There are perfect pairings in this world. Peanut butter and jelly. Beyoncé and Jay-Z. AirPods and Androids. No, really, hear us out.
AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max are not iOS-exclusive devices. If you’ve been eyeing those wireless earbuds, but don’t want to give up your Android device, we’ve got good news. AirPods pair with basically any Bluetooth-enabled device.
You won’t get all the included features that you would with an Apple device. The battery indicator for the AirPods won’t display on your phone, and Siri won’t be available to answer any of your requests. However, you can download the MaterialPods app to display battery life on your phone and launch the Google Assistant after double-tapping an earbud.
If this still sounds like a good idea to you, here’s what to do:
On your Android device, make sure Bluetooth is on and go to Settings > Connected Devices > Bluetooth. For AirPods and AirPods Pro, open the case, hold it near the Android device, press the white button on the back until you get a pop-up on the on-screen list of connected devices, and then tap Pair. For AirPods Max, take them out of the case, hold the noise control button down on them until the pop-up appears, and then tap Pair.
Now the only thing left to do is to conspicuously take out your Android while your AirPods are firmly in your ears. Though you may not be able to hear those around you, you’ll see their puzzled expressions. You are the bridge between Apple fanboys and rabid Android enthusiasts.
