The AirPods are the best wireless earphones to enjoy super quality sound with real time audio transmission. But the AirPods also have some complications, recently I noticed that my AirPods are flashing white light but not connecting to my iPhone 14. So, I decided to fix the issue on my own.
I use my AirPods 2nd gen with my MacBook Pro, iPhone 14, Apple Watch and iPad Pro devices. My AirPods were working fine till last week and then the trouble knocked at my door. I have tried some quick solutions to fix AirPods flashing white but not connecting issue and I am going to share them with you.
My AirPods Flashing White Light, What Does It Indicate?
When your AirPods are flashing white light, it indicates that the AirPods are ready for pairing with your device. It can be your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac or any other device. Once the AirPods are connected to relevant device, the white light should stop flashing.
The Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro come with a status light that flashes red, amber, white and green to indicate different messages related to connectivity, pairing, charging and battery health of AirPods.
If your AirPods keep flashing white light and don’t connect with your Mac/iOS device, it simply means they have technical issues. You have to do something to fix the problem so that you can use AirPods with your iPhone or Mac computer again.
10 Simple Ways to Fix AirPods Flashing White but Not Connecting
You need to open AirPods case to turn on and press & hold the setup button to get them ready for pairing. When the AirPods flash white light, you should know that you can now connect your iPhone with them. In case they don’t connect/pair, you need to find a quick solution for it.
Here I provide 10 simple ways to fix AirPods flashing white but not connecting with iPhone or Mac computer.
- Turn Off Bluetooth, Turn On and Try Again
- Restart iPhone/Mac or Concerned Device
- Forget AirPods from All Devices and Pair/Connect Again
- Reset Network Settings or Bluetooth Module
- Update iPhone Software to Latest iOS Version
- Update MacBook Software to Latest macOS Version
- Charge AirPods Up to 80% or More
- Try Different AirPods
- Reset AirPods with the Help of iPhone
- Hard Reset AirPods
Now, I will explain each method for fixing AirPods flashing white light issue in detail. You should read all the methods and apply one or more of them to resolve the issue on your AirPods.
#1. Turn Off Bluetooth, Turn On and Try Again:
When the AirPods are ready to pair but the pairing isn’t successful, you should try this technique. You should turn off Bluetooth on your device and turn on again. Thereafter try to connect and pair the AirPods with your device.
Steps to Turn Off Bluetooth on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
- On your iPhone, open Settings app.
- Tap on Bluetooth tab in settings.
- tap on Bluetooth Toggle to turn it off.
You should wait for 1-2 minutes and turn on Bluetooth on your iOS device. Then try to connect it with the AirPods to use them.
Steps to Turn Off Bluetooth on MacBook, Mac Computer and iMac
- On your Mac, click on Bluetooth symbol given in menu bar at top.
- Click on Bluetooth Toggle to turn it off.
You can turn on Bluetooth on your Mac and try again to connect it with your AirPods to know if the issue is fixed.
#2. Restart iPhone/Mac or Concerned Device:
Sometimes, a simple restart can fix technical issues and connectivity problems. So, when the AirPods show white light flashing but not connecting with your device, you should restart your device. Whether you have an iPhone, Mac, other iOS device or a non-apple device, the restart technique can fix the issue for you.
After restarting your iPhone/Mac, you should try to pair AirPods with it and now they should get paired successfully.
#3. Forget AirPods from All Devices and Pair/Connect Again:
When you pair AirPods with your devices, all devices save them in their system memory. This feature allows AirPods to connect automatically with your device every time you open the case lid. The AirPods connect to the nearby device that was previously paired with them.
When you pair AirPods with all devices, it allows AirPods to switch between different Apple devices with same Apple ID. The problem of AirPods flashing white light but not connecting can happen at anytime. You can fix it by removing AirPods from your device using “Forget This Device” option and then pair AirPods with that device again.
Steps to Forget AirPods on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
- On your iPhone, go to Settings.
- Tap on Bluetooth to access Bluetooth Settings.
- Now, find out your AirPods name in Bluetooth device list shown on screen.
- Tap on (i) button given on right side of AirPods name.
- Finally, tap on Forget This Device and confirm to remove AirPods from your iPhone.
Steps to Forget AirPods on Mac Computer
- On your Mac, open Apple Menu and click on System Preferences.
- Find out Bluetooth and click on it to open Bluetooth Settings on Mac.
- Click on your AirPods name and find the X button.
- Click on X button and confirm the action to Forget Device.
After forgetting AirPods from your iPhone/Mac, you should try to pair and connect them again. This time, the AirPods should connect in a few seconds of flashing white light.
#4. Reset Network Settings or Bluetooth Module:
The AirPods can connect to all Apple devices and non-apple devices with in-built Bluetooth function. But when your device Bluetooth settings are altered/changed, the AirPods flash white light but don’t connect and other technical issues can occur.
The easiest way to fix the AirPods not-connecting problem is to reset network settings on your iPhone or other iOS device. If you are using AirPods with your Mac computer then you need to reset Bluetooth module on your Mac.
Steps to Reset Network Settings on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
- On your iPhone, go to Settings.
- Select General tab.
- Tap on Reset option.
- Finally, tap on Reset Network Settings and confirm it.
Steps to Reset Bluetooth Module on Mac Computer
- On your Mac, press and hold the Option and Shift keys.
- Click on Bluetooth icon on the menu bar at top of the screen.
- Find out Reset the Bluetooth Module option and click on it.
- Confirm it to reset Bluetooth Settings on your Mac.
After resetting Bluetooth Settings on your iPhone/Mac, you need to pair the AirPods again. Now, the AirPods should connect instantly and work normally.
