How to pair airpods with an apple watch

AirPods, AirPod Pros, and other headphones with a W1 or H1 chip, like the Powerbeats Pro, should pair automatically with an Apple Watch. This works if they’ve already been paired with an iPhone or iPad linked to your iCloud account. If they don’t, you’ll need to do some quick troubleshooting.

Which Headphones Have the W1 or H1 Chip?

At the time of writing, the following Apple and Beats headphones have either the W1 or H1 chip. The steps in this guide apply to all of them.

If your headphones aren’t on the list, they’re probably just regular Bluetooth headphones. Check out our guide to connecting Bluetooth headphones to an Apple Watch for help instead.

• Apple AirPods 1st Generation (W1)
• Apple AirPods 2nd Generation (H1)
• Apple AirPods Pro (H1)
• BeatsX (W1)
• Beats Studio 3 (W1)
• Beats Solo 3 Wireless (W1)
• Beats Powerbeats 3 Wireless (W1)
• Beats Solo Pro (H1)
• Powerbeats Pro (H1)
• Powerbeats (H1)

For the purposes of troubleshooting your headphone connection, there’s no difference between the W1 and H1 chips. The H1 is just a newer chip model that enables “Hey Siri” support and otherwise improves the wireless performance of the headphones.

Pair Your AirPods With Your iPhone or iPad First

If you have a new pair of AirPods, AirPods Pro, or other compatible headphones, pairing them with your iPhone or iPad will automatically pair them with your Apple Watch as long as both devices are connected to the same iCloud account.

First, go to the Home Screen on your iPhone or iPad.

If your headphones have a charging case, like the AirPods, AirPods Pro, or Powerbeats Pro, open it next to the iPhone or iPad—with the headphones still inside.

If your headphones have a power button, like the BeatsX or Powerbeats, press it for one second while holding them next to the iPhone or iPad.

When the setup animation appears, tap “Connect.” Your headphones are now paired with your iPhone and your Apple Watch.

Selecting Your AirPods on Your Apple Watch

Whenever you play music or other audio with your Apple Watch, it should automatically output through your AirPods or other headphones. If not, you can force select it on your Apple Watch.

With your AirPods or other headphones turned on and out of their case, swipe up on the Home Screen on your Apple Watch to access the Control Center.

Scroll down and tap the “Audio Sources” icon.

You should see your headphones in the list. Tap their name to start playing audio through them. If you don’t see them listed, move on to the next section.

Manually Pairing Your AirPods With Your Apple Watch

While you should never have to do this, it’s worth knowing how to manually pair AirPods and other Apple or Beats headphones with your Apple Watch.

On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > Bluetooth.

If you see your headphones here, they’re ready to pair. Turn them on and hold them nearby to do so.

If you don’t see your headphones here, it’s time to pair them manually.

First, put your headphones into pairing mode. With AirPods, AirPods Pro, and other headphones with a charging case, open the case and hold down the sync button (either on the back or just inside the case) for five seconds. With headphones without a charging case, hold the power button for five seconds.

Within a few seconds, the headphones should appear under Devices. Tap them to pair.

• AirPods automatically pair with your Apple Watch when they’re initially paired with your iPhone. You shouldn’t need to manually pair them.
• You can check to make sure they’re paired by looking for AirPods in the AirPlay section of the watch’s Control Center.
• You can manually pair your AirPods to an Apple Watch by pressing the pairing button on the back of the charging case and using the Bluetooth section of the watch’s Settings app.
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If you recently got a set of AirPods and you’re confused because there are no instructions for how to pair them to an Apple Watch, there’s a simple explanation — AirPods pair automatically with your Apple Watch when you set them up with your iPhone.

If you purchase an Apple Watch after you initially pair the AirPods with your phone, it’s still automatic.

