Alex Ruben
How To Pair AirPods with Nintendo Switch 2
Connecting your AirPods to the Nintendo Switch 2 sounds straightforward—just go to Bluetooth settings, pair, and enjoy. But in reality, it’s often a bit more complicated than that—sometimes the devices don’t see each other, or the connection drops after a while. The built-in Bluetooth on the Switch 2 is decent but not perfect, especially for audio. So, this guide is about what usually works in my experience and what to watch out for. After doing these steps, most folks are able to get their AirPods working for gaming without digging into weird menus or extra software. The goal here is a clean wireless setup, so you can focus on your game and not the tech hiccups.
How to Connect AirPods to Nintendo Switch 2
Ensure your AirPods are ready for pairing
- Put both AirPods inside their case, close the lid, then open it again.
- Press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds until the LED flashes amber, then white. That’s the pairing signal.
- Pro tip: if they aren’t blinking amber, try resetting your AirPods first—sometimes a simple reset reloads the pairing mode. Also, make sure they’re charged; a dead AirPod can cause headaches.
Why it helps: Because AirPods automatically connect to Apple devices, switching to the Switch can be a pain. Forcing pairing mode manually as above makes sure they’re ready for the connection, especially since the Switch doesn’t handle Bluetooth audio very gracefully.
Navigate to your Switch’s Bluetooth settings
- From the Home Screen, go to System Settings (gear icon). If you’re already in a game, hit the Home button first.
- Scroll down the menu on the left side until you see Bluetooth Audio. If you don’t see it, make sure your Switch is updated to the latest firmware because unfortunately, some older versions just don’t have this feature.
Why it helps: You need to access this menu to add wireless audio. If you skip this step or can’t find Bluetooth Audio, the connection will just never happen. Also, make sure Bluetooth is enabled in system updates; otherwise, it’s dead on arrival.
Pair your AirPods with the Switch
- Click Pair Device – a button that’s usually at the bottom or in the Bluetooth Audio menu.
- Now, open the lid of your AirPods case again—if they’re still in pairing mode, they should appear on the list of discoverable devices.
- Select your AirPods from the list. You might see a brief loading spinner or a confirmation message.
Why it helps: This is the crucial step—if your AirPods don’t show up, try turning Bluetooth off/on in system settings or resetting your AirPods again. On some setups, the first connect might be flaky, but retrying after a minute or two often helps.
Verify and tweak audio settings
- After connection, the Switch should automatically route audio to your AirPods. If not, go back to System Settings > Sound.
- Ensure Output Device shows your AirPods or Wireless Headphones.
- Adjust volume and mute settings as desired. Bonus: toggle Audio Output between Mono and Stereo if your sound is weird.
Why it helps: Sometimes, the connection is there, but the audio isn’t routed correctly. Manual adjustments fix that. Also, some folks report that restarting the Switch after pairing helps stabilize the connection.
Extra tips & troubleshooting if things go sideways
- If your AirPods refuse to show up, try turning Bluetooth off and on again in System Settings. Or, toggle the Switch into airplane mode then back—kind of weird, but it resets wireless connections.
- On some devices, the AirPods seem to connect but the sound is choppy or cuts out. In that case, walk away from your router or other Bluetooth devices—interference can be a pain.
- On certain firmware versions, the Bluetooth audio just doesn’t work consistently. Keep an eye out for system updates or try resetting your AirPods or the Switch itself.
Because of course, Nintendo has to make it harder than it needs to be sometimes. On some setups, the first attempt might fail; give it a minute, retry, or reboot the Switch. Usually, it sticks after that.
Most of the time, if you’ve followed these steps, your AirPods should be working with the Switch 2. Wireless audio while gaming—yeah, it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough for casual sessions. Just keep your AirPods charged and try adjusting settings if the connection acts flaky. It’s a small workaround for a feature that’s still not entirely reliable, but hey, it works most of the time.
Summary
- Charge your AirPods, then put them into pairing mode by holding the back button until the LED flashes amber and white.
- Go to System Settings > Bluetooth Audio on the Switch.
- Hit Pair Device, then select your AirPods from the list.
- Make sure audio routes correctly and adjust volume.
- If it’s flaky, restart devices, reset AirPods, or update your Switch firmware.
Wrap-up
Connecting AirPods isn’t always seamless, but most of the time, a few tweaks help get things working. The key is patience—sometimes the connection just refuses to stick on the first try. Still, once it’s paired, wireless gaming audio is a game changer—freeing you from wires and letting you move around. Fingers crossed this helps someone avoid the frustration of failed pairings and makes your gaming setup a little better.