To connect AirPods Pro to an Acer laptop, put the AirPods in their case, open the lid, and press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the light flashes white. (On AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case instead.) Then on the laptop, open the Bluetooth quick setting, choose to manage Bluetooth devices, and select your AirPods under New devices.
Acer laptops run Windows, so these are the same steps you’d use on any Windows laptop. This guide follows Apple’s Pair AirPods with a non-Apple device and Microsoft’s Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows, and covers what works on Windows plus fixes when the AirPods won’t show up.
In this article:
- Turn on Bluetooth on the Acer laptop
- Put the AirPods Pro in pairing mode
- Connect them in Windows
- What works on a Windows laptop
- AirPods won’t connect?
- Frequently asked questions
Turn On Bluetooth on the Acer Laptop
Microsoft says most Windows devices have Bluetooth built in. To turn it on:
- Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices and make sure Bluetooth is on.
- Or select the Network, Sound or Battery icon next to the clock and select the Bluetooth tile. When it’s on, the tile is highlighted.
If your laptop doesn’t have Bluetooth, Microsoft notes you can plug in a USB Bluetooth adapter. For more help, see how to enable Bluetooth on Windows 11.
Put the AirPods Pro in Pairing Mode
The method depends on your model, according to Apple:
- AirPods Pro 1 or 2: with the AirPods in the charging case, open the lid, then press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 5 seconds, or until the status light flashes white.
- AirPods Pro 3: open the case with the AirPods inside, hold it next to the laptop, then double-tap the front of the case so the status light flashes white.
Result: The flashing white light means the AirPods are ready to pair. The same steps work for regular AirPods: AirPods 1, 2 or 3 use the setup button, and AirPods 4 or 5 use the double-tap.
Connect Them in Windows
- On the laptop, select the Network, Sound or Battery icon next to the clock on the taskbar.
- Select the Manage Bluetooth devices arrow on the Bluetooth quick setting.
- Select your AirPods Pro under New devices. You might need to scroll for New devices to appear.
- Follow any extra instructions, then select Done.
Result: The AirPods connect, and you can play audio and take calls through them. Microsoft says that once paired, the two devices connect automatically whenever they’re in range and Bluetooth is on.
What Works on a Windows Laptop
Apple says you can use AirPods as a Bluetooth headset with a non-Apple device. You can listen to audio and talk on calls, but you can’t use Siri. Features that depend on Apple devices aren’t available.
Firmware updates are one example. Apple says AirPods firmware updates are delivered while the AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad or Mac connected to Wi-Fi. If you don’t have an Apple device, Apple suggests making an appointment at an Apple Store or with an Apple Authorized Service Provider to update the firmware.
AirPods Won’t Connect?
- Put both AirPods in the charging case and make sure they’re charging.
- If the AirPods don’t appear under New devices, Microsoft says the Bluetooth devices discovery setting might need to be set to Advanced. Microsoft covers this in its Fix Bluetooth problems guide.
- Remove the AirPods from the laptop’s Bluetooth list and pair them again. See how to remove a paired Bluetooth device in Windows.
- Turn Bluetooth off and back on in Windows, then try pairing again.
If nothing works, reset the AirPods. For AirPods Pro 1 or 2, Apple says to put them in the case, close the lid for 30 seconds, open it, and hold the setup button for about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber, then white. For AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case while the light is on, again when it flashes white, and a third time when it flashes faster. Then pair them with the laptop again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an app to use AirPods on an Acer laptop?
No. Windows pairs them as a standard Bluetooth headset, so no extra app is needed for audio and calls.
Do these steps work on other laptops?
Yes. The steps are the same on any Windows laptop. See also how to pair AirPods to Windows 11.
More Windows Guides
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.