Yes, You Can Use AirPods On Android Devices (But You’ll Lose Some Features)

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. In the video above, I go over how to pair AirPods with an Android device and why it’s maybe not the best idea.

When you pair Apple’s AirPods with an Android device, they’ll work just like any other pair of bluetooth headphones. Even the pairing process is the same. But you’ll end up losing some iOS-dependent features, which may be a dealbreaker.

Right out of the box, you won’t be able to instantly pair the AirPods just by opening the lid and holding them near an iPhone. You’ll have to go through the usual process of holding down the button on the case until the Airpods are in pairing mode (the light will start to blink) and then connecting to them from the bluetooth settings on your Android device. Not a huge deal, considering you’ll probably only ever do this one time.

Another feature you’ll lose is the ability to easily summon the voice assistant. AirPods do not work with Google Assistant out of the box, and since there’s no Siri on Android devices, you won’t be able to say “Hey Siri” to use voice commands.

One of the best features of AirPods is automatic ear detection. When you take one AirPod out of your ear, whatever you were listening to automatically pauses. Once you put the AirPod back in your ear, it resumes. This feature won’t work on Android.

Another crucial feature that will be missing is the ability to check the battery levels of your AirPods and the case. There are some workarounds, but they’re not perfect. On the bright side, if you have AirPods Pro, the noise cancellation and touch controls will work just as they do on iPhone.

Ultimately, the decision to use AirPods with an Android device comes down to how important some of these features are to you. The AirPods were obviously designed to work with Apple’s own devices. Small things like a UI that lets you quickly toggle noise cancellation on and off, or the ability to easily switch between multiple Apple devices without having to re-pair are the quality of life features that add to the overall experience.

Unless you really love AirPods, as an Android user, you’re probably better off getting yourself a nicer pair of bluetooth headphones. There are plenty of great options.