How do I use the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device?

There is a misconception that Apple’s AirPods should only be used with iPhones. Some believe AirPods lose too many features when paired with a non-iPhone to be worth it, while others mistakenly believe AirPods won’t work with an Android device at all.

I can confirm that this is not the case as I have been using the AirPods Max for over a year and they are usually paired with an Android smartphone. The same goes for the new AirPods Pro 2: I’ve been using these for two weeks, but have only been paired with an iPhone for the first half of that time. The rest of the time it was paired with either a Xiaomi 12S Ultra or a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. And for me personally, the experience was perfectly fine. There are actually some features lost when using AirPods with an Android, but most of them don’t matter too much to me. Your mileage may vary.

How to pair an AirPods Pro 2 (or other AirPods) with an Android

One immediate benefit you lose by using the AirPods Pro 2 (or any AirPods) with an Android device is that you lose the somewhat seamless, one-tap pairing process that you get within the Apple ecosystem receive. If you’re on an iPhone and a new (or not previously paired with your device) set of AirPods Pro 2 is nearby, as soon as the AirPods case cover is opened, your iPhone should get a pop-up card asking you whether you would like couple. One tap to confirm, and AirPods Pro 2 will pair not only with your iPhone, but with any other iOS device using the same Apple ID.

This is not the case with an Android device. How to pair an Airpods with an Android smartphone:

• You need to manually long press the small button on the back of the AirPods Pro 2 case and wait for the case indicator light to flash white, which means the AirPods Pro 2 are now in pairing mode.
• Go to the Bluetooth settings on your Android device
• Find the AirPods listed and tap to pair.
• A pop-up will then ask you to allow AirPods Pro to access your contacts and call history.

Instead of a one-tap process that takes half a second, pairing an AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device becomes a multi-step 10-second process. The good news is that you only have to do this once. After that, the AirPods Pro 2 will automatically connect to your Android device as soon as you take them out of the case.

I’ve used the AirPods Pro 2 with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Xiaomi 12T Pro, and before that I’d used my AirPods Max with at least a dozen Android devices from brands ranging from Google to Huawei. and I’ve never had any audio playback or audio quality issues. I’m not an audiophile, but the AirPods Pro 2 sound identical whether I’m paired with an Apple or Samsung device.

The basic core functionality of AirPods Pro 2 works flawlessly for me on Android devices, including switching from ANC to transparency mode with a long press on the AirPods stem or adjusting the volume with swiping. If your Android phone supports it, you can even access Google Assistant using the voice command “Hey Google.” I could easily do this on an international version of the Xiaomi 12T Pro.

What features are lost when pairing an AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device?

As mentioned, you lose the seamless one-tap pairing the first time you pair it. It’s just a one-time little effort that really shouldn’t bother anyone. But other features are lost that might be important to you. These are:

• Automatic ear detection
• Spatial Audio
• Customization of AirPods controls
• Apple Find My network

Automatic ear detection

Automatic ear detection is a feature most should be familiar with: the AirPods Pro 2 (and all previous AirPods) use a proximity sensor to detect when the earbuds have been removed from your ear, and automatically pause music or video when you take out the AirPods. I can see that this is a very useful feature for many people, but it’s not for me. I often fumble with my earbuds when they’re in my ear, and I don’t like it when the music stops every time I wiggle them loosely for even a split second.

Spatial Audio

Spatial audio is when AirPods Pro 2 track your head movements and adjust audio playback to simulate the effect of a 360-degree listening experience. For example, if you turn your head to the right, the sound from the left will increase because your left ear has more “exposure” to the music “in front of you.” The AirPods Pro 2 also offer personalized spatial audio, with the iPhone using its TrueDepth camera system to scan your ear canal for a “more personal sound”. I don’t really hear the difference to be honest before and posting the ear scan.

Spatial audio isn’t a must and isn’t for everyone, but it can enhance the music experience. I like to use it when I’m in a room, but not so much when I’m walking around town.

Optimizing AirPods controls

The third lost feature is the ability to customize the AirPods controls. When paired with an iPhone, you can jump into the settings and change what a long press on the stem does, for example. I assigned Siri the left long press while holding the right long press to toggle between ANC or transparency mode. I can also add a neutral listening mode with no ANC or transparency.

find mine

The latter may be important to most people: the AirPods Pro 2 can connect to Apple’s Find My network, which means if you let it, you can track its location if they’re misplaced. You can even set up notifications to appear on your iPhone when your AirPods Pro 2 are too far from your phone.

Should you buy AirPods Pro 2 if you don’t own an Apple device at all?

As I mentioned in the beginning, these lost features when the AirPods are paired with Android devices are not a deal breaker for me, which is why I’ve been using the AirPods Max and more recently AirPods Pro 2 with Android devices for a year without any complaints. However, I am a unique case as I own multiple Apple devices including a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max as well as multiple Android phones. So while my AirPods are used with Android devices when I’m on the go, I enjoy the seamless connectivity of AirPods and Apple when I’m working on a MacBook at home.

Ultimately, I would put it this way: Don’t bother buying AirPods Pro 2 if you’re a full-time Android user who doesn’t own a single Apple device. But if you’re an Android user with an iPad or Mac at home, or if you’re an Android user who got a pair of AirPods as a gift, give them a try. They’re still good earbuds, just not the best choice to pursue on their own outside of the Apple ecosystem. Instead, you can use some other recommended earbuds for Android use.