods back in their case, close the lid, and wait for around 30 seconds.
- Open the lid, then press and hold the pair button on the back of the case until the status light flashes amber a few times, followed by constantly flashing white.
- You should now be able to connect your AirPods to your Dell laptop.