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How to connect Apple AirPods to Apple TV
In This Article
Apple TV is one of our favourite streaming boxes, but that doesn’t mean everybody wants to hear you watching movies late at night. Fortunately, it’s possible to connect a pair of AirPods and carry on without disturbing a soul.
If you’ve already paired your AirPods with an iPhone or other Apple product, they should already be set up to work with your Apple TV through your Apple ID, but you still need to select them as an audio option instead of your TV’s speakers or soundbar.
Here’s how to do it.
What we used
For this guide, we used anApple TV 4Kand a pair ofAirPods 3andAirPods Max, but the process is identical if you’re using a standard pair of AirPods.
The short version
Step1
Open the case
Open your AirPods case and either put it to one side or stick the buds in your ears.
Step2
Press and hold the TV button
On your Apple TV remote, press and hold the TV button (it looks like a TV) and a list of available wireless devices should pop up.
Step3
Select your AirPods
Scroll down and select your AirPods from the list to connect to use them as the audio output option for your Apple TV.
Step4
Go to the Settings menu on your Apple TV
If your AirPods don’t show up you can connect them manually instead. Head into the Settings app, select the ‘Remotes and Devices’ option and then choose ‘Bluetooth’.
Step5
Open the case
Make sure the AirPods remain inside and hold down the button on the back until the status light starts flashing white.
Step6
Select your AirPods from the list
The AirPods should now appear in the ‘Other Devices’ list. Use the remote to select them and they should connect to your Apple TV.
FAQs
This method will also work for some Beats headphones too, however not all models are supported. The recentBeats Studio Budswill not work in this manner as they don’t have the required chip, however theBeats Fit Prowill work.
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
