Did you know you can connect your AirPods to your Apple TV? It’s an easy solution for anybody wanting to watch something without disturbing other people in the room. And now you can listen to content that supports Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio, the experience of listening to your Apple TV is better than ever.
Read More
For the best possible experience, you really need an Apple TV 4K as it’s Apple’s only set-top box that supports Dolby Atmos content (the now antiquated HD model does not). You also should have a wireless headset that has the necessary sensors to take full advantage of Apple’s immersive technology, Spatial Audio.
There are quite a few Apple- and Beats-branded headsets that support Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. On the Apple side, there’s AirPods 3, AirPods Pro (1st- or 2nd-generation) and AirPods Max; the entry-level AirPods do not support Spatial Audio. On the Beats side, the Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds + and the newest over-ear headphones, the Beats Studio Pro.
That said, any headset that has Apple’s H1 or W1 chipset (meaning most of the latest Beats headphones as well as Apple’s regular AirPods) that’s paired with the Apple TV 4K can still play to Dolby Atmos content — it just won’t sound quite as good.
Finally, you can actually pair any Bluetooth headset to your Apple TV and listen to content privately. So, if you want to listen on your comfy Sony or Bose over-ear headphones — you can. The catch is that pairing isn’t quite as easy and it won’t support the same immersive sound technologies.
How to pair AirPods to Your Apple TV
There are two ways to connect your AirPods to an Apple TV. The first and easiest solution is if the Apple TV and your AirPods (through your iPhone) are linked under the same iCloud account. Make sure that your AirPods and Apple TV are running the latest software, then follow these steps:
- Turn on your Apple TV.
- Make sure you’re wearing your AirPods.
- You should see a notification appear on your Apple TV asking if you want to connect your AirPods.
- Confirm by pressing the TV/Control Center button (the button with the TV icon) on your remote.
If the notification on your Apple TV disappears before you successfully connect your AirPods, here’s what to do.
- Keep your AirPods in your ears.
- Press and hold the TV/Control Center button on your remote.
- Select the AirPlay icon from the Control Center on your Apple TV.
- Select your AirPods under “Headphones.”
How to pair AirPods to someone else’s Apple TV
If you’re trying to connect your AirPods to an Apple TV that isn’t the same iCloud account, it’s still a pretty simple process. Here’s what you need to do:
- Turn on the Apple TV.
- Make sure you’re wearing your AirPods.
- Hold the pairing button on the back of the AirPods case until its light starts flashing white.
- Open the Settings app on the Apple TV.
- Select Remotes and Devices and then Bluetooth.
- Select your AirPods when they appear as an option, and then select Connect Device.
How to pair non-AirPod Bluetooth headphones to an Apple TV
It’s not as seamless, but you can connect any pair of Bluetooth headphones to your Apple TV and use them for private listening. Here’s how:
- Turn on the Apple TV.
- Make sure your wireless headphones in pairing mode (the process will depend on model).
- Open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
- Select Remotes and Devices and select Bluetooth.
- Select your wireless headphones when they appear.
How to adjust AirPods settings on your Apple TV
When your AirPods are connected to your Apple TV, you can adjust the settings for Spatial Audio and Noise Control (active noise-cancellation or transparency). Note: These settings will vary depending on which model of AirPods or wireless earbuds you have.
- Press and hold the TV/Control Center button (the button with the TV icon) on your remote.
- Scroll down and select your AirPods from the Control Center.
- Adjust your audio settings as you see fit.
How to share audio with other AirPods on Apple TV
You and somebody else can both watch the same show or movie on Apple TV while wearing separate pairs of AirPods (or compatible Beats headphones) — you just need to use the Audio Share feature. (Note: Audio Share is only available on Apple TV 4K models.)
- Connect your AirPods to the Apple TV (Follow above steps).
- Press and hold the TV/Control Center button (the button with the TV icon) on your remote.
- Scroll down and select AirPlay icon from the Control Center on your Apple TV.
- Under the “Headphones” menu, select “Share Audio.”
- Follow the instructions on your Apple TV to connect the second pair of AirPods.