Only a few things in life are easy to do.
Making instant coffee.
Eating junk food over apples.
And connecting AirPods to your Apple TV.
Trust me – you won’t even break a sweat.
Ready?
Turn on your Apple TV and…
Keep reading to find out:
- 3 easy-breezy steps to connect your AirPods to your Apple TV.
- Why your AirPods refuse to connect to your TV (and how to fix it).
- How to reconnect your AirPods to your Apple TV in case Apple logs you out.
- And so much more…
How to connect AirPods to Apple TV?
You can connect your AirPods to your Apple TV by accessing the settings menu first. Then, head to “Remotes and Devices” followed by “Bluetooth”. After, flip your AirPods case open. Hold the back button and wait for a blinking white light. Choose your AirPods device to complete the pairing process.
3 steps to connect AirPods to Apple TV
#1: Open Settings on your Apple TV
Before opening your Apple TV’s settings, make sure to close your AirPods case.
Why? To prevent any interference or from connecting to other devices.
From here, tap your Settings or the “gear icon” on your screen and…
- Scroll down and tap “Remotes and Devices.”
- In the “Remotes and Devices” menu, tap “Bluetooth.”
- You should see a list of available devices.
Once you’ve tapped “Bluetooth”, flip your AirPods case open, and then…
#2: Press and hold the button at the back of your AirPods case
This should take about 15 seconds.
The best way is to pay attention to the light on your AirPods case.
Once it flashes a white light, your AirPods are set to pairing mode.
#3: Choose your AirPods device
On your Apple TV screen, you should see your AirPods device pop up on the screen.
Select your AirPods and you’re ready to start grooving to those tunes.
2 steps to connect AirPods to Apple TV via your Apple ID
#1: Sign in to your Apple ID account
If you signed in to your Apple TV with the same Apple ID as your AirPods, you’re halfway done.
“How so?”
Apple TV will instantly recognize your AirPods are signed in with the same Apple ID account.
So as soon as you log in to your Apple TV, it’s practically a cakewalk from here on out.
In other words, your AirPods should automatically connect to your Apple TV.
However, if for some reason it doesn’t, all you need to do is…
#2: Press and hold the TV button on your Apple remote
The TV button is located right next to the Menu button on your Apple remote.
Once you’ve located it, follow these steps:
Step 1: Press and hold the TV button on your Apple remote.
Step 2: Wait for a menu to pop up on the right side of your screen.
Step 3: Beside the search icon, you should see “[Username’s] Apple TV.”
For example, if your username is Mike, it should say “Mike’s Apple TV.”
However, sometimes you might also see an Airplay Control icon instead of “Mike’s Apple TV.”
Step 4: Click the icon beside the Search (magnifying glass) icon.
Step 5: From the list of devices that appears, choose your AirPods device.
And that’s it. You’re all set!
“But what if I want to disconnect my AirPods?”
Simple.
Here’s all you need to do:
Step 1: To disconnect your AirPods, hold down the TV button on your remote.
The TV button is located right next to the Menu button on your Apple remote.
Step 2: Wait for the menu on your TV screen to pop up.
Step 3: Tap your AirPods device (located beside the search icon).
Beside the search icon, you might see either of the three:
- Airplay Control icon.
- Your AirPods device.
- Your Apple TV username (Example: Dave’s Apple TV”).
Whichever you see, click it. Then, a menu will appear.
In the menu, you should see your AirPods device and a bolded checkmark beside it.
You’ll also see “TV speakers” as one of the available devices. So…
Step 4: Select “TV Speakers” from the list.
From here, the sound should come from your Apple TV and not from your AirPods.
Why won’t my AirPods connect to my Apple TV?
Your AirPods won’t connect to your Apple TV because…
- Your software isn’t the latest version.
- There’s a pairing issue with your AirPods.
- Your Apple TV refuses to connect due to a glitch.
“So, what can you do?”
Here’s how to fix your issue:
- Install the latest software.
- Disconnect your AirPods then reconnect it again.
- Reset your Apple TV and AirPods if both methods didn’t work.
Fix #1: Install the latest software on your Apple TV
Installing the latest software on your Apple TV is like a walk in the park.
5 steps and you’re done.
Here’s how to do it:
- Tap Settings on your Apple TV Home screen.
- Select System.
- Under Maintenance, tap “Software Updates.”
- Select “Update Software”
- Tap “Download and Install.”
Fix #2: Disconnect your AirPods and reconnect them again
Everything might seem repetitive by now…
But trust me.
Just a little while and you’re gonna be set.
You’ll have to access the Settings menu on your Apple TV Home screen and then…
- Select “Remotes and Devices” in the Settings menu.
- Tap “Bluetooth.”
- Tap your AirPods device.
- Choose the “Forget Device” option.
- Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV again.
Fix #3: Reset your AirPods and Apple TV
Sometimes, a reset is needed for any changes or updates to take effect.
This is why most devices almost always restart after installing an update.
For fix #2 to take effect, a reset might be necessary for Apple to recognize the new change.
Now, don’t worry. Resetting an Apple TV is the same as resetting any other TV.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Turn off your Apple TV.
- Unplug your Apple TV from its power source.
- Wait at least 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Plug your Apple TV back into its power source.
- Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV.
If that still didn’t solve your issue, it’s time to do a hard reset.
A hard reset means restoring your device to its default settings.
In this case, we’ll do a hard reset for both your AirPods and Apple TV.
How to hard reset your AirPods
First, make sure both your AirPods are inside your AirPods case. Then, you should…
- Keep the AirPods case lid open.
- Press and hold the button located at the back of your case.
- Keep holding the button until you see a blinking red/amber light.
- From here, your AirPods should automatically reset.
How to hard reset your Apple TV
After performing a hard reset on your Apple TV, you’ll have to input your Apple ID again.
Just in case, write down your Apple ID and password before the hard reset.
Once that’s done, follow these steps:
- Access the Settings menu on your Apple TV home screen.
- Select “System.”
- Under the Maintenance section, tap “Reset.”
- Select “Reset.”
- Wait for your Apple TV to finish resetting.
- Sign in using your Apple ID.
- Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV.
Here’s a complete video walkthrough to hard reset your Apple TV and what happens after:
How do I reconnect my AirPods to my Apple TV?
You can reconnect your AirPods to your Apple TV through the settings menu.
“Why is this necessary?”
Here’s an example.
If you connect your AirPods to your iPhone, this disconnects your AirPods from your Apple TV.
However, it doesn’t mean your Apple TV forgot your AirPods.
It’s more like… a temporary disconnection.
Then, when you want to use your Apple TV with your AirPods again, it’s a simple matter of reconnecting.
Here’s how to do it:
- Open Settings on your Apple TV home screen.
- Select Audio and Video.
- In the Audio and Video menu, tap Audio Output.
- Open your AirPods case.
- Choose your AirPods from the list of available devices.