Every time I connect my AirPods to my Samsung TV, I just remember the acronym P.E.C.
P.E.C. stands for:
Pair. Enable. Connect.
Why?
Because that’s all you need to connect your AirPods.
Ready to P.E.C. your AirPods to your Samsung TV?
Continue reading to find out:
- Which non-Apple devices are compatible with AirPods.
- 3 Samsung TV troubleshooting solutions when your AirPods fail to connect.
- 1 mistake most users make when pairing their AirPods to their Samsung TV.
- 3 easy steps to connect your AirPods to your Samsung TV (even on older models).
- And so much more…
How to connect AirPods to Samsung TV?
Connect your AirPods to your Samsung TV by turning on the pairing mode of your AirPods first. Then, navigate to your Samsung TV menu and look for “Bluetooth Speaker List”. From there, select your AirPods as the device you want to pair with. Lastly, wait for the screen to say “AirPods is connected.”
3 steps to connect AirPods to Samsung TV
#1: Turn on your AirPods’ pairing mode
The first part of P.E.C. is pair. In other words, pairing mode.
To activate your AirPods’ pairing mode, follow these steps thoroughly:
- At the back of your AirPods case, you should see a button.
- Press and hold the button for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Wait until your AirPods start flashing white light.
Easy, right?
Except, step #1 is the biggest mistake users make.
They “turn on” pairing mode but mistake the green light as the go signal that it’s ready to pair.
Or, they don’t wait long enough and try to pair their AirPods right away.
Don’t worry. I failed this attempt twice too.
Now, this can all easily be avoided if you wait a little longer.
While you’re pressing the button at the back of your case, don’t let go of your finger.
You should only let go once you see the flashing white light.
Then, proceed to….
#2: Enable Bluetooth on your Samsung TV
A lot of online guides say you can access Bluetooth on your Samsung TV via “Remotes & Devices.”
But, to be honest, it took a while for me to find.
So, I took a shortcut and made this step a lot easier. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Press the Home button on your Samsung TV remote.
This should be the Home icon located at the center of your remote.
Step 2: Access your Settings menu.
There are 2 ways to access your Samsung TV’s settings menu:
- Press the left navigational button on your remote until you hit the gear icon.
- There should be a button on the bottom left part of your remote that says “Settings.”
Either way will work but it’s up to you which you’re more comfortable with.
Step 3: In the Settings menu, tap “Sound”.
“Sound” should be located under the “Picture” section in your settings menu.
Step 4: Tap “Sound Output” or “Speaker List”.
For Samsung TV 2016 models and up, you should see a “Sound Output” option.
As for Samsung TV 2015 models, this will be different. Instead, you’ll see a “Speaker List” option.
Step 5: Tap “Bluetooth Speaker List” or “Bluetooth Audio”.
Again, the options you’ll see here are different for Samsung TV models 2015 and models 2016 and up.
- If you’re using a Samsung TV 2015 model, you should see the “Bluetooth Audio” option.
- For any Samsung TV 2016 model and higher, a “Bluetooth Speaker List” option should appear.
You might also want to know: Does My Samsung TV Have Bluetooth?
#3: Connect your AirPods to your Samsung TV
From here, everything is as straightforward as turning your blender on.
After tapping “Bluetooth Speaker List” or “Bluetooth Audio”, a menu will pop up.
This menu will display a list of devices connected to your Samsung TV.
If you haven’t connected any device to your TV previously, you should see a “Searching” message.
Then, for the extra important part.
Make sure once again your AirPods are flashing white light.
Note: If your AirPods are flashing green light, Samsung TV will not pair with it.
Once you see a flashing white light, follow these steps:
- On your Samsung TV screen, you should see your AirPods as a recognizable device.
- Tap “OK” on your TV remote to open the “Pair and connect” menu.
- Tap “Pair and connect” to confirm the pairing.
- You should see a message saying “Connecting to AirPods”.
- If the pair was successful, a message will appear: “AirPods is connected”.
