AirPods connect but won't become an audio output device.

Question

AirPods connect but won't become an audio output device.

I was planning to give my AirPods away, as I would be getting myself a new pair. I didn't end up getting a new pair, so I kept them. Now, I had to re-connect them to all my devices. It worked properly in all, except my MacBook.

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015), running macOS Sierra version 10.12.6 (16G2136).

The AirPods are 2nd generation, model A2031.

The pairing process is done properly, my MacBook shows that they are connected, and the pods make the chime that confirms the connection. But, unlike before, the output device doesn't switch to the AirPods automatically. When I manually select my output device, the pods get disconnected.

I remember that some weeks ago, I deleted some audio-related files to get rid of some old audio devices I no longer use. Perhaps one of those files was AirPod related?

How do I fix this issue?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Nov 4, 2021 7:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

AppleJen77

Community Specialist

Nov 6, 2021 6:15 AM in response to Apollo_Tsakiris

Thanks for the update, Apollo!

Since the issue is only with the Mac and resetting the AirPods doesn't help, let's see if the issue is with the Mac itself.

First, since you are able to connect, take a look at this article to Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference to be sure there is nothing interfering with the connection.

If there is no interference, we recommend taking a look at this article with steps to follow for How to use safe mode on your Mac. This will perform checks and stop certain software from starting up automatically. Once you are in safe mode, test to see if you have the same issue.

We also suggest following these steps to Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac and create a test user to see if the issue is user specific or system wide.

Keep us posted!

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Answer 2

AppleJen77

Community Specialist

Nov 5, 2021 9:21 AM in response to Apollo_Tsakiris

Greetings, Apollo_Tsakiris!

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! It sounds like your AirPods are connecting but there is no sound from the MacBook when they are being used.

Here are some suggestions:

Just to be sure, verify that the AirPods are set as the output device in System Preferences: Change the sound output settings on Mac
Restart your Mac from the Apple () menu then Restart before connecting the AirPods again.
Reset the AirPods completely: Reset your AirPods

Let us know the results and have a terrific day!

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Answer 3

Nov 6, 2021 3:55 AM in response to AppleJen77

I tried your suggestions, but the issue is still not fixed. The problem is not that the AirPods connect but there is no sound, but rather that when I choose them as an output device, they disconnect.

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