How To Connect Two Sets Of Airpods To One Phone

You may be able to connect two pairs of AirPods to your iPhone or iPad, depending on the kind of device you have.
Once connected, you can control your volume independently for each set of AirPods via the lock screen.
When you're ready to disconnect one pair of AirPods, you can do so from the Control Center.
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Sharing things like music used to be as simple as sitting side by side and handing over an earpod. But with wireless headphones becoming the norm, it can help to have multiple pairs of headphones.

If you have a newer iPhone, you can stream music and other audio to two pairs of AirPods at once. You'll need an iPhone 8 or newer, running iOS 13 or newer, to set it up.

If you're using an iPad, you'll need to have one of the following devices:

iPad Pro: 12.9 inch (2nd generation or later); 11 inch or 10.5 inch
iPad Air: 3rd generation
iPad mini: 5th generation
iPad: 5th generation or later

How to connect two AirPods to one phone

1. Connect your first pair of headphones as usual, by placing the AirPods case near your phone and then opening the case and tapping Connect. Then follow the prompts and tap Done when ready.

2. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen and select the AirPlay icon in the Control Center.

3. Underneath the already connected headphones, select Share Audio.

4. Hold the second case of AirPods next to your phone and then open the case. Or if you have AirPods Max, just hold them next to your device.

5. When you see your (or your friend's) other headphones appear on the screen, tap Share Audio.

How to control volume and pause or play

Once connected, you can control the volume as well as pause, play, and stop the music you're listening to by going to the lock screen on your phone.

Each set of AirPods will have separate volume controls, so each listener can customize the levels to suit their needs.

You'll be able to see, control, and disconnect each pair of headphones individually.

How to stop sharing AirPods

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.

2. Choose the AirPlay icon and then select the check next to the headphones that you want to disconnect from to stop sharing.

Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at@devondelfino.