How to Stop Your AirPods from Switching Automatically Between Devices

Hey everyone, this is Steven Robles from Apple Insider, and today I'm going to show you how you can stop your AirPods from switching automatically from one device to another. Apple introduced this feature recently and it allows your AirPods to automatically switch to the device you're using.

So, if you're listening to a podcast on your iPhone and you pick up your iPad, your AirPods will automatically switch to the audio of that device. It's pretty cool when it works, but sometimes it switches when you don't intend it to, or maybe you're on your phone and listening to something and you go to your Mac to do something and your AirPods automatically switch to the Mac, and you didn't intend for it to do that.

But now you can tap the little blue arrow there and move it back to your iPhone if you didn't intend to do that. But again, you can stop them from automatically switching so they never do it again. However, you will have to do it for each device that you have and each pair of AirPods you have to stop the automatic switching.

The setting you can change for your regular AirPods, AirPods Pro, and even AirPods Max to turn off automatic switching is available. Your AirPods need to be connected to the device that you're going to adjust the setting. Go to the settings app, go to Bluetooth, scroll down to the AirPods that are connected, so I have my regular AirPods here. Hit the little i icon and you'll see a "Connect to this iPhone" option.

When you tap that, choose when last connected to this iPhone. This will prevent your AirPods from switching back and forth between this iPhone and another device if they are connected to something already like your iPad or your Mac. You could change the setting on your iPad the same way that I did on my iPhone. Go to settings, Bluetooth, tap the i next to the device and then changing that setting. You can always change it back as well. Just go back to automatically, and they'll switch back and forth automatically as well.

Now, if you'd like to change these settings on your Mac, hit the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and go to the Bluetooth preference pane. If you don't see that, go to the Apple icon in the top left, go to System Preferences, and then hit the Bluetooth preference pane from here. You should see the AirPods connected in this list.

Again, you might have to adjust the setting for your AirPods Max, AirPods Pro, and regular AirPods if you click the options button. You'll see that the "Connect to this Mac" automatically is the dropdown chosen. If you click this and change it to when last connected to this Mac, if the AirPods were most recently connected to it, it will reconnect automatically. But it won't switch between this Mac and another device like your iPhone or iPad automatically.

We hope you enjoyed this how-to video from Apple Insider. Leave a comment below, I'd love to interact with you there. If you have questions or some other how-to videos that you would like to see here on the channel, don't forget to check out all the podcasts we have at Apple Insider. We have Apple Insider Daily that gives you the top Apple headlines every day in just a few minutes. HomeKit Insider talks about all the new smart home and HomeKit devices that come out every Monday. The Apple Insider Podcast comes out every Friday, I host it with various members of the Apple Insider staff. It's a lot of fun to check those out. You'll find links in the description. Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel, and hit that little bell icon so you'll be notified of new videos.