As a general rule, the pairing process occurs on its own and you shouldn’t need to do anything about it.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (From $199.99 at Best Buy)

Apple Watch Series 5 (From $399 at Best Buy)

How to check to see if your AirPods are paired with your Apple Watch

1. On your Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to display the Control Center.

2. Tap the AirPlay icon.

3. On the next screen, you’ll see “Choose where to play audio:” If AirPods are one of your choices, the AirPods are properly paired with the watch.

How to manually select the AirPods to play audio

In the same way that your AirPods automatically pair with the watch, they should automatically be selected to play audio from the watch when you’re wearing them. You can also manually select them. To do that, follow the steps above to check if your AirPods are paired and simply tap “AirPods.”

How to manually pair your AirPods with the Apple Watch

You will probably never need to do this, but if the AirPods don’t pair with your Apple Watch automatically, you can pair the devices manually.

1. Put the AirPods in the charging case and close the case.

2. Open the lid of the charging case, but leave the AirPods inside.

3. Press and hold the button on the back of the charging case for about six seconds, until you see the status light start to flash.

4. On the Apple Watch, start the Settings app. You can do this by pressing the Digital Crown on the side of the watch and then tapping the gear-shaped icon.

6. When “AirPods” appear in the list, tap it. After a moment, it will move to the Devices section and display “Connected.”

The iPhone, the Apple Watch and the AirPods form the holy trinity of seamless communication. When you’re using AirPods, you can control playback or take calls from Apple Watch. You can even use AirPods directly with Apple Watch and leave your iPhone behind. Here’s how to use AirPods with Apple Watch.

How to Connect and Use AirPods with Apple Watch

First generation AirPods require watchOS 3 or later. If you’re using the second generation AirPods, you’ll need to upgrade to watchOS 5.2 and higher. If your AirPods are not showing up, first go the Watch app and update your Apple Watch.

Pair AirPods with iPhone

Apple Watch is still dependent on the iPhone. So you’ll first need to pair your AirPods with your iPhone. Then, all the devices connected to the same iCloud account will automatically be paired with the AirPods and switching between devices will just take a tap. This is the beauty of AirPods, you don’t need to pair and unpair when you switch between multiple devices. Just connect to another device and you’re good to go.

Connect AirPods with Apple Watch

If you’re using AirPods with your iPhone and you want to use Apple Watch to control playback, like volume or to change songs, you don’t need to connect AirPods to Apple Watch.

But if you’re planning to leave the iPhone behind and you want a direct connection between your Apple Watch and your AirPods, where you can play local Apple Watch content, you’ll need to connect to AirPods manually.

Step 1: Go to the Apple Watch watch face and swipe up to reveal the Control Center.

Step 2: Tap on the AirPlay icon (it’s the familiar icon with a triangle and concentric circles).

Step 3: From this list, select your AirPods. Now they’re connected to your Apple Watch.

You can connect your AirPods using any media app, and from the Now Playing screen. All you have to look for is the familiar AirPlay button, tap on it and then tap on your AirPods.

To disconnect your AirPods, simply remove them from your ears and put them back in the case. While you’re at it, you can also learn how to check AirPods battery life directly on your Apple Watch.

Your Favorite AirPods Tips and Tricks

We’ve already talked about our favorite AirPods tips and tricks. What are some of yours? Share with us in the comments below.

Once you’ve paired a new set of AirPods with an iPhone running iOS 12 or later, they should automatically pair with your Apple Watch as long as your watch’s software is up to date.

First-generation ‌AirPods‌ require watchOS 3 or later, while second-generation ‌AirPods‌ need watchOS 5.2 or later. To check which version of watchOS your watch is running, open the Watch iOS app and select My Watch -> General -> About and check the Version entry. If your watch needs updating, you can download and install the new software by selecting My Watch -> General -> Software Update.

Once your Apple Watch software is up to date, your connected ‌AirPods‌ will automatically switch their connection between ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch, depending on which one is playing audio.

However, you can also manually connect your ‌AirPods‌ to your Apple Watch whenever you like. Here’s how it’s done.

