Airpods Not Working in Zoom on Mac [Fixed 2024]

Written By Steven Arends

AirPods are an essential tool for today’s life. But sometimes, these pairs of Airpods start acting weird. To get more specific, Airpods stop working while you are at a zoom meeting. While discussing a sensitive topic that is not being leaked, suddenly Airpods stops working.

In the Mac environment, this has become a common phenomenon nowadays. Many of us, including you and me, have encountered the issue several times in life. This is a serious issue as you can not use the built-in mic and speaker of Mac cause you are surrounded by your colleagues or someday else.

airpods-not-working-zoom

Why is Airpods not working in Zoom on Mac?

Primarily this might be an issue with the Zoom app itself. As macOS prompts and asks for the user’s permissions, Zoom can not directly access the microphone on its own. Change Zoom audio settings in its favor and try connecting again.

Keep Reading the article as I will share the fixes you can apply whenever your Airpods stop working with Mac.

How to Fix AirPods Not Working in Zoom on Mac

Here are the steps to fix Airpods not working in Zoom:

1. Disconnect your Airpods from other Devices

Interference with other Bluetooth devices can cause disturbance in your Airpods connection with Mac. Disconnecting them from other devices can be a good solution.

discoonect-airpods

Here are the steps you can follow to disconnect other devices from your Airpods:

  • Unpair the Airpods from all the devices it had connected previously.
  • Turn off the Bluetooth of all other devices except the Mac you want to connect with.
  • Open the lid of the Airpod case.
  • Turn on the Bluetooth on your Mac.
  • A dialogue box saying Pair Airpods with Mac will pop up.
  • Click OK.

Now your Airpods are entirely disconnected from all other devices and only connected with the Mac system. Hopefully, this method resolved your problem with the Airpods connection while working on Zoom.

Facing the error zoom camera not working, you can quickly Fix Zoom Camera Not Working from our detailed guide.

2. Set Up Your Airpods in Zoom’s Audio Settings

As Zoom has its own sets of audio settings, you may need to reset the audio settings in Zoom for working Airpods correctly.

mac-zoom-audio

Here are steps you can follow to check and reset the Zoom audio settings:

  • Launch Zoom.
  • On the upper left hand, click on zoom.us.
  • From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
  • Select Audio from the dialogue box.
  • Have a look over the mic and speaker section. It should be showing Airpods in both of the places. If it’s still selected on any other option, click on the box and select Airpods.
  • Now talk on the Airpods, see if the testing bar rises or not. If yes, then it is OK.

Now you are done! You have successfully changed the Zoom audio settings for the Airpods you want to connect.

Note: Well, you can use two different devices for audio; you can use Airpods in your ears as the speaker and any other external mic for better audio for others. Just change the settings of speakers and microphones by following the previously mentioned ways, and you will be done!

Also, check our exclusive tutorial on Airpods Not Working with Microsoft Teams.

3. Allow Zoom to Access Your Microphone

Well, macOS is well concerned about your privacy and security. The OS offers a prompt whenever a new app tries to access your microphone or camera. The same goes for Zoom.

Zoom is not allowed to use the microphone in the first place if you did not allow the microphone access at the start of the installation. You will just have to turn on the permissions to get access to Zoom to use your peripherals.

microphone-access-for-zoom

Here are the steps to turn on the microphone access for Zoom:

  • Go to Mac’s System Preferences.
  • Click on System & Privacy.
  • Go to the Privacy tab.
  • Click on the Lock icon to unlock the permissions to change the system settings.
  • Scroll and search for Microphone.
  • Select Microphone.
  • Now you will see a bunch of apps that are using the microphone. Look for Zoom if it is there or not.
  • Click on the box beside Zoom. It enables the permissions to access Zoom your microphone.
  • Apply the changes and exit.

Now you are done. You have turned on the permissions for Zoom to access microphones on Mac. Hopefully, there will be no other problem in using a microphone, whether internal or external.

You can then set your AirPods to work as your microphone, just as previously described.

If your zoom screen share not working, then quickly check out our epic guide Fix Zoom Screen Share Not Working.

4. Delete Your Zoom Folder under Application Support

Your zoom folder might have some issues as it contains the necessary files and cache, and cookies. Caches are essential for the system. But sometimes, these files cause some problems in the operation of the app itself.

So it is a good idea to delete the folder and let Zoom create a new folder again.

Here are the steps to delete the Zoom folder from the Mac system:

  • Go to the Library.
  • Select Application Support.
  • Search for Zoom.us.
  • Right-click on the folder.
  • From the drop-down menu, click on the Delete option.
  • Confirm Delete.

Now you are done with cleaning the Zoom folder. If the problem still arises even after deleting the folder, try reinstalling the app itself.

5. Reinstall Zoom

If even after deleting the cache and cookies files from the system did not resolve the problem, then you may need to reinstall the Zoom client once.

reinstall-the-zoom

Here are the steps to reinstall the Zoom client on your system:

  • Uninstall the existing Zoom client using your built-in app uninstaller on Mac.
  • Visit the official site of Zoom and download the official client.
  • Install the software on your system.

Ok, now the Zoom application has been reinstalled and is new and fresh. This may have gotten rid of you from the problem regarding Airpods.

Check out our latest fix for Bluetooth Toggle Missing On Windows 11.

6. Adjust Date & Time

Your system’s date & time could be incorrect due to several reasons. But you can easily adjust the date and time.

time-mac

Here are the steps to adjust the date and time on your system:

  • Right-click on the clock located at the taskbar
  • Click on Adjust Date and Time
  • Enter the correct time here
  • Check the box saying Automatically Update Time
  • Apply the changes

Now your date and time on your system are entirely perfect. Check if the Airpods are working fine now or not. This may have been disturbing the system and the Bluetooth to function correctly.

Check out the easiest way to Fix Discord Airpods Not Working.

FAQ

Why do my AirPods not work in Zoom?

Look for the paired connection between your system and Airpods. Make sure that the devices are paired and connected. To pair the Airpods with your system, open the box, press and hold the box’s button, and wait until it automatically gets paired with the system.

Why does zoom not work with my headphones?

Check your system permissions are allowing Zoom to use the microphone or not. Select the external microphone if there is any. If you are on a call, then Zoom might not use the microphone and speaker.

Do AirPods work well for Zoom calls?

Yes, Zoom calls can be conducted well with the Airpods. As Airpods are wireless, it feels effortless to take and talk on calls on Zoom. Check and permit the system to use Zoom for all kinds of microphones and speakers you need now.

How do I connect Airpods to Zoom meetings?

Launching the Zoom app, go to the Preferences, click on Audio. Under the Speaker and Microphone section, select Airpods for both microphone and speaker.

Why isn’t my AirPods pairing?

Make sure that your AirPods are charged well. If your Airpods are not charged fully, recharge them. Check on your system if your Bluetooth is on or not. If the problem remains after these, simply press and hold the button on the Airpods box to re-pair the bluetooth connection.

Conclusion

Zoom and Airpods are both necessary things in our lives nowadays. If one of them starts acting weird, our potential gets throttled.

I hope this article solved your problem and if so, then leave a comment on your thoughts.

About The Author
Steven Arends is a computer science graduate and tech enthusiast with over 10 years of experience in the field. He has a vast collection of computer hardware and loves exploring the latest advancements. As a contributing author to 10Scopes, Steven shares his expertise to make the world of technology more accessible and easier to understand for all readers.

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