AirPods are amazing wireless audio accessories that are easy to use in the Apple ecosystem. Unfortunately for non-Apple users, AirPods can sometimes have intermittent connectivity with devices like Windows PC. This can be especially frustrating if it happens at the worst times, like during work calls, intense movie scenes, or important online classes. In this guide, we’ll explain why your AirPods won’t stay connected to your PC and share several practical solutions to help you solve this problem. Read on to find out how!
Check Your AirPods’ Battery Levels
Although AirPods are identical, sometimes one earbud may run out of power and disconnect before the other. This occurs if you often use the ‘double-tap to skip a song’ or ‘activate Siri’ function on one earbud. These actions consume more power and drain the respective earbud’s battery faster, thus affecting its ability to maintain a stable Bluetooth connection. Incidentally, this also causes connection drops with other iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, so check that your AirPods are sufficiently charged to ensure this doesn’t happen. Here’s how to do just that using an iOS device:
Check and Upgrade Your AirPods Firmware
Apple sometimes releases firmware updates that activate new features and help fix old bugs. If you’re running outdated firmware on your AirPods, it can cause technical glitches, such as audio distortion and dropped disconnections. To avoid this, update your AirPods’ firmware version. Here’s how:
Factory Reset Your AirPods
If you’re still experiencing persistent connection problems, you can factory reset your AirPods. This reverts them to their original “out of the box” settings. It also removes the history of previous pairings and fixes errors and bugs. Here’s how to factory reset your AirPods with an iOS device:
Toggle Your PC’s Bluetooth Function Off and On
Sometimes your PC’s Bluetooth may stop working correctly, leading to a spotty connection. Simply restarting your PC’s Bluetooth should help solve this error. Here’s what you do:
Restart Your PC
Other times, bugs or errors such as high CPU usage can cause certain processes or settings like your Bluetooth to lag or crash. Fortunately, restarting your PC is a common way to fix such problems. Here are the steps:
Run Bluetooth Troubleshooter
If you’re still experiencing connection issues after restarting your PC, try running the Windows Bluetooth Troubleshooter. It can help identify and fix common Bluetooth connectivity issues. Here’s how to activate it:
Update Windows Software
Microsoft periodically releases updates and patches for Windows, which can help fix bugs and issues. An older version of Windows might make you susceptible to errors affecting your Bluetooth’s performance, so it’s best to always update it. Here’s how:
Update Bluetooth Drivers
Outdated or incompatible Bluetooth drivers on your PC can cause system slowdowns that impact Bluetooth connectivity. Usually, this is another common cause of your AirPods’ connection problems. To avoid this, update your PC’s Bluetooth drivers using the following steps:
Remove All Other Bluetooth Devices
Sometimes, other Bluetooth devices or accessories connected to your PC may interfere with your AirPods’ signal, causing them to lose connection. If your AirPods have a poor connection, consider manually removing other Bluetooth devices from your PC. Follow these steps:
Completely Remove AirPods From Windows
If removing other Bluetooth peripherals doesn’t help, try removing the AirPods from your PC entirely. This process removes all previous connections to Windows and its various hardware or software components. It also allows you to re-pair your AirPods on a new connection. Here’s how to do just that: Repeat the same steps to remove any AirPods-related devices from the following items in Device manager:
Audio inputs and outputs Other devices Sound, video and game controllers Xbox 360 Peripherals
Disable Power Management for AirPods
There are specific features on Windows that automatically disable Bluetooth to help save power. If enabled, this can interrupt your AirPods connection. To fix this, disable the power-saving function on Windows. Here’s how:
Change Your PC’s Power Plan Settings
Certain power-saving features on your PC might prioritize power saving over performance. However, this can come at the expense of other system processes, which might cause your AirPods to lose connection. To fix this, you can change Windows’ power plan settings. Here’s how:
Change Bluetooth Support Service Settings to Automatic
The Bluetooth service settings in Windows allow remote Bluetooth devices like your AirPods to be found and paired. You might get disconnected often if this isn’t operating correctly on your PC. To fix this, check that the Bluetooth Support Service setting on your PC isn’t turned off. If so, you can restart it and then set it to “automatic.” This lets the service launch on its own every time you start your computer. Here are the steps:
Disable Telephony Service for AirPods
Windows Telephony service allows you to use Bluetooth headsets for phone calls. However, it can sometimes cause audio issues with Bluetooth headphones like your AirPods, so disabling it may help. Here’s how:
Remove Hidden Entries in Device Manager
Sometimes previous entries of your AirPods might still be present in Windows Device Manager. This results in incorrect device pairing, which might explain the connection errors. Here’s how to delete hidden Device Manager entries:
Disable Fast Startup
By design, the Windows Fast Startup feature reduces your computer’s boot-up time. However, certain services may not start up correctly, which can cause connection issues. Disable fast startup easily with the following steps:
Disable Swift Pair
Windows’ Swift Pair is a valuable feature that can help you easily connect to nearby Bluetooth devices. However, it may also be why your AirPods can’t connect properly to your PC. To see if it solves disconnection issues, disable this feature with the following steps:
Edit Registry Entry
Bluetooth devices and drivers on your computer each have registry entries that inform the system of the kind of connected device. If there is a wrong entry in your Windows registry, it could be why your AirPods don’t always connect well. To solve this, you’ll need to edit your registry manually and change its value. Here’s how to edit the value using the Windows Registry editor:
Use a Bluetooth Dongle
If you’ve tried the above methods, but your AirPods still fail to connect properly to your PC, then you might want to use a Bluetooth dongle. A Bluetooth dongle is an adapter that you plug into your computer via the USB port. When connected, it allows your PC to receive and transmit a Bluetooth signal. This device can let you re-pair your AirPods to your PC and see if the connection stabilizes. You can shop for some of the best Bluetooth dongles here.
Conclusion
In a perfect world, AirPods would be cross-compatible and work seamlessly with all devices outside the Apple ecosystem. Unfortunately, even though Microsoft has been taking steps to improve the compatibility between AirPods and PCs, that reality is still a while away. For now, you can at least use one of the twenty solutions above to solve connection problems between your AirPods and PC so that you can continue using them without interruptions or frustration. What did you think of our solutions? Did we miss anything, or did you find something else that worked for you? Let us know down in the comments!