1. On your Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center. (If you’re in an app, touch and hold the bottom edge of the screen, then drag up the Control Center pane with your finger.)
2. Tap the AirPlay icon (the small triangle with concentric circles on top).
3. Tap ‌AirPods‌.

You can also open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch, go to the Bluetooth section, and choose AirPods from the list of available devices. Tap to connect.

Apple fans love the AirPods earbuds for their ease of use with Apple products like iPhones, Macs, and iPads, and their neat features like solid battery life and integrated microphone. A pair of AirPods is the perfect partner to your Apple devices, but being an Apple product, they come for a premium price and don’t often go on sale.

That doesn’t mean you have to shell out a ton of cash for a pair though. We’ve found some cheap AirPods deals to save you money on the regular AirPods with Charging Case true wireless earbuds, the newer-generation AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, or the top-of-the-line AirPods Pro.

Today’s best Apple AirPods deals

Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Charging Case

Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Charging Case (Renewed)

Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (2nd Generation)

Apple AirPods with Charging Case

Apple AirPods: Are they worth the money?

Apple AirPods are to iPhone owners what fine wine is to gourmet cheese — a match made in heaven. So it should come as no surprise that they’re the most popular true wireless earbuds, introducing users to the wonderful world of simple, wire-free listening the second they pop them in their ears.

Related

There really isn’t a whole lot to the AirPods, and that’s what makes them so fantastic. Just pop one in each ear and you’re ready to roll. Need to adjust the volume, send a test, place a call, create a calendar event, or find an answer to a question on Google? Just ask Siri and she’ll take care of it.

Apple AirPods vs. Apple AirPods 2: What’s the difference?

You don’t even need to double-tap a Pod to launch Siri on the AirPods 2. Thanks to the inclusion of Apple’s latest H1 chipset (versus the W1 on the original AirPods), they’re always listening for the famous “Hey, Siri!” phrase, just like the iPhone. This makes for a more seamless user experience.

But that isn’t the main reason you’re going to want to opt for the newer AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case. This would be the improved battery life, with the AirPods 2 delivering 50% more talk time than the standard, first-generation AirPods. Both last for around five hours of music playback.

The bundled Charging Case stores enough charge for an extra day’s worth of use, with the AirPods 2 shipping with a Wireless Charging Case that supports … well … wireless charging. This means you can simply slap them on a Qi charging pad and they will juice up — no Lightning cable needed.

Apple AirPods vs. Apple AirPods 2: Which do I need?

So, which do you need? Well, if you can live without wireless charging, don’t mind having to tap a Pod to fire up Siri, and can live with the two-hour talk time, then look no further than the primal AirPods. You can snap up a pair for an absolute bargain. For everyone else, it’s the AirPods 2. Or is it?

Wait! What about the AirPods Pro?

Naturally, the AirPods Pro sit at the head of the table, with a more smaller, more compact design; noise-cancellation; sweat-resistance; and interchangeable eartips, which makes them a better choice for fitness fanatics. They also sound better than both the AirPods and AirPods 2.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.

Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Is it possible to connect your AirPods direct? Do you need your iPhone with you if you want to listen to music on AirPods with Apple Watch? You don’t need the iPhone to connect AirPods to Apple watch. If you have an iPhone, the process is pretty easy.

You connect your AirPods to iPhone, and the AirPods will connect “automagically” with the Apple Watch that associated with the same iCloud account. What do you do if you want to connect AirPods direct to Appel watch?

Connect AirPods Direct to Apple Watch

Here we are bypassing iPhone and trying to connect AirPods direct to Apple Watch, just like you connect AirPods to your Mac. You don’t need the iPhone in any of these steps to connect AirPods. Let’ see how to connect AirPods direct to Apple Watch:

1. Open Apple Watch Settings.
2. Scroll down to see Bluetooth.
3. Wait for Apple Watch Search for Bluetooth Device.
4. Bring AirPods close to Apple Watch and open the AirPods lid.
5. Press and Hold the AirPods button.
6. The Watch will display AirPods Name under Devices
7. The status will change to Connected.

