How To Fix AirPods That Won’t Connect to Your PC

Since the advent of AirPods, listening to music and audio has never been so convenient. Just like any other tech gadgets, they are bound to misbehave once in a while. For instance, you might have issues trying to connect them to your computer. While this can be aggravating, it isn’t time to trash them because most connection issues can be fixed.

This article highlights some quick fixes you can try to get your AirPods connected to your computer again. Let’s get started.

AirPods Won’t Connect to PC

Connection issues are relatively common in AirPods, but the good news is that they can be resolved. To begin with, there might be several reasons why your AirPods aren’t connecting to your computer. Some common culprits include misconfiguration in your Bluetooth settings, outdated drivers, clogged pods, and in some rare cases, hardware issues.

Whatever the root cause, here are some quick fixes to get your AirPods connecting to your computer again.

Enable Your Bluetooth and Make Sure You’re Close to Your Computer

Let’s start with the basics. AirPods can only connect to your computer through Bluetooth. In that regard, before you try out the fixes, we’ll highlight, go to your computer and ensure Bluetooth is turned on. If it’s enabled and your AirPods still won’t connect to your computer, the culprit might be the connection distance.

Bluetooth technology is constrained by distance—ten meters, to be exact. If you’re far from your computer, consider moving closer to it and see if that resolves the connection problems.

Disable Your Bluetooth and Turn It Back On

If your Bluetooth is on, but your AirPods are still not connecting to the computer, consider turning Bluetooth off and back on again. Your AirPods should connect to your PC once again after resetting the connection.

Disconnect Other Bluetooth Devices Connected to Your Computer

Having your computer paired with other devices while trying to connect your AirPods to the same device might result in magnetic interference. Plus, if any of the connected devices are faulty, it will most likely tamper with your connection. For that reason, if you have multiple devices connected to your computer’s Bluetooth and are having connection issues with your AirPods, try disconnecting them and see if that helps.

Magnetic interference doesn’t only emanate from the devices that are directly connected to your computer but also from those that surround your AirPods. These include routers, keyboards, and mice. To fix the issue, moving to an isolated area is advised to see if your AirPods will connect again.

Ensure Your AirPods Are Charged

If your AirPods aren’t connecting to the PC, another culprit is probably the battery level. Check that the accessories hold at least 50% of the charge before using them. If they’re running low on power, place them in the charging case, shut the top, and allow for a boost.

Note: Always charge your AirPods using an accessory that has been certified by Apple. Otherwise, you risk damaging your battery.

Restart Your Computer

Restarting your computer is known to fix many software glitches, including connection issues. It releases any processes that might be clogged up in the RAM, allowing the device to create new connections. Once you turn on your computer, the connection issues should be cleared, and your AirPods should connect to the PC again. If this process has not worked for you, consider trying out the subsequent fixes.

Update Your Bluetooth and AirPods Drivers

Working on outdated Bluetooth drivers is bound to cause connection issues. The same is true for outdated AirPods drivers. Here’s how to update your Bluetooth drivers.

1. On your computer, press the “Windows + X” keys.
   
2. From the menu, click on “Device Manager.”
   
3. Open the “Bluetooth” menu.
   
4. Right-click on your computer’s Bluetooth driver.
   
5. From the options, select “Update driver.”
   

If the connection issues persist even after the driver update, try updating your AirPods’ drivers too.

Here’s how to go about it,

1. Pair your AirPods with your computer and press “Windows + X” keys and select “Device Manager.”
   
2. Right-click on your AirPods’ driver and choose “Update driver.”
   

With updated drivers, you’re less likely to experience connection issues. If you still face the same problems, move on to the next fix.

Hard Reset Your AirPods

Here’s how to hard reset your AirPods.

1. Connect your AirPods to your iPhone.
   
2. Place the AirPods inside the charging case and close the lid.
   
3. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the LED light turns green. Release the button and connect your AirPods to the computer again.
   