#5. Update iPhone Software to Latest iOS Version:
The iPhone users should keep their device up to date to get new features and get it work properly. It is possible that the AirPods flash white and not connecting because your iPhone software is not up to date. So, you should update your iPhone to its latest iOS version.
Steps to Update iPhone Software to Latest iOS Version
- On your iPhone, tap on Settings icon to open Settings.
- Tap on General tab.
- Then, tap on Software Update.
- See if a new iOS version is available.
- Tap on Download and Install option to proceed.
- Wait for the latest software to get downloaded and installed on your device.
After updating your iPhone software, you can connect it to your AirPods to check if the issue is fixed.
#6. Update Mac Software to Latest macOS Version:
Most people use AirPods with either an iPhone or a Mac computer. If you are using AirPods with your Mac then you should update your Mac software to latest macOS version. It can fix the AirPods not connecting issue for you.
Steps to Update Mac Software to Latest macOS Version
- On your Mac, click on Apple logo in menu bar to open Apple Menu.
- Click on System Preferences to open a new window.
- Find out Software Update icon and click on it.
- Let the Mac device check for a new software online.
- Click on Upgrade Now or Download/Install option to continue.
- Wait for the latest macOS software to get downloaded and installed on your Mac.
After your Mac Software is updated, you should try to connect the AirPods with your Mac. Hopefully, the AirPods should connect without much efforts.
#7. Charge AirPods Up to 80% or More:
The AirPods come with a charging case, you need to charge the AirPods by putting them inside their charging case. You also need to charge the case by connecting it to your Mac computer with a USB cable.
When you try to pair AirPods with your iPhone or Mac, you must check AirPods battery health. Because the AirPods flashing white light but not connecting/pairing may happen if the AirPods battery is low.
So, you should put the AirPods in charging case and let them charge up to 80% or more. Once the AirPods are charged, you can try connecting & pairing them with your iPhone/Mac and you should succeed in that.
#8. Try Different AirPods
When your AirPods flash white light but don’t connect with any of your devices, it is worth trying different AirPods. It is possible that your AirPods have some problem and it is also possible that your AirPods are completely fine. So, you can know it by using your friend’s AirPods to pair/connect with your device.
All you need to do is to invite your friend with his/her AirPods or AirPods Pro. Then connect those AirPods to your iPhone or Mac computer to check if they can connect or keep flashing white light but don’t connect like your AirPods.
In case your friend’s AirPods connect easily to your iPhone/Mac then you realize that your AirPods have an issue. In case your friend’s AirPods don’t connect then your AirPods are fine but your iPhone/Mac has an issue.
#9. Reset AirPods with the Help of iPhone:
You have tried many different tricks to fix AirPods flashing white but not connecting issue. If any of them has not worked for you then you should reset your AirPods to fix the problem. You need an iPhone or any other iOS device to perform the AirPods reset process.
Steps to Reset AirPods with the Help of iPhone
- Put your AirPods in the charging case and close the case lid.
- Don’t do anything for 30 seconds.
- Open the charging case lid and keep it open.
- On your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, go to Settings and tap on Bluetooth.
- Find out your AirPods name and tap on (i) button.
- Tap on Forget This Device and confirm it.
- With the case lid open, press and hold the Setup button on back of the AirPods.
- Keep holding the setup button for 15 seconds and you will see the status light flashing amber and then white.
- Your AirPods are reset successfully.
After resetting AirPods, you should try to connect them with your iPhone, Mac and other devices to check if the problem is solved or not.
#10. Hard Reset AirPods:
The hard reset of AirPods is an extended process of the normal reset method I have explained above. You can try this trick to hard reset your AirPods to fix the issue of flashing white light but not connecting with your device.
Steps to Hard Reset AirPods
- Place your AirPods in the charging case, close the case and wait for 35 seconds.
- Open the charging case and go to Bluetooth Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap on (i) button near your AirPods name in device list.
- Tap on Forget This Device and confirm the action.
- Find the setup button on back of your AirPods charging case.
- Press and hold the setup button for 25-30 seconds.
- After 15 seconds, you will see the status light amber, then white.
- After 25 seconds, the status light will flash red several times, then turn white.
- You have completed the process of AirPods hard reset.
In this way, there are 10 different methods that can resolve AirPods flashing white but not connecting problem. All these methods are harmless, so you can try them to fix the issue and get your AirPods to work with your devices again.
Frequently Asked Questions
The AirPods connect easily to all your devices to make your life easier and more comfortable. When the AirPods show white light blinking but don’t connect with nearby device, you need to find the solution. The AirPods also flash amber light, do you know what does it mean?
Here I provide some frequently asked questions about AirPods flashing white light but not connecting/working issue.
Q.1 When do AirPods flash white light?
The AirPods flash white light when they are ready to pair with a device.
Q.2 Why are my AirPods flashing white but not connecting?
Your AirPods are flashing white but not connecting because there is a technical issue with your AirPods or the concerned device. You can fix this issue by applying any of the 10 methods I have explained above.
Q.3 How long does it take to connect my AirPods to my iPhone?
It can take only 10 to 15 seconds to connect your AirPods to your iPhone. If your AirPods are paired with your iPhone then they can connect in just 5 seconds.
Q.4 What does it mean when my AirPods flash amber light?
When your AirPods flash amber light, it means that the AirPods are charging. If the AirPods are out of the case and the case flashes amber light, it means that the case needs charging.
Conclusion:
When the AirPods don’t connect with your iPhone/Mac, you can use mu suggested tricks to fix the problem. I have explained 10 simple ways to fix AirPods flashing white but not connecting issue based on my personal experience.
In case you still have any queries or questions regarding AirPods connectivity problems then you can ask me in the comment section. I will answer your queries with a proper solution.