How to Connect AirPods to PS4

What You Should Know

—Connect a third-party Bluetooth adapter to the PS4’s open USB port. To pair the AirPods, press and hold the button on the case.

—To confirm that the AirPods are connected, go to Settings > Devices > Audio Devices.

—You won’t be able to communicate with other players if you use AirPods with your PS4.

This article describes how to connect any model of AirPods to the PS4, as well as what accessories you’ll need to purchase and which functionalities aren’t supported. The instructions apply to the original AirPods, AirPods with wireless charging case, and AirPods Pro.

What You’ll Need to Connect AirPods to a PlayStation 4

The PS4 does not, believe it or not, support Bluetooth audio out of the box. That means you can’t attach AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones to it without purchasing additional devices. If you connect AirPods to the PS4 without an adapter, the PS4 will detect them and you will go through all of the pairing steps only to have the process fail at the very end. Annoying!

To work around this, you’ll need to purchase a PS4 Bluetooth adapter that supports Bluetooth audio and plug it into the console.

We chose the Twelve South AirFly Duo for this post, but any Bluetooth adapter that supports audio and can be put into a PS4 (through USB or the headphone connector, for example) can work.

How to Connect AirPods to a PlayStation 4

To connect AirPods to a PS4 using a Bluetooth adaptor, follow these steps:

Check that your AirPods are fully charged. The same is true if your Bluetooth adaptor has a battery. (The AirFly Duo, for example, plugs into the PS4 controller’s headphone jack and requires battery power; other Bluetooth adapters plug into the PS4’s USB ports and do not require battery power.)
Connect your PS4 to the Bluetooth adapter.
Switch the Bluetooth adaptor to pairing mode. The precise method varies on your device, so consult the instructions that come with it.
Open the charging case with your AirPods inside and press and hold the syncing button.
Hold the button down until the Bluetooth adapter’s lights stop flashing. This indicates that the AirPods are connected to the adaptor.
Check the settings on your PS4 to ensure that your PS4 is being delivered to your AirPods. Navigate to Devices > Audio Devices in Settings.
On the Audio Devices screens, there are two critical settings to change:
—Set the Output Device to Headphones Connected to Controller (or the selection appropriate for your Bluetooth adapter).
—Set the output to headphones to All Audio.
—In the Level Control (Headphones) menu, you may also adjust the volume of audio delivered from the PS4 to your AirPods.
After that, all audio from the PS4 will be routed to your AirPods, and you’ll be ready to play!

Tip: While this post focuses on connecting AirPods to PS4, once you have a Bluetooth adapter, you can connect any Bluetooth device to PS4, not only AirPods.

Can You Use AirPods to Talk to Other PS4 Gamers?

While this post demonstrates how to link AirPods to PS4, there is one drawback to this method: you cannot interact with other players while playing, despite the fact that AirPods feature a microphone (as anyone who has used them for phone calls knows). This is due to the fact that most Bluetooth adapters only deliver audio from the PS4 to your headphones, not the other way around. You’ll need headphones designed exclusively for the PS4 for this (or other gaming consoles).

Still, if all you want to do is listen to music without disturbing others, a Bluetooth adaptor is a terrific solution.