A Comprehensive Guide on How to Reset Airpods (2024)
Last Updated: February 13, 2024
If you’ve been having some technical issues with your AirPods, resetting them may be the solution for you. In this article, we will explain how to reset AirPods as well as AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. We will also discuss when it’s necessary to reset the AirPods and what the consequences of doing so maybe.
How to Reset AirPods?
Resetting your AirPods never looked so easy. First things first, put your AirPods in the case and let them charge for 15 minutes. Then, follow these steps:
1. Hold the Button on the Back
Hold down the setup button on the back of your AirPods charging case until you see a solid amber color appear, followed by a flashing white light. This will reset any Bluetooth connections currently active with your device, as well as remove all your AirPods settings and preferences. Afterward, put them back into the case and wait at least 30 seconds before opening it again. This will ensure that you’ve reset your AirPods and can now set them up with a new device or pair of devices (if you’re using them as an audio interface).
2. Connect Them to Your New Device
Once your AirPods have been reset, open the charging case and hold the Setup button until you see a flashing white light. This will put them into pairing mode.
Then, select the AirPods in the Bluetooth menu of your device and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the pairing process. When in pairing mode, you can connect the Pods on Chromebook, Mac, any laptop or whatever device you’re using.
If you’re unable to connect your AirPods via Bluetooth even after you did the AirPods reset, try connecting them via Wi-Fi instead by going into Settings > General > Accessibility and turning on “Use Wireless Earbuds” (or similar).
You can find full instructions on connecting AirPods to any laptop here.
3. Change Their Name
Once you’ve successfully connected your AirPods to a new device, you can change their name from “AirPods” to something more personal using the Bluetooth menu on that device.
These three quick and easy steps are all you need to know about how to factory reset AirPods.
How to Reset Your AirPods Pro and Max
Resetting your AirPods Pro or Max is not much different than resetting regular AirPods.
AirPods Pro Reset Steps
Let’s start off by explaining how to reset the AirPods Pro:
- Put the AirPods back in their charging case for at least 30 seconds.
- Select Settings > Bluetooth.
- Click on the “i” button (located next to the device, in this case AirPods Pro).
- Select Forget this Device and you’re almost done learning how to reset Apple AirPods.
- Keeping the lid open, press and hold the button on the back for 15-20 seconds until the light switches from amber to white.
- Lastly, keep the AirPods Pro next to the device you want to connect them to.
AirPods Max Reset Steps
Now that we’ve explained the process of the AirPods Pro reset, it’s time to talk about AirPods Max, which connects only with devices that support the latest iOS version. Not only are AirPods Max different in form (they are actually over-ear headphones), but they also differ in the resetting option because they don’t have a charging case. There are two ways to reset these AirPods: direct reboot or factory reset.
Direct reboot
- Press and hold the Digital Crown and the Noise control button for 7 seconds until the light is amber.
- Reconnect AirPods with the device.
Tip: Always consider the direct reboot option first, because if you factory reset your AirPods, they might disconnect from every device they are connected to and you’ll have to go through the trouble of reconnecting them all over again.
Factory reset
- Unpair your AirPods from the iCloud account.
- Hold and press the Digital Crown and the Noise control button for 15 seconds until the light changes from amber to flashing light.
- After resetting, restore them with the preferred device.
Did you know: Even though AirPods are among the best headphones on the market, some still like to keep their options open. There are many AirPods alternatives, and some are even stylish, such as cat ear headphones. |
Key Takeaways
Pressing the button on the back of the charging case is just the beginning of how to reset your AirPods. |
There is little to no difference in the steps when restarting AirPods and AirPods Pro. |
Direct reboot is a commonly used resetting option when dealing with AirPods Max. |
No matter what version you have, once you reset the AirPods, you can easily pair them with another device. |
When Do You Need to Reset AirPods?
There are a few different reasons why you may need to reset AirPods. For example, if they’re not connecting to your device properly or the audio is crackling or popping, resetting them may help resolve these issues. You can also use this process to clear out all your personal preferences and settings before selling them to someone else—just make sure that you’ve backed up any important data first!
Did you know: The most common problem AirPod users have with these earbuds is that one earbud fails to deliver sound, i.e. is not working, so they often seek to reset Apple AirPods. |
Conclusion
As you can see, resetting AirPods is not a difficult task. So, if you have any problems with them, don’t be afraid to try resetting them by following our guide above. It’s a great way to fix the most common issues, and it might just save you from having to go through the hassle of getting a new pair.
FAQ
Yes, if you lose your earbuds and someone finds them, they can easily be connected to your iCloud account using the Find My iPhone app. This way, you can either retrieve them or remotely wipe their data in order to protect your privacy.
If you want to sell your AirPods and erase all data from them, resetting is not necessary, though it would be best to reset them. Other than that, you can simply forget the device in Bluetooth settings on iPhone or iPad.
If your AirPods are stolen or lost, you can report this to Apple and they will replace them for free.
Apple has made their devices easy to use, so learning how to reset airpods without an iPhone at hand should be no biggy. Just plug in the earbuds to the charging case, open the lid, hold the setup button on the back for 15 seconds or until the light changes from amber to white, and close the lid.