How to stop your AirPods from automatically connecting to your other Apple devices

Apple‘s new software can automatically switch your AirPods earbuds between devices as you move between them.

For example, if you’re listening to music on your iPhone, then walk to the living room and pick up your iPad to watch a video, the AirPods can automatically switch to the iPad without making you do anything.

At least that’s the way it’s supposed to work. But it can be a little finicky.

Sometimes when I’m sitting at my desk, for example, my AirPods randomly switch over from my iPhone, where I’m playing music, to a nearby iPad, which isn’t playing anything.

So I’ve found I prefer to just use the old method of manually choosing my AirPods when I switch devices. If you’re having similar issues, here’s how to turn off the auto-switch and go back to the old method.

• Connect your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad as you normally would.
• Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
• Choose Bluetooth.
• Tap the “i” (information) button next to the name of your AirPods.
• Scroll down to “Connect to this iPhone'” and tap it.
• Change the option from “Automatically” to “When Last Connected to This iPhone.”
• Repeat these instructions on your other devices.

That’s it. Now your AirPods should stay connected to the last device you used. But you’ll have to open Bluetooth and tap your AirPods to manually connect them each time you change gadgets.