Now you have Apple Watch speaker and AirPods for AirPlay listing. When you receive a call, you can switch between Apple Watch’s inbuilt speaker or AirPods. You can play music on Apple watch and listen to direct on AirPods.

Select AirPods on Apple Watch for Calls

You can select the default AirPlay device on Apple Watch to play music and calls. The connected devices will be available under the Apple Watch AirPlay window. Let’s see how to select AirPods in Apple AirPlay setting.

1. Swipe up on Apple Watch Face to get Control Panel
2. Scroll down for AirPlay icon.
3. Tap on AirPlay on Apple Watch.
4. Select the default device for AirPlay

You can select AirPods as the default AirPlay device on Apple Watch. The default device will be marked with a grey background. All the calls and music will automatically play on the default device selected here.

Unpair AirPods from Apple Watch

You don’t want to use the AirPods with Apple watch? Well, you can remove AirPods from Apple Watch anytime.

1. Open Apple Watch Settings.
2. Scroll down to see Bluetooth.
3. Find the AirPods in Bluetooth list.
4. Tap on “i” next to AirPods.
5. Now tap on Forget Device
6. Tap again on the next screen to confirm Forget Device

Now your AirPods disconnected from Apple Watch, The AirPlay device setting will be automatically switched back to Apple Watch speaker. All call and music will play on Apple watch’s built-in speaker.

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AirPods, the new wireless headphones from Apple, use the W1 chipset to pair automagically with your iPhone. From there, the pairing is mirrored on your Apple Watch, if you have one. What’s more, iCloud will sync the pairing to your iPad and Mac, if you have them too, so you can use your AirPods on all your Apple devices!

How to pair your AirPods with your iPhone

Apple has made AirPods ridiculously easy to pair with any iPhone running iOS 10 or later. Still, seeing the steps written out might help!

Open the AirPods case right in front of your iPhone.

Tap the Connect button on the AirPods Control Center card.

That’s it! You’re paired!

How to pair your AirPods with a different iPhone

If you’ve already paired your AirPods with another iPhone, you’ll need an extra step before you can pair them with your new iPhone.

1. Pick up your AirPods charging case and open it.
2. Tap on Connect

Press and hold the pairing button on the back of the case.

How to pair your AirPods with your Apple Watch

Once you’ve paired your AirPods with your iPhone, they’ll automatically be paired with your Apple Watch running watchOS 3 or later.

How to use pair AirPods with your iPad

When you pair your AirPods with your iPhone, iCloud will sync the pairing to any iPad you have and logged into the same iCloud account.

How to unpair your AirPods from your iPhone or iPad

If you don’t want to use your AirPods with your iPhone or iPad any more, you can unpair them. Unpairing from your iPhone automatically unpairs them from your iPad (and Apple Watch and Mac), but unpairing from your iPad only unpairs them from your iPad. You can also re-pair them again at any time.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Bluetooth.
3. Tap the information button beside your AirPods.

Tap Forget this Device.

Tap Forget Device to confirm.

On iPhone, tap Forget Device again to confirm iCloud removal on other devices.

How to unpair your AirPods from Apple Watch

If you unpair your AirPods from your iPhone (see above), they’re automatically unpaired from your Apple Watch.

How to pair your AirPods with your Mac

Pairing your AirPods with your iPhone also pairs them with your Mac. That’s because iCloud will sync the pairing to any Mac, too.

How to unpair your AirPods from you Mac

If you decide you don’t want to use your AirPods with your Mac anymore, you can unpair it just like any Bluetooth device. Unpairing from your iPhone automatically unpairs from your Mac, but unpairing from your Mac only unpairs from your Mac. You can repair at any time.

1. Hold down the Alt key and click on the Bluetooth icon in your Mac menubar.
2. Click on your AirPods in the Bluetooth device section.
3. Click on Remove.

Click on Remove to confirm.