Just in case, here’s a video tutorial as an extra guide too:
Wait…
“I did all 3 steps but my AirPods aren’t connecting to my Samsung TV!”
Relaaaax.
In the next sections, there’s a magic fix in case the steps above didn’t work.
Are AirPods compatible with every Samsung TV?
AirPods are compatible with every Samsung TV that has Bluetooth capabilities.
In other words, if you own a Smart TV, your AirPods should be able to connect via Bluetooth.
In fact, that’s what Apple’s support page says. You can pair AirPods with any non-Apple device via Bluetooth.
Want a full list of devices that are compatible with AirPods? Here you go:
AirPods not connecting to Samsung TV: 3 reasons & solutions
#1: Your Samsung TV’s Bluetooth needs a “guided” approach
When I say “guided” approach, it could mean your Samsung TV is simply being picky.
There isn’t an exact answer for why this happens, but technology can be demanding at times.
So, you have to do it the “right way” as instructed in the Samsung TV manual.
And this is what I found.
What to do about it:
Your Samsung TV actually has a “Connection Guide” feature.
This feature allows you to pair devices via Bluetooth.
And fortunately, it’s super easy to do.
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: On your Samsung TV remote, tap “Source.”
On your TV remote, “Source” should be located in the upper-right part of your remote.
Step 2: Tap “Connection Guide.”
You should see a list of sources in the “Sources” menu, such as:
- TV.
- Xbox One.
- Playstation 4.
- Remote Access.
- Universal Remote.
- Connection Guide.
Step 3: Tap “Bluetooth”.
When you click on “Connection Guide,” a menu will pop up.
You should see “Audio Device” in the menu.
In the “Audio Device” menu is where you’ll find Bluetooth.
Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions on your TV screen.
When you tap “Bluetooth” in your “Audio Device” menu, a separate menu will appear.
Your Samsung TV will ask you to turn on pairing mode on your Bluetooth device.
In your case, you should turn on your AirPods’ pairing mode right now.
Step 5: Tap “Set Up Now.”
Once your Samsung TV recognizes your AirPods, it will take you to the next step.
You should see 2 options now on your screen:
- Close.
- Set Up Now.
Hit “Set Up Now” to finish the pairing.
And voila! A magic fix for pairing your AirPods with your Samsung TV.
#2: Bluetooth signal interference
You’ve probably heard this a million times, right?
Bluetooth interference blah blah.
However, it’s true. And it’s mostly because of interference from the following:
- WiFi routers.
- WiFi speakers.
- Microwave ovens.
- Cordless telephones.
- Cables for satellite services.
- Wireless security video cameras.
- Any nearby Bluetooth device (Ex. Speakers, Keyboard, Headphones).
See, here’s the thing. Bluetooth devices (including your TV) constantly compete for space with other devices.
According to CNBC, Bluetooth operates in a spectrum between 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz.
That’s limited space, alright.
And when you have a ton of wireless devices in your space, here’s what happens.
It interferes with your Bluetooth range and connection. The result? Bluetooth has trouble connecting.
What to do about it:
You can fix Bluetooth interference by doing the following:
- Turn off any Bluetooth devices.
- Bring your AirPods closer to your TV.
- Turn off pairing mode on your AirPods.
- Turn off your Samsung TV’s Bluetooth.
- Turn on your AirPods pairing mode again.
- Enable Bluetooth on your Samsung TV.
- Reconnect your AirPods to your Samsung TV.
Continue reading: (1) How To Turn Off Bluetooth On Samsung TV
#3: Minor bug or glitch in your Samsung TV
Sometimes, your Samsung TV acts up.
And so, it’s not a problem with your AirPods, but with your Samsung TV.
Not to worry, though. It’s as easy as doing a soft reset on your TV.
What to do about it:
Here’s how to do a soft reset on your Samsung TV:
- Turn off your TV.
- Unplug your Samsung TV from its power source.
- Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Plug your Samsung TV back into the power source.
- Reconnect your AirPods to your Samsung TV.
Worse case – you can also reset your AirPods. This should allow you to reconnect back with ease.