This article was co-authored by Josef Storzi and by wikiHow staff writer, Ellie Salyers. Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Are you trying to factory reset your AirPods? You may want to do this if your AirPods aren’t working properly or if you want to sell them. It's simple to wipe AirPods clean. Here's how to reset AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max.
Fully Reset Your AirPods
To reset your AirPods or AirPods Pro, place the AirPods in the case for at least 30 seconds. Open your device's Bluetooth settings to unpair your AirPods. Open the charging case lid, and press and hold the setup button for 15 seconds. If the setup button is on the front, double-tap the button three times with short pauses in between. When the light flashes amber, then white, the AirPods are reset.
Steps
Resetting Your AirPods (1-3) or AirPods Pro (1-2)
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Put your AirPods in their case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds. This ensures the AirPods are properly paired to their case and will make the unpairing process easier.- This method will work on AirPods 1, AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 1, or AirPods Pro 2.[1]
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Unpair your AirPods from your iPhone or iPad. This can be done from your device's settings. Be sure to use the device that is currently paired to your AirPods. Do the following:- Open Settings.
- Tap Bluetooth.
- Tap your AirPods in the My Devices list.
- If you don't see your AirPods, skip to the next step to begin resetting them.
- Tap Forget This Device.
- Tap Forget This Device again.
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3Open the charging case lid. You'll see status light on the case.
- If you don't see the status light, charge your AirPods for at least 30 minutes before attempting to reset it.
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Press and hold the setup button for 15 seconds. This button can be found on the back of the case. -
5Wait for the light to turn amber, and then white. This indicates a successful reset. After you see the flashing white, you can pair your AirPods to your device again.
Resetting AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 3
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1Put your AirPods in their case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds. This ensures the AirPods are properly paired to their case and will make the unpairing process easier.
- This method will work on AirPods 4 (all models) or AirPods Pro 3.
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2Unpair your AirPods from your iPhone or iPad. This can be done from your device's settings. Be sure to use the device that is currently paired to your AirPods. Do the following:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Bluetooth.
- Tap your AirPods in the My Devices list.
- If you don't see your AirPods, skip to the next step to begin resetting it.
- Tap Forget This Device.
- Tap Forget This Device again.
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3Open the charging case lid. You'll see status light on the case.
- If you don't see the status light, charge your AirPods for at least 30 minutes before attempting to reset them.
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4Double-tap the front of the case. Wait for the status light to flash white.
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5Double-tap the front of the case again. Wait for the status light to flash white again, a bit faster.
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6Double-tap the front of the case a third time. The status light will then flash amber, and then white. Once you see the flashing white, the AirPods have been reset and you can pair them to your device again.
Resetting Your AirPods Max
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Charge the AirPods Max. To do so, plug your Lighting cable into the right earphone. Now plug the other side of your cable into a USB outlet. You only have to charge them for a few minutes.[2] -
Press and hold the noise control and Digital Crown buttons simultaneously. These are located at the top of the right earphone.[3] -
Wait about 15 seconds. The LED light, located near the bottom of the right earphone, should flash yellow and then white.[4] You have now successfully factory reset your AirPods Max. -
Reconnect your AirPods (optional). To do so, simply take your AirPods Max out of their case and hold them close to the iOS device with which you want to pair them. After a pop-up window appears on your device, you should tap Connect to pair them.[5]
Preparing Your AirPods to Sell
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Put your AirPods in their case. If you're looking to sell your AirPods, follow these steps to make sure they're ready to sell. First, make sure your AirPods are in their case. -
Go to icloud.com. On your preferred web browser, go to icloud.com. You can use your phone or computer. -
Click or tap on Find iPhone. This is the icon with the green circle inside. -
Click on All Devices. This is located at the top of the page. If you're using a phone, this step is unnecessary. -
Click or tap on the name of your AirPods. You'll see a list of all your devices underneath "My Devices." Simply select the AirPods that you want to sell.[6] -
Click or tap on Remove from Account. This is located near the bottom of the page. -
Click or tap on Remove. This confirms that you want to remove the device from your iCloud. -
Enter your Apple ID password. Type in your Apple ID password and press Return. Your AirPods are now successfully unpaired from your iCloud and all of your iCloud devices. -
Clean your AirPods. Our final tip is to simply clean your AirPods before selling.
Expert Q&A
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Tips
References
About This Article
1. Put AirPods in case.
2. Open case lid.
3. Open Settings on iOS device.
4. Tap on Bluetooth.
5. Tap on More Info > Forget This Device.
6. Press and hold the AirPods setup button.
7. Wait 15 seconds.