How to pair your AirPods with Apple TV and other devices

Because it’s a multi-person rather than single person device, iCloud doesn’t (yet?) sync AirPods to Apple TV. You can still pair your AirPods to your Apple TV using standard Bluetooth headphone procedures. What’s more, you can pair your AirPods to any Bluetooth device the same way, including Android phones and tablets, and Windows PC and tablets.

Any AirPod pairing questions?

Have questions about using your AirPods with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac? Drop them in the comments!

By SK 8 comments Last updated January 30, 2020

If you enjoy music or podcasts via your Apple Watch, Airpods and AirPods Pro are a must for the best experience. With the Apple Watch Series that support LTE, Airpods are a lifesaver when it comes to switching between calls and music.

Most of the time, Airpods work as expected but sometimes especially after a watchOS or iOS upgrade, you might find that your AirPods act up. And you are left with a pair of pods that simply don’t want to play along with your Apple Watch.

Are your Airpods not connecting to your Apple Watch? If so, read on for tips on getting it working again!

Interestingly enough, both Airpods and AirPods Pro don’t seem to have any problems when trying to play music from your iPhone, Apple TV or Mac.

On these devices, they connect well and function as intended. On the Apple Watch, however, the Airpods connect without any issues but then you get the “Connection Failed” message when you try to listen to music or a podcast.

Quick tips

Follow these quick tips to get your AirPods connecting to your Apple Watch

• Power off and on both devices, starting with your iPhone and then your Watch
• Renew your Bluetooth connecting to your Airpods
• Reset and re-pair your AirPods or AirPods Pro

Related posts

• AirPods Pro – The Complete Guide
• Can Someone Connect My Stolen AirPods to Another iPhone?
• Use Silica Gel Packets to Dry Your Wet iPhone, iPad, or AirPods
• How-To Perfect Double Taps on Your Airpods
• Airpods Not Working? Troubleshoot Your Problems
• How-To Clean Your Airpods

If you are facing this issue, and your Airpods and your Apple Watch have enough charge left, here are some common tips that can help you overcome the problem.

Airpods Not Connecting to Apple Watch? Here’s How To Fix

1. In our experience most Apple Watch related connection issues can be fixed via a simple restart process if you follow the sequence correctly.
   1. Turn off your Apple Watch and then Your iPhone
   2. Turn on your iPhone and then your Apple Watch. This is important. If you turn on your watch first, it doesn’t work.
   3. Once both the devices have turned on, connect your Airpods to your Apple Watch and give it a try.
2. If you are still having the connection fail issue, try to establish a new Bluetooth connection for your Airpod.
   1. Using your iPhone, Tap on Settings > Bluetooth > Choose the Airpods and tap on the “i”. Next, choose “Forget this device“.

      It’s also worth heading to the Bluetooth Settings to forget your AirPods.

   2. Restart your iPhone
   3. Now place your Airpods in your ears and then pair it with your iPhone
   4. Connect your Airpods with your Apple Watch and check if they start playing without the “connection failed” error message
3. Sometimes, resetting your Airpods can help with this issue as well. In order to reset your Airpods,
   1. With the Airpods in the case and with the lid open, press and hold the little button on the back of the case till the status light flashes three times

      Resetting your AirPods is as easy as holding the Setup button.

   2. Release the reset button
   3. Now Re-pair your Airpods with your iPhone before you connect to any other Apple device
   4. Once the Airpods have connected to your iPhone, try and connect them with your Apple Watch and check if the issue is resolved

Quick Tip for Better Music Quality on Airpods

For the best music experience with Apple Airpods, try changing the equalizer preferences on your iPhone. Tap on Settings > Music and scroll down to the Playback section.

Tap on EQ and change the preferences here to make it a more personal sound.

Tap on the Late Night setting to turn your music “up to 11.”

For users that complain about lack of bass, you can try the “Bass Booster” and give it a shot. Try out the other options and see which one sounds the best to your ears.

We hope that one of these three steps above was helpful in resolving this connection failure issue between your Airpods and Apple Watch.

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.