Thanks for tuning in, we'll catch you next time.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey everyone this is steven robles from apple insider and today i'm going to show you how you can stop your air pods from switching automatically from one device to another apple introduced this feature recently and it allows your air pods to automatically switch to the device you're using so if you're listening to a podcast on your iphone and you pick up your ipad your air pods will automatically switch to the audio of that device pretty cool when it works but sometimes it switches when you don't intend it to or maybe you're on your phone and listening to something and you go to your mac to do something and your airpods automatically switch to the mac and you didn't intend for it to do that now you can tap the little blue arrow there and move it back to your iphone if you didn't intend to do that but again you can stop them from automatically switching so they never do it again but you will have to do it for each device that you have and each pair of air pods you have to stop the automatic switching now again this setting you can change for your regular airpods your airpods pro and even your airpods max to turn off automatic switching your air pods need to be connected to the device that you're going to adjust the setting go to the settings app go to bluetooth scroll down to the air pods that are connected so i have my regular airpods here hit the little i icon and you'll see a connect to this iphone option and when you tap that choose when last connected to this iphone this will prevent the air pods from switching back and forth between this iphone and another device if they are connected to something already like your ipad or your mac you could change the setting on your ipad the same way that i did on my iphone going to settings bluetooth tapping the i next to the device and then changing that setting you can always change it back as well just go back to automatically and they'll switch back and forth automatically as well now if you'd like to change these settings on your mac hit the bluetooth icon in the menu bar and go to the bluetooth preference pane if you don't see that go to the apple icon in the top left go to system preferences and then hit the bluetooth preference pane from here you should see the air pods connected in this list and again you might have to adjust the setting for your airpods max air pods pro and your regular air pods if you click the options button you'll see that the connect to this mac automatically is the drop down chosen if i click this and change it to when last connected to this mac if the air pods were most recently connected to it it'll reconnect automatically but it won't switch between this mac and another device like your iphone or ipad automatically we hope you enjoyed this how-to video from apple insider leave a comment below i'd love to interact with you there if you have questions or some other how-to videos that you would like to see here on the channel don't forget to check out all the podcasts we have at apple insider we have apple insider daily that gives you the top apple headlines every day in just a few minutes homekit insider that talks about all the new smart home and homekit devices that comes out every monday and the apple insider podcast that comes out every friday i host that with various members of the apple insider staff it's a lot of fun check those out you'll find links in the description don't forget to like this video subscribe to the channel and hit that little bell icon so you'll be notified of new videos thanks for tuning in we'll catch you next time youhey everyone this is steven robles from apple insider and today i'm going to show you how you can stop your air pods from switching automatically from one device to another apple introduced this feature recently and it allows your air pods to automatically switch to the device you're using so if you're listening to a podcast on your iphone and you pick up your ipad your air pods will automatically switch to the audio of that device pretty cool when it works but sometimes it switches when you don't intend it to or maybe you're on your phone and listening to something and you go to your mac to do something and your airpods automatically switch to the mac and you didn't intend for it to do that now you can tap the little blue arrow there and move it back to your iphone if you didn't intend to do that but again you can stop them from automatically switching so they never do it again but you will have to do it for each device that you have and each pair of air pods you have to stop the automatic switching now again this setting you can change for your regular airpods your airpods pro and even your airpods max to turn off automatic switching your air pods need to be connected to the device that you're going to adjust the setting go to the settings app go to bluetooth scroll down to the air pods that are connected so i have my regular airpods here hit the little i icon and you'll see a connect to this iphone option and when you tap that choose when last connected to this iphone this will prevent the air pods from switching back and forth between this iphone and another device if they are connected to something already like your ipad or your mac you could change the setting on your ipad the same way that i did on my iphone going to settings bluetooth tapping the i next to the device and then changing that setting you can always change it back as well just go back to automatically and they'll switch back and forth automatically as well now if you'd like to change these settings on your mac hit the bluetooth icon in the menu bar and go to the bluetooth preference pane if you don't see that go to the apple icon in the top left go to system preferences and then hit the bluetooth preference pane from here you should see the air pods connected in this list and again you might have to adjust the setting for your airpods max air pods pro and your regular air pods if you click the options button you'll see that the connect to this mac automatically is the drop down chosen if i click this and change it to when last connected to this mac if the air pods were most recently connected to it it'll reconnect automatically but it won't switch between this mac and another device like your iphone or ipad automatically we hope you enjoyed this how-to video from apple insider leave a comment below i'd love to interact with you there if you have questions or some other how-to videos that you would like to see here on the channel don't forget to check out all the podcasts we have at apple insider we have apple insider daily that gives you the top apple headlines every day in just a few minutes homekit insider that talks about all the new smart home and homekit devices that comes out every monday and the apple insider podcast that comes out every friday i host that with various members of the apple insider staff it's a lot of fun check those out you'll find links in the description don't forget to like this video subscribe to the channel and hit that little bell icon so you'll be notified of new videos thanks for tuning in we'll catch you next time you\n"