Clean Your AirPods

AirPods are wearables and are bound to collect dirt and, most commonly, earwax. Once the dirt has accumulated on the accessory, the pods are likely to clog up. Wear and tear are inevitable. To avoid—or rather, minimize this—it’s best to keep your AirPods in their case whenever they’re not in use.

If you sense that dirt is the culprit behind your AirPods not connecting to a PC, it’s time to clean them. While cleaning, use isopropyl alcohol, which has a 70% alcohol content. Having clean AirPods will significantly reduce the chances of any connection problems occurring.

Update Your Computer

An outdated operating system can cause various software issues, including connectivity problems. Check for updates and run the most recent Operating System version to avoid any system-level bugs.

AirPods Are Paired but Still Won’t Connect to PC

If your AirPods are already paired but still won’t connect to the PC, then the culprit is most likely the firmware—an operating system AirPods are built on. Of course, there might be other underlying issues, like wrong Bluetooth configuration or hardware faults. Whatever the cause, here are some quick fixes to get your AirPods connecting to the PC again.

Troubleshoot Bluetooth and Hardware Issues

Windows is jam-packed with various troubleshooters designed to help discover and fix any underlying faults. In that regard, it doesn’t hurt to run some scans to fix your AirPods.

Here’s how to troubleshoot Bluetooth and hardware problems.

1. On your computer, search for “Command Prompt.”
   
2. From the results that pop up, right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator.”
   
3. Type in “msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic,” and press the “Enter” key.
   
4. Click “Next,” and follow the instructions on the wizard to finish the troubleshooting process.
   

Remove Any Multiple Instances of Your AirPods from the Device Manager

1. Press the “Ctrl + X” button on your computer and open “Device Manager.”
   
2. Expand the “Bluetooth” menu.
   
3. Remove any grayed-out or multiple instances of your AirPods. To remove the device, right-click on the AirPods you’d like to remove and select “Uninstall device.” After uninstalling, restart your computer and try connecting the AirPods to your computer again.
   

Edit the String Values in the Registry Editor

An absent registry value string may also be the cause of your AirPods pairing but not connecting to the PC. In fact, changing the registry values has led to success for many users.

Here’s how to edit the string value in the Registry Editor,

1. On your computer, launch the “Registry Editor.”
   
2. Expand the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” menu.
   
3. Open “SYSTEM.”
   
4. Open the “ControlSet001” menu.
   
5. Navigate to the “Class” menu.
   
6. Navigate to the file named “{e0cbf06c-cd8b-4647-bb8a-263b43f0f974}.”
   
7. Select “0000.”
   
8. Right-click the window and navigate to “New.”
   
9. Select “String Value.”
   
10. Name the file as “PnPCapabilities.”
    
11. Open the file and type in “24” as the “Value data.” Restart your computer for the edits to take effect.
    

Once you restart your computer, your AirPods should successfully connect to the computer.

Note: Be careful when editing the system values in your Registry Editor. Wrong edits can result in the system malfunctioning.

AirPods Won’t Stay Connected to PC

AirPods that won’t stay connected to the computer usually result from low battery levels. Ensure that the inner parts of the case are free from dirt, so they don’t prevent power from reaching the pods.

Some other fixes to the problem you can try are listed below.

• Updating the drivers
• Troubleshooting for Bluetooth problems
• Restarting the AirPods
• Restarting the computer

Stay Connected

As you can see, your AirPods not connecting to the PC is not a call for a new addition to your next shopping list. In fact, most of the connection issues can easily be fixed by restarting your Bluetooth connection or device. Rarely will you find yourself sifting through the inner workings of your computer, for instance, editing the registry string values. Whatever the weight of your issue, we hope that at least one or two of the above fixes have worked for you and that your AirPods are connecting to your PC again.

What other fixes have you tried to get your AirPods connecting to a PC again? Did they work? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below.