How To Connect Airpods To Iphone 6s Plus

AirPods Pro Not Connecting To iPhone? Here's The Fix!

Your AirPods Pro won't connect to your iPhone and you don't know how to fix the problem. No matter what you do, you can't get your devices to connect via Bluetooth. In this article, I'll explain what to do when your AirPods Pro are not connecting to your iPhone!

Are My AirPods Pro Broken?

At this point, we can't be sure whether you're dealing with a software or a hardware problem. More often than not, your AirPods Pro are not connecting to your iPhone because of a minor software glitch.

airpods pro in charging case

The AirPods Pro aredesigned to seamlessly connect to your iPhone, but it doesn't always work so smoothly. The steps below will help you diagnose the type of problem you're dealing with, starting with software troubleshooting steps. At the end of the guide, we'll show you how to get in touch with Apple if you find that your AirPods Pro are broken.

How To Fix AirPods Pro That Won't Connect To iPhone

13 Steps Total

Set Up AirPods Using Your iPhone

Your iPhone needs to be connected to your AirPods before you can use them. AirPods are designed to easily connect to your iPhone as soon as you open the Charging Case.

hold button on charging case

Unlock your iPhone.
Open the Charging Case with your AirPods inside.
Hold the Charging Case next to your iPhone.
A setup animation will appear on your iPhone.
Tap Connect.
Tap Done.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro,iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

Restart Your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone can sometimes fix minor software glitches and errors.

How Do I Restart My iPhone?

Press and hold the power button (Sleep / Wake button) on your iPhone until theslide to power off slider appears on the display.
Swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.
Wait about 30 seconds, then press and hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo appear in the center of the display.

If The Power Button Is Broken (Option 1)

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap General.
Scroll to the bottom and tapShut Down.
Swipe the red power icon from left to right.
Plug your iPhone into a power source using a Lightning cable to turn it back on.

If The Power Button Is Broken (Option 2)

Watch our YouTube video or follow the steps below!
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
TapAccessibility.
TapAssistiveTouch.
Turn on the switch next to AssistiveTouch.
Tap the AssistiveTouch button when it appears on the display.
TapDevice.
TapMore.
TapRestart.
TapRestart again when the confirmation alert appears.

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

Turn Bluetooth Off And Back On Again

Turning Bluetooth off and back on again is sometimes enough to fix simple connectivity issues between your iPhone and Bluetooth devices.

How Do I Turn Bluetooth Off And Back On Again?

There are three ways to turn Bluetooth off and back on:

With The Settings App

Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap Bluetooth.
Use your finger to tap the green switch next to Bluetooth to turn it off. You'll know Bluetooth is off when the switch is gray.
Tap the switch again to turn Bluetooth back on. You'll the Bluetooth is on when the switch turns green.

With Control Center

Use your finger to swipe up from the bottom of your screen to openControl Center.
Use your finger to tap the Bluetooth icon, which looks like a "B" made of triangles. You'll know Bluetooth is off when the icon is black with a gray background.
To turn Bluetooth back on, tap the Bluetooth icon once again. You'll know Bluetooth is on when the icon is white with a blue background.

Using Siri

Open Siri by pressing and holding theHome button until Siri appears, or by saying, "Hey Siri."
To turn off Bluetooth, say,"Turn off Bluetooth."
To turn Bluetooth back on, say,"Turn on Bluetooth."

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

Update iOS On Your iPhone

If your iPhone is running an outdated version of iOS, you may run into problems that could be fixed simply by updating to the most recent version of iOS.

How Do I Update iOS On My iPhone?

There are two ways to update iOS on your iPhone: in the Settings app and by using iTunes.

Update iOS In The Settings App

Open up the Settings app.
TapGeneral.
TapSoftware Update.
If an update is available, tapInstall Now.

Update iOS Using iTunes

Connect your iPhone to a computer using a Lightning cable.
Open iTunes.
Click the Phone button in the upper left-hand corner of iTunes (see image 3).
ClickCheck For Update.
If an update is available, click Download and Install.

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

Charge The AirPods Charging Case

It may be a mouthful, but the Charging Case needs to be charged in order to charge your AirPods.

Plug a Lightning cable into the Lightning connector on your Charging Case.
Plug the other end of the Lightning cable into a USB port orwall charger.
It may take a few hours to fully charge your Charging Case.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro

Charge Your AirPods

Charging your AirPods ensures that they will have enough battery life to function properly. AirPods are charged using the Charging Case.

