If you’re using a laptop or desktop running Windows 11, and your AirPods connect successfully but there’s no sound, the solutions I share here should help. The problem is that, for some reason, Windows doesn’t always recognize AirPods as an audio output device. They don’t show up in the “Output” list in the sound settings, and next to the AirPods in the Bluetooth settings, it says “Connected” or just “Connected mic” instead of “Connected mic, audio” (or “voice, music”). The AirPods aren’t listed under “Audio,” but under “Other devices”.
I had this exact issue with the AirPods 4 ANC after connecting them to my laptop. But this also happens with AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.
AirPods are recognized as an audio device, but there’s no sound
Your AirPods might be recognized as an audio device after connecting to Windows 11 – just like they should be.
If that’s the case and it says “Connected mic, audio” (voice, music) or “Connected audio” next to them, but the sound still doesn’t work, then you need to check the sound output settings.
Step 1: Open Settings
Right-click the Start menu and choose Settings. Or open it in any other way that’s convenient for you.
Step 2: Select AirPods as the output device
In Settings, go to System → Sound, and under the Output section, select your AirPods if they appear there.
Now Windows 11 should route sound through your AirPods. You can also check the volume level there – maybe that’s the issue.
Often, the AirPods won’t show up in the sound settings, even though they’re connected to the laptop. I’ve had only the laptop speakers and a monitor connected via HDMI (with built-in speakers) appear there.
If that’s the case for you, try the other solutions I’ll cover later in the article. But before jumping into the more advanced steps, I recommend removing the AirPods, restarting your laptop, and reconnecting them.
Update the Bluetooth Adapter Driver
Audio issues like this are most often caused by driver problems. So the first thing to try is updating the Bluetooth adapter driver. You can also reinstall or roll back the driver. This is one of those cases where a seemingly simple fix can actually solve the problem. If you try updating the driver through Device Manager, Windows 11 will most likely say the driver is already up to date. That’s why you need to download and install the driver manually.
You can get the driver from your laptop or Bluetooth adapter manufacturer’s website. Since every device is different, it’s hard to give specific instructions – but I’ll show you how I do it using a Dell laptop as an example.
- I use Google to find the manufacturer’s website or search for the laptop model directly to find the product page.
- Then, I search the site for my exact model and go to the driver downloads section.
- I choose the version of Windows that’s installed and download the Bluetooth driver.
- Then I run the downloaded file to install the driver. Now I have the latest version. After restarting the laptop, reconnect your AirPods and check if the sound works.
It’s a good idea to update all available drivers, not just the Bluetooth one, if newer versions are available on the website.
Install Windows 11 Updates
Here’s another simple and effective fix – just install all available Windows 11 updates, including driver updates offered by the system.
Open Settings (right-click the Start menu – Settings), then go to Windows Update. Click Check for updates to search for available updates. Install them if any are found.
If this doesn’t help, try checking for driver updates offered through Windows.
In the Windows Update section, go to Advanced options – Optional updates. Open the Driver updates section, select all drivers (or just the ones related to Bluetooth), and install them.
After restarting the computer, reconnect the headphones and test them again.
Check Bluetooth Services in AirPods Properties
Audio output, microphone functionality, and other features depend on specific services. You can find these in the AirPods properties in the old Control Panel. Sometimes, these services are disabled and need to be enabled. Other times, toggling them off and back on can fix the issue.
Open Settings and go to Bluetooth & devices – Devices. Scroll down and click More devices and printer settings.
Right-click your AirPods (the ones that aren’t playing sound) and select Properties.
Go to the Services tab. Enable all listed services (check all the boxes) and click Apply.
If they’re already enabled, uncheck all the boxes, click Apply, then re-enable all the services and apply again.
Telephony. Audio Sink handles stereo sound output to the AirPods, and Handsfree Telephony manages microphone functionality. For example, if Audio Sink is disabled, Windows won’t be able to output sound through your headphones. You’ll see “Connected mic (voice)” without “audio (music),” or the mic might not work if Handsfree Telephony is disabled.
Let me know in the comments if you were able to get sound working through your AirPods. If it worked, mention which solution helped. And if there’s still no sound, describe your issue in detail and I’ll do my best to help.
