Replacement AirPod or Case Not Connecting? Heres How To Fix It – Headphonesty

We’ll walk you through proven solutions for when your replacement airpod, airpod pro, or charging case won’t pair or connect.

airpods are innovative devices, but they come with some design features that make wearing them uncomfortable and prone to falling out.

this, in turn, makes airpods very easy to lose. even the charging case is a concern because it doesn’t support apple’s find my feature, which can make it even more difficult to recover your lost airpods case.

luckily, getting a replacement airpod or charging case is pretty easy.

however, the problem is that replacement airpods or cases don’t always work with the remaining original set.

This can be very frustrating, especially since you’ve already gone to the trouble of replacing them and can’t use them. Not to mention the fact that you’ve done it at your expense, as applecare+ for headphones doesn’t cover loss or theft.

To save you more trouble, we will explain what to do after you get a replacement airpod or airpod case. let’s dive!

how to pair your spare airpod or airpods case

If you’ve recently received replacements, you’ll need to re-pair the replacement airpod with what’s left of the original set. doing this is a lot like rebooting your airpods, so the process shouldn’t be too unfamiliar.

here is a step by step guide on how to connect your spare airpod to your airpods case:

1. Go to ‘Settings’ on your iPhone or iPad and select ‘Bluetooth.’
   

   

2. Tap the Information icon (ⓘ) to the right of your AirPods.
   

   

3. Tap ‘Forget This Device.’
   

   

4. Tap ‘Forget Device’ in the first prompt, then again in the second prompt.
   

   

5. Place the AirPods in their charging case.
   

   

6. Check that the status light flashes amber when you open the charging case lid.
   

   

7. Close the lid, then hold the setup button on the charging case until it flashes white.
   

   

8. Go to the Home Screen on your iPhone or iPad. Open the charging case (with your AirPods inside) near your device and wait for the setup animation to appear.
   

   

9. Tap ‘Connect,’ then ‘Done.’
   

   

what to do when the replacement airpod won’t sync or connect

Your airpods don’t have to come from the exact same set to work properly. You can use two different AirPods together, as long as they are the same type or model. the same also applies when pairing airpods with a different case.

Unfortunately, pairing two different airpods isn’t always a piece of cake. that’s because mismatched firmware makes them incompatible from the start. therefore, getting them to work properly as a pair will require a few extra steps.

Here’s what to do when your replacement airpod or airpod pro doesn’t pair properly:

update airpods firmware

As mentioned above, mismatched firmware is often to blame for airpods pairing issues. Your old airpod has already undergone a series of updates to improve its performance. on the contrary, your replacement airpod does not have any of these updates. this firmware incompatibility is what creates connection and pairing failures.

Naturally, the best way to fix this is by updating the firmware of the replacement airpod. but since there is no option to update airpods firmware manually, you will have to take a detour. here’s how:

1. Go to ‘Settings’ on your iPhone or iPad and select ‘Bluetooth.’
   

   

2. Tap the Information icon (ⓘ) to the right of your AirPods.
   

   

3. Tap ‘Forget This Device.’
   

   

4. Remove both AirPods from the case.
   

   

5. Take the left AirPod only and put it back in the case. The status light should flash green.
6. Press the setup button on the case until the status light flashes white.
   

   

7. When the setup animation appears on your device, tap ‘Connect’ to pair the left AirPod.
   

   

8. Take out the left AirPod and set it aside. Now place the right AirPod in the case and repeat steps 6 and 7.
   

   

9. Once both AirPods are separately paired, place both inside the case. The status light should flash amber.
   

   

10. Plug your device and AirPods case into their respective chargers to avoid low battery interruptions.
    

    

11. Leave your AirPods and device for at least an hour to force the download of firmware updates.
    

    

12. Once the firmware updates are done, the amber status light will turn green, and you’ll now be able to pair your AirPods the usual way.

try to connect to your airpods one at a time

When it comes to pairing issues, it sometimes helps to let each airpod pair separately.

Existing connection between the original airpod and the case may prevent the new airpod from connecting. in fact, some reddit users even mentioned having to physically move their old airpod way out of range just for the new airpod to connect properly.

While this solution isn’t an exact science, it certainly won’t hurt to try and see if it works for you.

here is how to pair each airpod separately:

1. Go to ‘Settings’ on your iPhone or iPad and select ‘Bluetooth.’
   

   

2. Tap the Information icon (ⓘ) to the right of your AirPods.
   

   

3. Tap ‘Forget This Device.’
   

   

4. Place one AirPod in the charging case and the other AirPod in your ear.
   

   

5. Keep the AirPod charging case lid open, then hold the setup button. The status light should flash white.
   

   

6. When the setup animation appears on your device’s Home Screen, just follow the prompt to connect your AirPod.
   

   

7. Swap both AirPods around and repeat steps 4 to 6 to pair the other AirPod.
   

   

8. Place both AirPods in the case and hold the setup button to pair them as a single device.
   

   

9. If this still doesn’t work, forget both AirPods and repeat the pairing process with both AirPods in the case.

contact apple support

If none of the above solutions worked for you, the problem could be with the replacement airpod.

For example, if you searched third-party resellers for replacement, you may have received a defective or counterfeit airpod. Sadly, even Apple Repair has been known to get it wrong on occasion. Some people have mistakenly received the wrong replacement airpod model, which tends to happen with similar looking airpods gen 1 and 2.

The good thing about the second scenario is that you can always go to apple support to get another replacement for your replacement.

and yes, while it can be frustrating to send back your faulty airpods, at least you can be sure you’re getting a legitimate product backed by apple support.

Here’s how you can schedule an appointment for service in three ways:

1. chat with apple support
2. have apple support call you
3. take your airpods to a local apple authorized service provider (aasp).

However, before doing any of these, make sure you have the following ready for a smoother transaction:

• airpods serial number
• proof of purchase
• your original and replacement airpods or charging case

Replacements typically take a week to arrive. The good news is that if you return a faulty replacement apple that they shipped themselves, you can return it for free and get a replacement.

As a last resort, if you have to spend on replacements, here are the replacement fee amounts: $69 for each airpod and $89 for each airpod pro.

the standard charging case for the airpods (1, 2 and 3) is $59, and the magsafe and wireless charging cases are $79 each. for airpods pro magsafe and wireless charging cases, it costs usd $99.

conclusion

If you know your replacement airpod is the correct model and it comes from an official reseller, the solutions above should fix your pairing issues. Please remember to be patient as the estimated time for firmware updates varies from case to case.

if all else fails, you can at least turn to apple support to help you resolve the issue.

Have you tried any of the solutions we’ve shared? We’d love to hear about your experiences or any other tips you may have for pairing replacement airpods. Don’t forget to leave us a comment below!