Play Spotify with AirPods: From Steps to Issues

There’s nothing like the perfect playlist to make your day, especially when you’re using your AirPods. These sleek yet wireless earbuds offer incredible freedom, letting you walk around, commute, or even exercise without any tangled wires holding you back. You might be wondering how to make the most of them and play Spotify with AirPods. No worries, in this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know, from connecting and playing to optimizing sound quality and fixing common problems. Let’s get started and make sure your Spotify music experience with AirPods is flawless!

Apple’s AirPods are incredibly versatile when connecting to music playback devices for enjoying Spotify. It’s a breeze for connecting with other Apple devices, just put the AirPods into Pairing Mode and your device will guide you through the setup. For non-Apple devices, fear not! Connecting via Bluetooth is also easy.

Following are the steps to connect AirPods to Spotify across various devices.

On Apple Watch [without Phone]

Step 1. When your AirPods is in its charging case, open the case lid. Then, hold on the setup button of the Apple Watch and release it when the light starts flashing white.

Step 2. Activate your Apple Watch, open the Settings App and press the Bluetooth option.

Step 3. You will see a list of devices within the range that are available for Bluetooth connection. Find your AirPods and tap on them to connect.

Note: If you’re using AirPods Max and don’t see your device, hold its noise control button until the light flashes white and try again.

On iPhone/iPad/iPod

Step 1. Open your iPhone, iPad or iPod, access Settings > Bluetooth. Turn on Bluetooth if it’s off.

Step 2. Put your AirPods in the charging case, open the lid and place the charging case near the iDevice.

Step 3. An AirPods screen pops up on your iDevice’s screen, press Connect and follow the onscreen steps to complete the connection.

On Mac

Quick Check: Ensure your macOS meet your AirPods requirements:

• AirPods 2: macOS Mojave 10.14.4 or later.
• AirPods Pro 1: macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later.
• AirPods 3: macOS Monterey or later.
• AirPods Pro 2 and 4: the latest macOS version.

Step 2. In the top pane, click on Menu > System Settings. Next, ensure Bluetooth is enabled.

Step 3. Open the charging case and make sure the AirPods remain inside. Hold the charging case next to your Mac and push the Setup button on the AirPods case’s back until the light flashes white.

Note: If you have AirPods 4, you only need to double-tap it on the front to connect it.

Step 3. Your AirPods should now appear in the list of devices on your Mac. Hit Connect to build the connection.

On Android

Step 1. Turn on Bluetooth on your Android device by navigating to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Bluetooth.

Step 2. Open the charging case where your AirPods are inside and hold the setup button for 5 seconds.

Note: For AirPods 4, double-tap the front of the case instead of holding the setup button.

Step 3. Select your AirPods from your Android’s list of Bluetooth devices.

On Windows

Step 1. Launch the Start menu and click on Settings. Then, choose the Bluetooth & devices menu.

Step 2. Open the AirPods charging case with the AirPods still inside. Afterward, press and hold the setup button for 5 seconds (or double-tap the front of the case for AirPods 4).

Step 3. Back on your Windows computer. Press Add Device and choose Bluetooth.  

Step 4. A list of available devices will load after a few seconds. Click on your AirPods to connect them and hit Done.

After connecting your AirPods to your device, it’s time to open Spotify and start playing your favorite music. To this end, there are several methods to play Spotify with AirPods and control your music playback.

Use AirPods

You can directly tap your AirPods to start playing a Spotify song, move on to the next track, etc. Here are some common operations for controlling music with AirPods after wearing them.

To pause or play a Spotify track: Press the Touch control (AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 1, AirPods 3, or AirPods 4). For AirPods 1 or 2, you need to double press an AirPod.

To skip to the next Spotify song: For any models of AirPods, double-press the force sensor.

To go back to the previous Spotify song: For AirPods 1 or 2, double tap an AirPod. For other models of AirPods, triple-press an AirPod’s force sensor.