Put your AirPods in the Charging Case.
When your AirPods are in the Charging Case, the Status light will indicate the amount of charge your AirPods have.
The Status light will turn green when your AirPods are fully charged.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro

Clean Your AirPods and Charging Case

If dirt, dust, or other debris gets into your AirPods or Charging Case, it can affect their functionality and cause hardware problems. For example, if there is debris in your Charging Case, your AirPods may not charge properly.

Get a soft, lint-free cloth. Don't use tissue or cloth that will break up inside your devices.
Gently wipe your AirPods and Charging Case with the cloth.
For more compact debris, you can use an anti-static brush or new toothbrush to clean it out.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro

Make Sure Your AirPods Are In Range Of Your iPhone

If your AirPods aren't within range of your iPhone, the devices won't be able to connect to each other. AirPods connect to your iPhone through Bluetooth, which only works when your devices are within a certain range of each other.

How Do I Make Sure My AirPods Are In Range Of My iPhone?

Go to the Home screen.
Open the Control Center by swiping up from below the bottom edge of the screen.
Use your finger to swipe from right to left to open the audio interface (pictured on the left).
Tap the audio output button , which looks like a triangle with three circles coming out of it.
If your AirPods are not listed here as an audio output source, then your AirPods are out of range.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro,iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

Make Sure Your AirPods Are Connected To The Correct Device

If your AirPods are connected to a different device, they may be receiving audio output from the other device. AirPods are not designed to receive audio output from two devices at the same time.

How Do I Make Sure My AirPods Are Connected To The Correct Device?

Go to the Home screen
Using your finger, open Control Center by swiping up from below your screen.
Use your finger to swipe from right to left to open the audio interface (pictured on the left).
Tap the audio outputbutton ,which looks like a small triangle with three circles coming out of it.
Tap AirPods to connect your iPhone to your AirPods.
If you do not see AirPods listed, they are out of range.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro,iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

10.

Reset Network Settings

Resetting the network settings can give your iPhone a "fresh start" and allow it to connect to Bluetooth devices or WiFi networks that may have been problematic.

How Do I Reset Network Settings?

Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Scroll down toReset. Reset is the final option in Settings -> General.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode.
When your iPhone restarts, the reset is complete.

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

11.

Reset All Settings

Many iPhone problems are caused when Settings isn't set up correctly or by corruption within individual Settings app files. Restoring the Settings app back to factory defaults doesn't fix every iPhone software problem, but it is a go-to fix for Apple technicians because it does solve a lot of problems that would be very difficult to to track down by hand.

How Do I Reset All Settings?

Go to the Home screen.
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Use your finger to scroll down to Reset. It will be the last option in Settings -> General.
Tap Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode.
Tap Reset All Settings. You'll be prompted twice.
A progress bar will appear on the screen.
Your iPhone will automatically turn back on when the reset finishes.

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

12.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

How Do I DFU Restore My iPhone?

Watch our DFU restore video walkthrough on YouTube, or follow the steps below:

Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
OpeniTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier). Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn't matter if your iPhone is on or off.
On an iPhone 6s or older, press and hold the Home button and the power button. On an iPhone 7, press and hold the power andvolume down button.
After 8 seconds, release the Power Button, butcontinue to hold the power button (iPhone 6s or older) thevolume down button (iPhone 7).
Let go of the power button or volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
Your iPhone's display will be completely black if you've successfully entered DFU mode. If it's not, try again from the beginning.
Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2

13.

Repair Your AirPods

If you've gotten this far and your AirPods still won't connect to your iPhone, you may have a hardware problem with your AirPods.

How Do I Repair My AirPods?

There are a few ways to repair your AirPods:

If You're Still Within The Return Window

Bring your AirPods back to the store where you purchased them and exchange them for a new pair.

If You're Outside The Return Window

Repair them through Apple's online support, or
Make an appointment at the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store, or
Set up an online mail-in repair through Apple's online support.

Applies To: AirPods,AirPods Pro

AirPods Pro: Connected Again!

You've fixed the problem with your AirPods Pro and they're connecting to your iPhone once again. Make sure to share this article on social media to teach your family, friends, and followers what to do when their AirPods Pro are not connecting to their iPhone. Leave any other questions you have about your AirPods in the comments section below!