Apple AirPods are perfect when paired with an iPhone, but what if you have an Android smartphone or tablet? The good news is that all models of AirPods provide basic functionality, but you will miss out on a few great features.
Android sees AirPods as standard Bluetooth headphones
All models of AirPods work as standard Bluetooth headphones, which can be used by virtually any device with Bluetooth audio functionality. All you have to do to use them wirelessly with your Android smartphone or tablet is to pair them manually.
This is a little different than how pairing works on an iPhone or iPad, where you simply open your AirPods cover and press connect. On an Android device, pair them in the usual way.
First open the AirPods cover and press and hold the button on the back until the indicator light flashes white. Now go to Settings on your Android device, navigate to Bluetooth and device connection> Bluetooth and make sure Bluetooth is enabled. Now tap Pair new device and select your AirPods from the list.
Your AirPods should now work just like any other pair of Bluetooth headphones you own. If you want to use them with another device, follow the pairing procedure again.
Which AirPods features work with Android?
In addition to working as standard stereo headphones, AirPods Pro models can still use active noise reduction and transparency mode. Switching between the two works in the same way as on an iPhone: by squeezing and holding the stem of one of the earphones until you hear the sound.
Transparency mode is useful because it allows you to hear the outside world while wearing your AirPods. That means you do not have to pick up an earphone rather than hear what someone is saying, even though you may want to pause the music or turn it down to make things easier. At low volume, this is a safety feature as it allows you to listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks without losing sight of the world around you.
In addition to noise reduction and transparency mode, standard gestures also work. This includes the basic double-tap on AirPods (to play or pause music), plus more in-depth single-pinch (play / pause), double-pinch (jump forward), and triple-pinch (jump back).
What AirPods features do not work with Android?
Many Apple-centric features do not work on Android, such as the accelerated setup process when you first connect your headphones to an iPhone. Android devices need to be paired manually, and that also means Android users miss out on the auto-switch feature that makes AirPods so great for Apple users.
If you have an iPhone, an iPad, and a Mac, your AirPods will automatically switch between devices paired with the same Apple ID. This means that you only need to pair your AirPods with a single device. Android users will need to pair their AirPods with every single device they want to use.
Another potentially useful feature that Android users miss is voice assistance via Siri. Since Siri is only an Apple feature, the “Hey, Siri” trigger that always listens will not work here. Out of the box, Android users will not be able to use their favorite assistant with AirPods (though there are apps that can help with this).
Being able to check your AirPods’ battery using a widget on iOS makes it easy to know when to charge your headphones. Apple even has Siri functionality to handle this if you will. Like voice assistants, Android users have no option to enable this without the help of additional apps.
Apple’s useful “Find My” app makes it easy to find your iPhone, Mac, AirTags and AirPods. Because the feature relies on the companion of Apple devices, AirPods paired with an Android phone will not be updated on the “Find My” network and will therefore not be able to be tracked via iCloud.
AirPods Pro users can use the “Ear Tip Fit Test” under the AirPods Pro settings (accessible by pressing the “i” button next to your AirPods under Settings> Bluetooth). This checks if your current choice of earbuds (small, medium or large) fits properly, but it is not available on Android. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to see when the tips are too big or small (they may not fit, may fall out or time out, or cause excessive sound leakage).
Another Apple-exclusive feature is the ability to customize your AirPods controls. While AirPods will use simple double-tap play / pause by default, AirPods Pro can use single, double and triple clamp movements; on iPhone and iPad it is possible to do more than this.
Finally, Android users will miss in-ear detection, which allows for automatic playback and pause of music or podcasts when you insert or remove an AirPod from your ear. Fortunately, similar functionality can be achieved with an app.
Some features work with third-party apps
There are a few third-party apps for Android that can recover some of these missing features. This includes a battery level indicator, in-ear detection and the ability to trigger the voice assistant of your choice while wearing your AirPods.
These apps include AndroPods and Assistant Trigger (for all three features) and AirBattery (for battery level). These apps are free, but full functionality requires an in-app purchase. Reports on how well these apps work are mixed, so you may want to adjust your expectations if you expect iPhone compatibility levels.
Other things to keep in mind
When using AirPods with an Android device, the sound quality takes a dive compared to using the same headphones on an iPhone. This is because AirPods rely on AAC codecs, which tend to work better on an iPhone. SoundGuys has an article explaining the ins and outs of this phenomenon, which involves a higher noise floor on Android as well as a tendency for the platform to prioritize Bluetooth encoding in favor of energy efficiency.
The same issues do not occur on iOS because Apple handles audio streaming differently. There are better wireless headphones that use different codecs like SBC and LDAC which are better designed for the Android platform.
Need to buy AirPods for your Android device?
If you have a pair of AirPods that you primarily use with your iPhone, there is no harm in connecting them to your Android device to listen to a podcast or take a phone call. You can even get away with streaming music if you are not too preoccupied with AAC streaming quality.
But you should not go out and buy AirPods specifically for use with your Android device. You are better off buying something designed with features specific to your device (such as Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, above), or something at a more reasonable price. It’s worth checking out ReviewGeek’s review of Google’s Pixel Buds A-Series, which costs only $ 99.
Aside from streaming quality issues, you’re missing out on the features used to justify Apple’s premium price. On an iPhone, AirPods and AirPods Pro deliver good sound quality, but it’s all the other features like being able to seamlessly switch devices, trigger Siri and set them up in seconds that make them a valuable investment.
Wireless headphones for use with Android
There are a number of headphones for different price ranges for Android users who want decent wireless sound. For something comparable to the AirPods Pro (our top-rated iPhone earphones), take a look at the Sony WF-1000XM4, which has best-in-class noise reduction and LDAC support.
Best noise canceling wireless earphones
Sony WF-1000XM4
Enjoy more sound modes and comfortable polyurethane tips that shape to your ear canal for even better sealing.
Instead of buying AirPods for use with Android, check out our best list of wireless earphones instead. You can save some money on cheaper headphones with a similar feature set, or spend a little more to get some headphones that get the most out of your chosen smartphone.
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