Apple TV delivers a home hub for your streaming needs, delivering everything from the most popular streaming services, to gaming and music. It's one of the best streaming devices available, and is jam packed with features waiting for you to explore.
However, there are definitely times when you don't want to bother other people in your home while streaming. Thankfully, Apple TV makes that easy, allowing you to pair your AirPods to an Apple TV. This means you can listen to your music as loud as you want, without bothering anyone else while you dance around.
If you've just added an Apple TV to your home, you'll want to setup your Apple TV first, and ensure the Apple TV remote is paired as well.
We've got all the details for you on how it works, and how to connect your AirPods. Let's take a look.
It's important to know that while you can use any AirPods or Apple TV model, not every model is built the same. For example, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and AirPods 3 feature support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support, that work with the Apple TV 4K to enable their excellent immersive audio features.
Whatever your AirPods-to-Apple-TV connection, our experts are here to help you get connected.
Pair your AirPods with Apple TV
Before you dive into pairing your AirPods to Apple TV, you'll want to do two things. First, ensure your AirPods are in the case and have a decent charge. Second, ensure that your Apple TV has installed the most recent version of tvOS.
There are three different methods for pairing your AirPods to Apple TV, depending on which model of AirPods you're using. Don't worry, all of them are included below.
Step 1: Press the TV button on your Siri Remote, and then select Settings.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Remotes & Devices, then select Bluetooth.
Step 3: AirPods 1, 2, & 3, and AirPods Pro: Open your AirPods case, then press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 5 seconds, or until the status light flashes white.
Step 4: AirPods 4: Open the case with the AirPods inside, hold it next to the Apple TV, then double tap the front of the AirPods case so the status light flashes white.
Step 5: AirPods Max: Press and hold the noise control button for about 5 seconds, or until the light flashes white.
Step 6: Below Other Devices, select your AirPods.
How to setup Spatial Audio
AirPods 3, AirPods 4, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max all support Spatial Audio via Dolby Atmos and an Apple TV 4K.
If you have the equipment, there are two options for spatial audio with Apple TV. Head-Tracked spatial audio will adjust the sound depending on the movement of your head. Fixed spatial audio will not change or shift when you move.
Step 1: Connect your AirPods to Apple TV.
Step 2: Press and hold the TV Button to open the control center, and then select the earbuds icon.
Step 3: Select Spatial Audio and then select Head Tracked, Fixed, or Off.
Choose to use Spatial Audio from app to app
Spatial Audio can be a very neat sound effect, or it can be a disorienting experience, depending on the type of content you are listening to. Fortunately, Apple provides an intuitive way of customizable Spatial Audio based on the streaming service or app you are using.
Step 1: Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV as we instructed above, and put them on.
Step 2: Start watching a Spatial Audio-supported app on your Apple TV (the list is long and includes streaming services such as Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, Max, Hulu, Apple Music, Sonos, and more).
Step 3: While that app is playing, hold down the TV button on your Siri Remote to open the Control center. Select Spatial Audio here to toggle it on or off as you prefer, just like we mentioned above. Since you are in a specific app, Apple TV will remember that and apply that Spatial Audio setting only to that app.
Step 4: Of course, not all apps have Spatial Audio support, so you may not always see it.
Enable Personalized Spatial Audio
Apple TV also supports another feature called Personalized Spatial Audio that makes the experience more accurate and fine-tuned This requires an Apple TV with tvOS 16 and at least an iPhone 10 with iOS 16. If that's not a problem, you can go through a quick setup process where your iPhone scans your ears to customize Spatial Audio based on their unique features.