Use Siri

Another fantastic AirPods feature is using Siri for playback control. Ask Siri to play, pause, skip tracks, or adjust the volume. It’s like having a personal DJ at your service. Follow these steps:

Step 1. While wearing your AirPods, say Hey Siri to activate Siri.

Step 2. Issue a voice command, such as Hey Siri on Spotify play my favorites playlist to start playback. You may also ask Siri to search and play tracks by name.

To play, pause and skip tracks with Siri, using voice commands like Hey Siri Next Track on Spotify, Pause Spotify or Resume Spotify.

Note: Say the word Spotify on your commands to guide Siri into using the right app.

Use Connected Devices

If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can always use the familiar controls on the Spotify app itself. Above all, any change in playback you make on the device will reflect on your AirPods.

Simply go to your Spotify app on your AirPods-connected device and play a track.

Press the Pause button to stop playback.

You may swipe left, or tap on the current track and use the Next and Previous buttons to move between tracks.

One of the common challenges for users playing Spotify with AirPods is finding the perfect sound configuration for an optimal listening experience. While some presets might work great for speakers, they often need tweaking for headphones like AirPods. Above all, this is especially critical for AirPods Max, the premium over-ear headphones from Apple that deliver high-fidelity audio and active noise cancellation for an immersive listening experience.

In this section, we’ll dive into accessing Spotify’s equalizer and share the ideal settings to make your AirPods, including AirPods Max, sing.

First, let’s look into how to use Spotify’s equalizer:

Step 1. Initiate your Spotify App. Tap on your Profile Icon.

Step 2. Press the Settings and Privacy menu option. Then, select Playback.

Step 3. Scroll down and tap the Equalizer menu. Turn on the equalizer toggle and customize the value of each frequency to your liking and needs. Check out the following section for our recommended equalizer settings.

Best Spotify Equalizer Settings for AirPods

Did you know Spotify has a perfect preset that works wonders for AirPods? It’s called the Small Speakers preset. To select this preset, go to the Equalizer screen, scroll down until you find Small Speakers, and push it.

For the best AirPods experience with Spotify, here are the specific adjustment values you should enter on the equalizer for a superior experience. Set these by dragging each point on the equalizer frequency graph. Also, we describe the effect of boosting each frequency range for better guidance.

Have trouble getting your AirPods to play Spotify? In this part, we’ll walk you through some common issues and their fixes so you can get back to enjoying your favorite tunes in no time.

Case 1. Spotify Won’t Play Through AirPods on Apple Watch

A common issue you might encounter is the inability to see and select your AirPods when switching the audio output from your Spotify Apple Watch App.  Let’s look at the following checklist of fixes.

Fix 1: Repair Airpods with Apple Watch

The most likely reasons for this issue are incorrect Bluetooth connection or conflicts with other devices paired with your AirPods.  So, try to rebuild the connection between AirPods and Apple Watch:

Step 1. On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Tap on the exclamation mark next to your AirPods and press Forget Device.

Step 2. Follow the steps outlined in the Preps section above to repair your AirPods with the Apple Watch. 

If your AirPods still don’t work, check for other devices paired with them.

Fix 2: Reinstall Spotify App on Apple Watch

If you’re still having trouble, a fresh start is all you need. Try uninstalling the Spotify app from your Apple Watch and then reinstalling it. Here’s how:

Step 1. Touch the digital crown to display all your apps. Press on the screen until it jiggles and select the X spot on the Spotify icon to delete the app.

Step 2. Go to App Store and locate Spotify app. Tap on the Get button to download and install Spotify on your Apple Watch.

Case 2. Spotify is Playing but No Sound on AirPods

Sometimes you might get no sound from your AirPods, even though your Spotify app is playing a music track. It can be kind of confusing and annoying.. Here we show you the little-known Spotify configuration that could be resolving this problem.

Step 1. Select a Spotify track and play it. The now-playing bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. Press the Devices Available icon.

