Bluetooth devices are growing in popularity as they are easy to carry and more convenient. Apple AirPods are the standard TWS choice for Apple device owners. It’s convenient and of excellent quality. Do you have a pair of AirPods you want to connect to your iPhone without the case?
Many people think that AirPods cannot be connected to an iPhone/ iPad/ iPod touch without a case. But it is actually not true. You don’t need the case to connect your AirPods to the phone. The AirPods case fulfills 3 functions basically. These are:
- Charging the earbuds
- Holding and protecting the AirPods
- Pairing the AirPods for the first time
The case serves as a charging brick for the AirPods other than these. You put the earbuds in them, and the case serves as a power bank for them. As you can see, the case does not have any Bluetooth technology, and it doesn’t do anything to keep the AirPods connected.
Step-by-step guidelines on connecting AirPods without the case
Apple confirmed through its support page that the case is there just for charging the AirPods. Sometimes when the case is not around, and people lose their AirPods connection, they think it’s because of the case. But that is not the issue. It’s usually because of a poor Bluetooth connection. If this happens, you should disconnect the AirPods and reconnect to see if the problem persists.
So, this is a common situation where you don’t have the cash with you and need to connect your AirPods to your iPhone. You can do it by following the simple fixes we have for you.
- This method will work if you have paired your AirPods with your iPhone/iPad before. So, first, swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone/iPad screen to open the Control Center.
- Now, you will find a panel of icons on the Control Center. On the top-right corner, there will be an audio card icon, as shown in the screenshot. Press and hold it.
- After the audio card menu has enlarged into its full view mode, select the AirPlay icon.
- Finally, choose your AirPods from the list of available devices. However, if you don’t find your AirPods in the list, it means the earbuds don’t have enough battery, or they haven’t been paired before.
Now, if you haven’t paired your AirPods with your Apple devices, you can follow the following instructions.
How to pair and use AirPods with Apple devices?
You need to have the AirPods case to pair your AirPods with your iDevice for the first time. You have to follow these steps to pair and use your AirPods.
- First, open the lid of the charging case while keeping the AirPods inside. Don’t take the AirPods out yet.
- After you open the lid, check and make sure the status light is showing amber color.
- There is a setup button on the back of the charging case. Press and hold it.
- The status light will turn white after a few seconds.
- Unlock your iPhone and navigate to the home screen.
- Open the case with your AirPods put inside and take it close to your iPhone.
- A setup animation will pop up on the home screen, tap on the Connect option and select Done.
That is all. From now on, if you have the AirPods case, just take it close to your iPhone and open the lid. The earbuds will be quickly connected and play whatever you are playing on your iPhone.
If you take one of the AirPods out of your ear, the playback will be paused. If you put it back within 15 seconds, the music will start playing automatically.
If you are having connectivity issues, forget the earbuds and try reconnecting them. If the problem still persists, contact Apple’s official support.
The process is a bit different for Android devices. But it’s a fairly simple one. Here’s how you can do it.
- Hold the charging case close to your Android device while keeping the earbuds inside. Now, open the lid.
- Press and hold the setup button on the back of the AirPods case to enter the pairing mode.
- Go to the Settings menu on your Android device and turn on Bluetooth.
- Find the AirPods from the list of available Bluetooth devices and connect.
Your AirPods should now be connected to the Android device. However, keep in mind that the AirPods are not designed for Android devices. So, there might be some stability issues and some features might be missing.
For example, taking off one earbud will not pause the music, you cannot use the “Hey Siri” function to control the AirPods. You will also lose the ability to customize the double tap functionality. It will complete the pause/play function and it cannot be changed.
How to set up ‘Hey Siri’ on AirPods and AirPods Pro?
You can use Apple’s voice assistant Siri to control various AirPods features. Such as turning the volume up and down, getting directions, making calls, listening to music, calling and texting people, and many more.
If you have the AirPods 2nd gen and the AirPods Pro, you can wake up Siri using voice commands. This is possible because of the Apple H1 chip used in the earbuds. Unfortunately, it is not possible for the 1st gen Apple AirPods.
You need to enable this feature from the settings. The setting is not turned on by default. It needs to be set up manually. Here’s how you can set up Siri to do some cool stuff for you.
- First, access the Settings app from your iPhone.
- Scroll down in the Settings menu until you find the Siri and Search option. Tap on it.
- There will be 3 options under the greyed out Ask Siri function, i.e., Listen for “Hey Siri,” Press side button for Siri, Allow Siri when locked. Toggle all of these options on.
And you’re done! You can just say “Hey Siri” from now on. You can follow up with instructions like, increase the volume, playing the next song, setting up an alarm, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you connect the AirPods if you have lost the case?
Yes, it is possible to do that. We have discussed in this article how you can connect the AirPods without a charging case. But you will need the case to charge your AirPods.
Can you charge AirPods without the case?
Unfortunately, you cannot. Apple has confirmed that the case that comes with AirPods serves only one function- charging the AirPods. So, if you don’t have a case, it is not possible to charge your AirPods using any alternative method.
If you have left the AirPods case at home and you need to charge them, go to an official Apple store nearby. They may let you charge your AirPods for free. This is not a great piece of advice, but I shared this with you in case you need it.
You can and should get a replacement charging case for your AirPods if you have lost the one that came with your earbuds. It’s a good investment as you cannot charge your AirPods without a case.
Can you use a different case with your AirPods?
Yes, you definitely can. However, it has to be an Apple AirPods case. I haven’t tried putting my AirPods in other earbuds’ charging cases. So, I’m not sure whether it works or not. But I strictly discourage you from using any third-party charging cases with your AirPods. Third-party cases or charging bricks may reduce battery life.
However, you can easily use an AirPods case of your family member or friend to charge your AirPods. It will not be an issue at all.
Can you charge the AirPods case without the AirPods?
Yes, absolutely! The charging case serves as a power bank for the AirPods. There’s no need to put the AirPods inside the case while you are charging it. The AirPods charging case has its own internal battery.
You can use a lightning cable and your iPhone adapter to charge the case. When the case is charging, the status light will display an orange color. After the case has finished charging up, it will flash green.
But keep in mind the pods won’t be charged as they are not inside the case. The pods can be changed later on by putting them inside the case. When the case is fully charged, you don’t need to worry about charging your AirPods. You can just put the earbuds in and charge them while you’re on the go.
Final Words
Wireless headphones are designed for easy pairing and portability. Apple AirPods can be connected without the case quite easily. But you need to have the case for other reasons. For instance, you are pairing the pods for the first time, charging them. Apple AirPods are designed for easy pairing. It is even possible to use with Android devices but Android devices cannot unleash the full power of the earbuds.
As you cannot charge the AirPods without the case, you need to have it. If you have lost the case or it has worn off, you need to get a replacement one from the Apple store.
I believe this article has been helpful to you. If you have other queries and suggestions, feel free to ask. We’ll get in touch with you.
Take care and stay with us. Thanks for reading!