How To Add Back Lost Functionalities When Pairing AirPods With Android

Aadhya Khatri - Oct 30, 2019


How To Add Back Lost Functionalities When Pairing AirPods With Android

Here is how you can have the lost functions that are supposedly exclusive for an AirPods-iOS connection back when you pair AirPods with an Android device

The AirPods work best when pairing with iPhones, but they do a great job with Android devices too. So if you know how, you can have the best of both worlds, features of iOS and Android.

You may have to sacrifice some functions like the unique pairing of iPhones and AirPods. But they will be like any other wireless earbuds on the market. And there are ways for you to restore some of the functions you have lost with Android apps.

AirPod Features That You Will Lose With Android

The AirPods when pairing with Mac, iPad, or iPhone, will offer users a wide range of cool features, courtesy of the H1 chip on AirPods 2 and W1 on AirPods 1. Some of the highlights are the seamless integration with other devices from Apple and the accelerometers.

Airpods-iPhone-X-Android
The AirPods when pairing with Mac, iPad, or iPhone will offer users a wide range of cool features

Here are what will be absent when you pair the AirPods with an Android phone:

  • Siri: With an iPhone, you can rely on Apple’s virtual assistant for tasks like song changing, volume adjusting, or answers of simple questions. With AirPods 2, the assistant can be activated when the user says “Hey Siri.”
  • Customize Double Tap: You get to decide what the double-tap does by doing so in the Settings app on an Apple device. Your options include activating Siri, Next Track, Previous Track, and Pause/Play.
  • Automatic Switching: Like other Apple gadgets, the AirPods are linked to the user’s iCloud account. So they get to switch among Apple Watch, Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
  • Setup: Only users of an iOS device will have the privilege of a simplified pairing process. All you have to do is to open the AirPods case and follow a few steps.
  • Checking the battery of AirPods: With an Apple Watch or iPhone, users can check the battery life of the AirPods in iPhone’s Today center or Apple Watch’s Control Center. Or, more simply, you can always ask Siri for that information. However, if you really need this functionality, you can have it by downloading Assistant Trigger or AirBattery.
  • Automatic ear detection: With an Apple device, whenever the wearer takes one of the two buds from their ears, whatever is playing will pause until they put it back on.
  • Single AirPods listening: Only owners of iOS devices will be able to listen with one earbud since this feature calls for the ear detection function. On an Android device, you will need to take both of the pods out of their case to have a connection.

AirPod Features That Work on Android

Airpods-android-phones-pairing
If you do nothing about it, you will have a limited set of functions with AirPods and an Android phone

If you do nothing about it, you will have a limited set of functions with AirPods and an Android phone. What you do have is the double-tap. When you do so, the music will pause or play again. If you have customized the gesture with an iOS device, you will also have the previous and next track function, but Siri will be absent. The “Hey Siri” will not be present either.

One of the benefits you get to keep is the Bluetooth connection range. AirPods can stay connected for a longer distance away from the phone/tablet than other wireless earbuds. And you will have that on both Android and iOS.

It is true that the AirPods lose some of its handy features away from another Apple device, but you can have some of them back by downloading some Android apps that can serve as a decent substitute.

How To Add Back Lost AirPod Functionality

The first app we would like to recommend is AirBattery. It lets you see how far along the earbuds are charged. What you will have is the energy level of the left and the right bud, as well as the charging case, much like what you have on an iOS device. The app also has an ear detection function when used with Spotify, which pauses the music when you take off one of the buds.

AirPods-Airbattery
Airbattery lets you check the battery life of the earbuds, and it has ear detection function when used with Spotify

The second recommended app is Assistant Trigger, which can do what AirBattery can. However, with this app, you get to change double-tap to conjure Google Assistant.

AirPods-Assistant-trigger
Assistant Trigger lets you use Google Assistant on AirPods

How To Pair ‌AirPods‌ To An Android Smartphone

There is not much of a difference between pairing AirPods and other Bluetooth earbuds to an Android phone. Here are the specific steps you can follow to connect the two devices:

  • Open the case of the AirPods.
  • Launch the settings for Bluetooth on your Android phone.
  • Get back to the case of the AirPods and press down the pairing button.
  • When you see the name of the earbuds on the list of devices on your phone, select Pair.

Do ‌AirPods‌ Work On Android?

You will definitely lose some key features that are exclusive for an AirPods-iPhone connection, but that does not make these Apple’s earbuds seem like less of an ideal choice when it comes to wireless listening experience.

If you own both iOS and Android devices, AirPods are a great choice because you can have all of the benefits of both operating systems, and you get to customize the earbuds in the way you want. However, there are Android-specific options that users might want to consider, like Pixel Buds and Galaxy Buds.

AirPods-Samsung-Galaxy-Buds
Galaxy Buds and Pixel Buds are both good choices to pair with an Android phone

Many users find AirPods comfortable as they fit snugly to the inner of their ears, and the battery life is impressive, not to mention the fact that the case will give the pair an addition of 24 hours.

There is one reason you should avoid pairing an Android phone with Apple’s earbuds is sound quality. Some users report of degradation in the listening experience, mainly because of how Android deals with Bluetooth codecs.

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