How to Connect AirPods to Apple TV: The Only Guide You’ll Need

We explore the fastest and most efficient ways to pair AirPods to Apple TV so you can watch movies without disturbing others.

We’re all familiar with how you can connect AirPods and iPhones within seconds. But that’s not always the case for their less popular and non-daily driver products like the Apple TV.

While they’re still within the same ecosystem, Apple TV doesn’t have the same pop-up pairing prompt that helps you pair both devices in the blink of an eye.

For users unfamiliar with the pairing process and the prerequisites for initiating it, it can be challenging to pair AirPods to Apple TV. Lucky for you, we’ll show you how you can all the possible methods you can do just that in just a few minutes. Let’s dive right in!

How to Connect AirPods to Apple TV: The Quickest Method

Connecting your AirPods or AirPods Pro to an Apple TV is quite easy, especially if you’ve paired them with another Apple device like an iPhone or iPad.

This is because an Apple TV also has a functionality that allows you to log in to an Apple ID. And, if you use the same Apple ID on your AirPods (through your iPhone) and Apple TV, they will pair automatically.

Here’s how you can check if your AirPods and Apple TV have the same Apple ID:

1. On your Apple TV, go to Home and select Settings.

   

2. Select Users and Account.

   

3. Check the email registered under iCloud account. If it’s not the same account you use on your iPhone, iPad or iPod, they’re not under the same Apple ID and can’t automatically pair. For this, you can simply sign in to the correct iCloud account.

If the account registered on your Apple TV is the same as what’s on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, here’s how you can start the pairing process:

1. Open your AirPods’ charging case lid and ensure they have enough battery.

   

2. Turn on your Apple TV and go to the Home screen.

   

3. Hold the Play/Pause button until the Audio option pops up.

   

4. Select your AirPods to start using them as the audio output.

   

How to Connect AirPods to Apple TV via Bluetooth

If you’re watching content on someone else’s Apple TV or if it’s registered under a different AppleID, you can still use your AirPods as the audio output device through a standard Bluetooth connection process.

Here’s how you can pair AirPods to Apple TV via Bluetooth:

1. Place your AirPods inside the charging case, wait for at least 15 seconds, and then open the lid again.
2. Press and hold the setup button at the back of your AirPods case until the status light flashes white.

   

3. On your Apple TV, press the Menu button on the remote and go to Settings.

   

4. Select Remote and Devices > Bluetooth.

   

5. Select your AirPods from the device list and tap Connect Device.

   

How to Use Two AirPods on Apple TV

Share Audio is a feature on Apple devices that lets you share your Bluetooth audio with a second pair of wireless headphones. This allows you to watch a movie with someone else without disturbing those around you.

For this method to work, you’ll need to follow these conditions:

• The first pair of AirPods needs to be paired to your Apple TV via Bluetooth or Apple ID.
• Your second pair of AirPods needs to be connected to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod or be placed close to the Apple TV.

With that out of the way, here’s how you can use the Share Audio feature on your Apple TV:

1. Press and hold the Home button on your Apple TV remote.

   

2. Select the AirPlay icon.

   

3. Select the first pair of AirPods you want to use, and select Share Audio.

   

4. Bring the second set of AirPods close to the Apple TV.
5. On the following screen, select Temporarily Share Audio.

   

   You can also share audio between two AirPods on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.

How to Adjust AirPods Settings on Apple TV

AirPods can work seamlessly with Apple TV since they are within the same Apple ecosystem. But there are a few features that won’t work. For instance, as of writing this article, you can’t talk to Siri through your AirPods while using them with an Apple TV.

However, you can still enjoy essential AirPods control features like double tap to pause/play and automatic in-ear detection. You also still get two other audio-related features: Spatial Audio and active-noise cancelation (ANC) with your Apple TV.

Here’s how you can configure the Spatial Audio and ANC on your AirPods:

1. Pair your AirPods to your Apple TV via Bluetooth or Apple ID.
2. Press the Home button on your Apple TV remote to open the control center.

   

3. Select the headphones icon next to the AirPlay icon.

   

4. Adjust the Spatial Audio and noise cancellation settings to your liking.

   

Conclusion

Since they belong to the same Apple universe, AirPods can pair and work seamlessly with all Apple TV models. Just make sure your earbuds and Apple TV are updated to their latest firmware version before you try to pair them!

Hopefully, you should now be enjoying your movie or video on Apple TV without disturbing anyone around you.

Did you manage to connect your AirPods to Apple TV with no issue? Or did we miss any pairing methods? Let us know in the comments!