Tested-New AirPods with iPod Nano 7th Generation (current)

I had this issue as well. Here's what fixed it for me ultimately:

Background: I have a theory that both the Nano and the AirPods store a "default" volume level for each other. The initial connection is usually too quiet, because people rarely listen to their music at max volume on their iPhones. The iPod Nano doesn't seem to adjust the volume of the device, as much as it boosts sound output instead. Working with this theory, I decided that if I can get the AirPods to increase their "default pairing volume", then I could get things working again. So, in that vein, I started to pair and unpair the AirPods until I could get things working again properly.

So here are the steps I used that ultimately worked. It should be noted that I'm still a little shaky on these, as it sometimes seemed to work and sometimes not, but the magic bullet seemed to be resetting the iPod Nano.

1. Delete the AirPods bluetooth entry from the Nano.

2. Turn off Bluetooth on the Nano.

3. Reset the Nano by holding the home button and the lock button for a while until the Apple Logo appears.

4. Reset your AirPods entirely by holding the button for 15 seconds.

5. Re-pair your AirPods with your iPhone.

6. Open the music app on the iPhone and play some music.

7. Turn the volume ALL THE WAY UP. (Yes, I know this hurts, but you can do it for a second.)

8. Switch playing from the AirPods to playing from the iPhone, but keep the music running until the AirPods are disconnected.

9. On the Nano, turn on Bluetooth.

10. Put the AirPods back in their case, and hold the back button for 2-3 seconds until the white light starts blinking.

11. Pair the AirPods with the Nano.

I'm not sure why, but after doing this a couple of times, everything started working fine, and volume levels were what I expected. I'm hoping the volume levels stay proper for the long term. We'll see. Yes, this is a long, drawn out process, but it seems to work, and now I have properly loud AirPods on a Nano, which makes me happier than you can imagine.

Same situation where pairing between airpod and iPod nano works, but sound level is not acceptable.

This is the most outrageous thing Apple has ever done, far as I am aware. Their marketing material should plainly, clearly and loudly state these bluetooth ear pieces will not convey sound properly from the bluetooth enabled iPod. It's not a question of using the Siri function, or stopping the audio or removal of the airpod or adjusting the sound with a tap. The things should move sound from the iPod to the airpod. It's absolutely outrageous and the absence of honesty around this issue is the worst aspect of it.

• Compatibility

  
  

  Get help buying.

  Call 1-800-MY-APPLEor Chat now

  
  

  iPhone Models

  • iPhone 5
  • iPhone 5c
  • iPhone 5s
  • iPhone SE
  • iPhone 6
  • iPhone 6 Plus
  • iPhone 6s
  • iPhone 6s Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 7 Plus

  iPad Models

  • iPad mini 2
  • iPad Air
  • iPad Air 2
  • iPad mini 3
  • iPad mini 4
  • iPad Pro (9.7-inch)
  • iPad Pro (12.9-inch)

  iPod Models

  iPod touch 6th Generation

  Watch Models

  • 38mm Case
  • 42mm Case

In fairness, whether someone was able to find and read the compatibility chart for the new Airpods or not, Apple consumers who dished out $160 for Apple's latest bluetooth earbuds had the right to expect they would be compatible with Apple's most recent compact iPod. The two items seem like a natural fit for each other as many people don't want to work out with a bulky iPhone. Apple absolutely should've planned for this.

I'm experiencing this also! Come on Apple, fix this. We have invested over $300 on this for a system you can't even jog in because the volume is so low, really?!!

I have the same issue with my AirPods and iPod Nano. After playing around with the two devices for a couple of days, I found a more straightforward solution than the one listed below so I thought I would share.

After pairing the AirPods with the Nano

1) Go into settings on the iPod and turn off Bluetooth.

2) Press and hold the home and power button until the device turns off, and the apple logo comes up you can release both buttons

3) Open the music app on the iPod (I tried this with the podcast app, and it didn't work)

3) Start any song and turn the volume all the way up.