Step 2. AirPods should display as the current playback device. If not, select it. Afterward, adjust the volume slider from left to right.

Case 3. Spotify Keep Stopping/Pausing with AirPods

Spotify playback on your AirPods may unexpectedly pause without any action on your part. Maybe your Bluetooth connection got interrupted. Maybe your AirPods’ ear detection is conflicting with the tapping feature. Either way you don’t have to accept it. Here’s how to fix it:

Fix 1. Check Bluetooth Connection and Network

Interruptions in the Bluetooth connection or an unstable network can cause issues, so follow the steps below to check both connections.

Step 1. Go to your device’s network settings. If you are using a Wi-Fi and it shows “No Internet Connection,” Try restarting the router and see if the network works normally. If your device is using mobile data, you can switch to a Wi-Fi connection.

Step 2. Reset your Bluetooth connection by disabling the option and then enabling it again.

Still not working? Go to Fix 3 of this section to reset your AirPods.

Fix 2. Turn off Auto Ear Detection

Step 1. Put on your AirPods. Ensure that they are connected to an Apple Device.

Note: Auto Ear Detection only works when you connect your AirPods to an Apple Device (iPhone, iPad or Mac). Auto Ear Detection is not available when pairing with Android or Windows device.

Step 2. On your iPhone or iPad, choose the Settings app. Your AirPods’ name will display near the top of the Settings screen, tap it, and turn Automatic Ear Detection off.

Note: If you have your AirPods connected to a Mac computer, click on the Apple menu > System Settings. Your Mac will display your AirPods on the sidebar. Click on your AirPods’ name and then toggle Automatic Ear Detection off.

Fix 3. Reset AirPods

Step 1. Put your AirPods in the charging case and close the lid. Wait for about 30 seconds and open the lid again.

Step 2. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for 5 seconds.

Step 3. Reconnect your AirPods with the device you want to pair with. 

AirPods allows you to stream Spotify music with the freedom of walking to wherever you want, perfect for hikes of drives. However, weak internet can interrupt your Spotify listening. While the offline listening is great, it does require a Premium subscription. This is not very cost-effective, because you need to keep renewing the subscription to keep your downloaded Spotify music valid. Don’t falter, you can use StreamFox for Music to permanently keep your own Spotify music. 

With StreamFox for Music, you can save Spotify songs as MP3 without premium and the music can be kept until you manually delete it. Additionally, your Spotify music will be converted at 320kbps, ensuring a clear listening experience on your AirPods. Moreover, StreamFox provides a 14-day free trial for you to convert unlimited tracks(up to the first 3 minutes of each song) from its embedded Spotify browser.

StreamFox for Music

• Provide multiple output formats for Spotify music, such as MP3, M4A, FLAC, etc.
• The song title, cover art, artist name and other ID3 tags of the converted music stay exactly as they are.
• Export large Spotify playlists, multiple Spotify albums or entire podcast series at 10x speed.
• Available for converting music from Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, etc.

Download Download

How to Forever Save Spotify Music with StreamFox

Step 1. Install and launch StreamFox for Music on your computer. Then, choose Spotify when the main screen appears.

Step 2. The inbuilt Spotify web player will open. Hover your mouse over the Log in option and click it. Next, enter your Spotify credentials.

Step 3. To add a playlist, album or track to convert, choose its banner or name and drag it to the + Button.

Step 4. In the pop-up showing all selected tracks, set the music file format (MP3, M4A, WAV, etc). Finally, hit the Convert All button to begin converting. The converted music will be saved in the Downloads folder by default.

Now, you can play the converted Spotify songs with Windows Media Player or Apple Music on your computer and then enjoy them with your AirPods.

Conclusion

From here, we have introduced everything you need to know about playing Spotify music with your AirPods. For listening to Spotify music on your AirPods offline, StreamFox for Music is worth trying, which saves Spotify songs as local audio onto your device and thus you can pair your AirPods with the devices for smooth offline playback.