You might be wondering whether your Dell laptop and Apple AirPods are compatible.
Even though it’s true that AirPods work best with Apple products, like a Macbook or an iPhone, they will function just fine with a Windows laptop.
You won’t have any trouble pairing your Dell laptop with your AirPods if you are familiar with how Bluetooth works.
Simply enable Bluetooth on your laptop and put your AirPods in pairing mode. If your Dell laptop is having trouble recognizing your AirPods, try switching the audio input to headphones rather than speakers.
When Bluetooth and Pairing modes are set up again, connecting your AirPods to your Dell laptop will automatically establish a connection between the two gadgets. The connection and disconnection of your AirPods from your Dell laptop can still be done manually.
A discussion of the compatibility of Dell laptops with AirPods will be presented here. We’ll also give you step-by-step instructions for attaching your AirPods to your Dell laptop. For your convenience, we’ve added a few useful troubleshooting hints.
Table of Contents
Can You Connect AirPods to a Dell Laptop?
Apple products are best paired with AirPods. That won’t be a problem, though, if you have a Windows laptop rather than a Macbook.
Any device that supports Bluetooth can use AirPods. Fortunately, Bluetooth is supported by all current Dell laptops.
If your Dell laptop does not, for some reason, support Bluetooth, you can connect it using a Bluetooth dongle by connecting it to your USB port.
How to Pair AirPods to Dell Laptop
The process for pairing any Bluetooth headphones or earphones with your Dell laptop is the same as for pairing AirPods.
Simply turn on AirPods pairing mode in the Bluetooth settings of your Dell laptop.
Connect your Dell laptop to the AirPods via Bluetooth. A faint beeping sound ought to be audible.
For more detailed instructions on how to connect your AirPods with a Dell laptop, follow these instructions:
Step 1: Charge Your AirPods and Charging Case.
To achieve a steady Bluetooth connection, fully charge your AirPods. Stuttering or no connection at all will occur if your AirPods are not fully charged.
Place your AirPods in the charging case for up to 20 minutes to recharge them if they aren’t fully charged.
To fully charge, AirPods charging cases require about an hour. 3 or 4 AirPods can be charged at once using fully charged AirPods cases.
Step 2: Enable Bluetooth Settings in Action Center.
By pressing Windows + A on your keyboard, you can access the Action Center menu. Select Go to Settings from the context menu when you right-click on Bluetooth.
By pressing Windows + I on your keyboard, you can also activate Bluetooth. This will launch Windows Settings. Go to Bluetooth & other devices under Devices.
On your Dell laptop, turn Bluetooth on.
A notification will appear “Now Discoverable as (your laptop name”).
Step 3: Enable Pairing Mode on Your AirPods.
Remove your AirPods from the charging case once they have finished charging.
your ears with the AirPods.
Your AirPods charging case has a button on the back. Locate it. Press the button repeatedly until the charging case’s light begins to flash white.
Your AirPods are currently set to pair.
Step 4: Connect Your AirPods With Your Dell Laptop.
Return to the display of your Dell laptop. The Add Bluetooth & other devices option is available on the Bluetooth & other devices menu page. Above the Bluetooth toggle, this is situated next to a (+) sign.
Your AirPods should be included in the list of all Bluetooth devices that are within range.
From the list of Bluetooth devices that are compatible, choose the AirPods and then click Pair.
When your AirPods connect to your Dell laptop, you should hear a brief ding or beeping sound.
Step 5: Adjust Audio Input Settings.
You must change the audio input settings if your speakers still play audio after pairing with your AirPods.
Navigate to your Windows taskbar to adjust the input settings:
- Click the speaker icon on your taskbar to launch the Sound Control Panel
- Choose Headphones from the dropdown menu rather than Speakers. Make AirPods your default audio device.
We have articles on other Dell products, such as how to resolve a stuck power-saving mode on a Dell monitor.
How to Connect AirPods to Dell Computer?
Although it can be a little challenging, it is possible to connect your AirPods to a Dell computer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Ensure that your Dell computer is on, within range, and that your AirPods are activated.
- Open Bluetooth settings on your Dell computer.
- Click “Add Bluetooth or other devices.”
- Click “Bluetooth.”
- In the list of compatible devices, locate and choose your AirPods.
- Click “Pair.”
- Your Dell laptop is currently connected to your AirPods!
Make sure that both devices are on and within range if you’re having trouble getting your AirPods to connect to your Dell computer. Your computer might also need to be restarted.
FAQs
Why Can’t I Pair My AirPods With My Dell Laptop?
Your laptop’s Bluetooth functionality, your AirPods, or both of them need to be fixed if your devices can’t connect.
- Out-of-date drivers: If your drivers are out-of-date, your Bluetooth connection may become unstable. Visit the Dell Support page to download the latest drivers.
- Bluetooth connection problems are typically resolved by turning Bluetooth on and off in your laptop. To repair a broken Bluetooth connection, try turning the Pairing mode on and off.
Why Does the Sound Keep Dropping Out?
This is a typical issue that doesn’t just affect connections with Dell laptops. When Airpods keep disconnecting and losing connection, we have an entire article devoted to the subject.
Why Don’t My AirPods Appear on the List of Available Bluetooth Devices?
If your Dell laptop doesn’t detect your AirPods, you may need to refresh the Bluetooth function on both devices:
- Log into your Dell laptop and disable Bluetooth.
- Put the charging case with your AirPods back inside. You should disable AirPods’ pairing mode.
- On your Dell laptop, turn on Bluetooth.
- Restart the Pairing mode after removing the AirPods from the case.
The problem is typically resolved by following these recommendations. If it doesn’t work, however, try connecting both devices to another device to test the Bluetooth functionality (e.g. AirPods with your phone, a Bluetooth mouse, and a Dell laptop).
You might need to have your Dell laptop or AirPods repaired or replaced if they won’t pair with any other Bluetooth device.
Will My AirPods Lose Battery Faster If I Connect Them to My Dell Laptop?
Since your AirPods were made primarily to be used with Apple devices, connecting them to your Dell laptop may cause them to lose their charge more quickly.
But you won’t notice a big change in your use case or a significant decrease in battery life. However, a result might still be felt.
Will Use My AirPods With a Dell Laptop Long-Term Decrease Their Lifespan?
No, it probably won’t, but if you move around while listening to music on your AirPods, you might notice a reduction in battery life and/or audio blips here and there.
Conclusion
Select Bluetooth & other devices under Action Center > Settings on your Dell laptop. Turn Bluetooth on in your Dell computer.
Remove the charging case from your AirPods once they are fully charged. To activate Pairing mode, give the charging case button a long press.
On your Dell laptop, select Add Bluetooth & other devices. From the list of compatible devices, choose AirPods.
One of Apple’s greatest creations, the AirPods, is adored by all. It would be unfortunate if your laptop prevented you from using them. We trust that this article was helpful in teaching you how to connect AirPods to Dell laptops.