Apple AirPods are one of the most versatile earbuds ever. They offer rich sounds, pair well together, and the mic is quite good as well. It’s an excellent product and most users like them.
For some people, though, there is one minor issue: can two different AirPods work together? It turns out that the answer to this question is yes. The idea of switching from one AirPod to the other when someone wants their battery changed out seems like it would be a considerable convenience and could add value in certain situations.
AirPods have changed the way we listen to music. If you have an extra pair or want to share music with someone else, you can do it. Sharing music was simply a couple of years ago. You could have done it simply by sharing the earbud. Now, it’s even more straightforward, and wireless headphones becoming the norm. You don’t have to sit close to each other and put your heads together to listen to music anymore.
This article will walk you through how you can pair two different AirPods from different sets on other devices.
How to connect two AirPods to iPhone?
Newer iPhones come with the remarkable feature of sharing music. You need to have at least an iPhone 8, running iOS 13.0 or higher, to connect two different sets of AirPods to your phone.
If your iPhone fits these criteria, you can follow these steps to pair two different sets of AirPods.
- First, turn on the Bluetooth on your iPhone. You can do that by going to the settings, sliding the button next to Bluetooth. A green slider means it’s on. Alternatively, you can swipe from top-to-bottom on your lock screen and open the action center. Tap on the Bluetooth icon to turn it on.
- Now, open the app of your choice to play the audio. Then, tap on the AirPlay button. You can also do it from your home screen. Lock your phone and open the control center. Then, select AirPlay.
- You will find a ‘Share Audio’ option underneath the connected devices. Tap on it.
Now, depending on the model of AirPods you are using, the following methods will be different.
- If you’re using AirPods or AirPods pro, put the earbuds in the charging case and open the lid. Keep the case close to your phone, and it will be connected.
- If you have an AirPods Max, just hold the headphone close to your iPhone.
Can you use two different AirPods in one case?
Yes, you definitely can. You may need to change an earbud for some reason. So, if you’ve got a new one, you can definitely use it with the older case. However, make sure the AirPods are compatible.
They must be of the same generation and of opposite orientation. You cannot use two left-eared/two right-eared earbuds in the same case or even put them in your ears.
Can you pair AirPods with a different case?
Yes. AirPods can be paired with another case.
How to connect two AirPods to an iPad?
Just like before, make sure your iPad is compatible in order to connect two sets of AirPods. Your iPad needs to run at least iOS 13.0 to be able to do this.
Follow these steps to connect the AirPods to the iPad.
First, turn on the Bluetooth. Now, pair the first pair of AirPods by bringing them close to your iPad while keeping the earbuds inside the charging case.
Swipe down from the top corner on the right to open Control Center on your iPad’s home screen. Select the AirPlay option and tap Share Audio.
In order to connect another pair of AirPadjustods/Airpods Pro, bring the case close to the iPad with the lid open and the earbuds inside. Just keep the earbuds close to the iPad in the case of AirPods Max.
When the second pair of AirPods appear on the screen, tap on it and select Share Audio.
How to connect AirPods to a Macbook?
So before you try to connect AirPods, read this first. This feature won’t work with really old Mac computers.
- In order to connect AirPods Pro/AirPods Max, your mac needs to run at least macOS X 10.15.1 or higher.
- You will need at least macOS X 10.14.4 or higher to connect AirPods (2nd gen).
- First-gen AirPods are compatible with macOSX 10.12 or higher.
If your mac doesn’t have the proper compatibility, we’re sorry to say you cannot connect AirPods with it.
If you have already connected your AirPods to an iPhone and used the same iCloud account in both the mac and the iPhone, you can skip some steps. The AirPods are already set up on your mac.
In that case, simply put the earbuds in your ear, click on the Bluetooth menu, select the AirPod from the available devices and connect.
If you have different iCloud accounts or don’t have an iPhone, you can follow these steps to connect the AirPod to a mac.
Click on the Apple menu from the top left corner of your mac’s home screen and select System Preferences.
Now, click on Bluetooth to access its settings.
- Click on ‘Turn Bluetooth On‘ to enable it. You need to keep the window open for the following activities.
- Keeping your AirPods inside the charging case, open the lid and hold it close to your mac computer.
- Press and hold the Setup button on the back of the AirPods case until the status light starts blinking.
- Your AirPods will appear in the Bluetooth Preferences window. Now, tap Connect.
- The AirPods will be connected to the mac and ready to listen to music in a moment.
Can you connect two pairs of AirPods to One MacBook?
You can connect two AirPods to a mac, but it’s a little more complicated compared to other Apple devices. Follow the steps for a workaround and connect two AirPods to your mac.
Access the Finder, go to Utilities and select Audio MIDI setup.
Click the +icon from the window and select Create Multi-Output Device.
If both of the AirPods are in pairing mode, they should show up. Choose your AirPods from the drop-down menu next to the Master Device option.
There will be a Drift Correction box next to the available devices. Check the box next to the second AirPod.
Now, go to the Apple menu, go to System Preferences, go to Sound, click on Multi-output Device. The MacBook‘s audio will directly be sent to both of the AirPods.
How to adjust AirPod audio sharing on iPhone and iPad?
Earlier, we have discussed how you can connect two AirPods to a single iPhone and iPad. You couldn’t do that until iOS 13.0. Since iOS 13.0, you can use dual AirPods on a single Apple device.
Connect the AirPods as we discussed earlier by tapping on the AirPlay icon. Now, you will see a volume control option next to each of the AirPods. You can control the volume of each of your and your friend’s AirPods (left AirPod/right AirPod) Both of the AirPods’ audio levels can be adjusted from the connected device. Cool, right?
How to stop sharing AirPods?
You need to go to the AirPlay screen and tap the checkmark icon to stop sharing audio with the other AirPod. Alternatively, put the other AirPod back into the charging case to disconnect it.
Final Words
One of the best things to like about Apple is the ease of use across all Apple devices. It’s the power of the Apple ecosystem. You may need to connect two AirPods to your Apple devices for many reasons. Maybe one of your earbuds has been broken, or you just want to share music from the same playlist with a friend without lending your AirPods. Please note that this can also be done with Beats Headphones too.
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