How to Connect Airpods Without a Case

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: April 14, 2025 Fact Checked

Can you still use your AirPods if you don't have the case with you? The first time you pair your AirPods with a device like an iPhone or a laptop, you'll need to be able to press the button on the case so your AirPods can enter Pairing Mode. But if you've already paired your AirPods to the device you want to use, you can easily reconnect them and this wikiHow article teaches you how.

Turning on AirPods Without a Case

You can’t pair AirPods to a new device without their case. To reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Control Center, tap the AirPlay icon in the audio card, and select your AirPods. On a Mac, click the Bluetooth icon on the top of your screen and select your AirPods.

Section 1 of 5:

What if my case is dead, lost, or missing?

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AirPods can only enter Pairing Mode if they are inside the case. If you want to pair them to a device you've never used them with, you'll need the case.^{[1]
X
Research source} But if you've already paired your AirPods with a device like your iPhone, Android, or laptop, you won't need the case to reconnect and listen to audio.
- Learn what fellow readers suggest at the "Frustrated. Why won't my Airpods connect to my MacBook?" wikiHow forum post.

Section 2 of 5:

Reconnecting AirPods to an iPhone

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Open Control Center. To do this, swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.
It's the card in the top right corner that shows your current media.
This icon looks like a triangle inside circles in the top right corner of the audio card.^{[2]
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Research source}
4
Tap to select your AirPods from the list of paired Bluetooth devices. If you've previously paired your AirPods, you'll see them show up here as long as they are on and within range.^{[3]
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Research source}
- If your AirPods do not show up here, you'll need the case to perform troubleshooting issues, like re-pairing.

Section 3 of 5:

Reconnecting AirPods to an Android

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You can swipe down from the top of the screen to access Quick Panel and tap the gear icon. Or you can tap the app icon that looks like a gear.^{[4]
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2
Tap Bluetooth. You'll see this next to the Bluetooth icon.^{[5]
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- You should see a list of paired devices that you can connect to.
3
Tap to select your AirPods. If you've previously paired your AirPods, you'll see them show up here as long as they are on and within range.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If your AirPods do not show up here, you'll need the case to perform troubleshooting issues, like forgetting the connection and pairing again.

Section 4 of 5:

Reconnecting AirPods with a Mac Computer

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If you don't see the Bluetooth icon, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth.
2
Click to select your AirPods and click Connect. The AirPods will connect to your Mac.^{[7]
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Research source}
- If your AirPods do not show up here, you'll need the case to perform troubleshooting issues, like forgetting the connection and pairing again.

Section 5 of 5:

Reconnecting AirPods with a Windows PC

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It's the icon that looks like a chat bubble on the far right of your taskbar.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
This will open a Bluetooth Settings window.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
3
Click to select your AirPods. You should see them under "Audio" or "Other Devices" if you have previously paired them with your computer.^{[10]
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Research source}
- If your AirPods do not show up here, you'll need the case to perform troubleshooting issues, like forgetting the connection and pairing again.^{[11]
  X
  Research source}

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Tips

Your AirPods might be dead, which would also prevent them from showing up in the available devices lists on these devices.

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If you don't see your AirPods, you'll probably need a case for them so you can continue. You can get a new case and connect it with your AirPods.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Not only can you not connect your AirPods without a case, but you also need a case to charge them. So if you lose the case, you're pretty much out of luck.
Remember that the first time you get AirPods you have to both charge them and pair them with any device you want to use them on.

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