4) Go into settings and turn on the Bluetooth and connect the AirPods (this process can be accomplished without the AirPod's charging case)

5) If it worked, the AirPods will start playing at a really loud volume so be prepared.

If it doesn't work, try the steps again. I've had about an 80% - 90% first-time success rate with this process.

I wish Apple would fix this issue.

Is this method still working for you? I'm desperate to get my airpods to connect to my Nano. It's the main reason I bought them! ANd I don't want to lug a phone around with me running.

Version 3.5.1 of airpods adds ipod nano compatibility, now they work as expected. This indicates that Apple knew this was a BUG and it is fixed now. They had no reason for not adding support for the ipod nano.

Learn to know what to expect from Apple products, so asking in a forum makes total sense, whatever the compatbility list says or not...

P.D: They added the functionality of pairing with whatever bluetooth device you have, so why exclude ipod nano? that made no sense at all.

KuRiX wrote:

Version 3.5.1 of airpods adds ipod nano compatibility, now they work as expected. This indicates that Apple knew this was a BUG and it is fixed now. They had no reason for not adding support for the ipod nano.

It would only have been a bug if Apple had said that the Nano was supported but the AirPods didn't work with the Nano. They explicitly left Nano off the original list. You do not know why they chose to leave it off. They probably had reasons that made sense to the engineers and developers. Now, it appears they have added a new capability: compatibility with the Nano. Whether that was always on the roadmap or whether Apple was responding to feedback is something we will never know.

It this was a bug or not is something we will never know. They did not mention Apple TV and it worked from the very beginning. They did not mention dozens of devices that worked from day one. I am a developer with several years in bluetooth development and it is very easy to have a bug that will make a specific device don't work as expected.

I am pretty sure they did not put a sentence to leave the ipod nano out on purpose.

Regards!

I still have the issue of volume being too low to be usable with 3.5.1. Apple Support pointed out that the requirements for AirPods include iOS10 or higher so it's not likely the nano will support them. Anyone have other ideas?

Hemispheres1 wrote:

In fairness, whether someone was able to find and read the compatibility chart for the new Airpods or not, Apple consumers who dished out $160 for Apple's latest bluetooth earbuds had the right to expect they would be compatible with Apple's most recent compact iPod.

Why did that have a right to expect that? I can understand that they wanted it to be so. But it wasn't the case. And Apple had no obligation to make it so. In my opinion, anyone who spends that much money without reading the specs is being very foolish.

I didn't go through the complex steps that HelloDMo wrote up but i regularly use my AirPods with my iPod-nano and find that the volume changes at different times i use them. Sometimes the volume is great and i can easily go running with the volume at a third of full other times i have it at maximum and can hardly hear a thing. I think i found a solution that works for me - well temporarily so far anyhow.

My theory is that it may be the volume it was last paired with my iPhone in phone call mode before switching to my iPod nano or more specifically after i have been on a phone call on my iPhone and then pair immediately with my iPod nano.

Apple purposely limited the music volume on the AirPods but boosted the speaking volume when holding a phone call, which completely bewildered me why they'd do this. Pairing with a non-apple product - if pairing is successful - allows the AirPods to function at their proper speaker volume. Try call making a phone call on your iPhone; this can be done with WhatsApp or whatever then pair with the iPod nano. The volume should be much louder. This has worked for me the last several times. Not sure if it always works.

This worked!!! I thought I'd never get my 7th Gen Nano to work with these but now the volume works it like I would expect. Don't know how you figured this out, but it only took a couple of minutes to follow your steps. I hope it stays working...time will tell.

Can't thank you enough! 😊

Deborah

Well, it worked for a bit. I grew bold and thought I would try to pair the AirPods with my TV, which didn't work, and which broke the volume fix I had just done. Now try after try I can't get it to be fixed again. 😟