We have finally entered the era where everything is wireless. Controllers have gone full wireless, and the range they offer is phenomenal.
Gone are the days when we used to buy wired headphones, and within 2-3 months, suddenly you woke up and hit Spotify, and just when you are about dance to the music, you notice that one of the earbuds stopped working.
That is why we now have wireless earbuds, and to be honest, I am someone who is always nostalgic about old tech, but I do not miss wired headphones. Not at all!
AirPods is a revolutionary product when it comes to Bluetooth headphones. The noise cancellation feature is outstanding. But can you connect your Airpods to your Xbox wirelessly?
This is exactly what we are going to talk about in this guideline.
Is Bluetooth available on Xbox series X/S?
I know you are impatient right now to jump into the answer of whether you can connect your AirPods or not. But don’t be. By the time you are done with the article, you will have all the answers you were looking for.
So keep reading till the end to get your desired fix.
Also, check out our separate post on Xbox App no audio in party.
Can you Link AirPods to Xbox Series X?
No, you cannot directly connect or link your AirPods with any Xbox console because none of the Xbox consoles up until today does not have the BlueTooth support. However, you can use Airpods with your Xbox via third-party adapters.
You may be baffled as to know why your Bluetooth headphones or Apple AirPods aren’t compatible with the Xbox consoles. Microsoft wants you to be a part of their ecosystem, and that’s the easy explanation. And the same can be said for any other major technology corporation in existence.
Taking Apple as an example, if you purchased their AirPods, you should question yourself why you got the AirPods in the first place rather than any other Bluetooth headphones.
Isn’t it because of the improved connectivity? I mean, you open the package, and there you have it. Your headphones are already synced with your device. Yes, macOS is fantastic, but if you already own an iPhone or an iPad, you would be much more inclined to invest in a Mac than you would in any other kind of laptop. Because of interconnectivity, the answer is almost identical to the previous one. It takes no time at all to go from your iPhone to your Mac. Files are shared at the fastest feasible speed.
Since the beginning of gaming consoles, compatibility has been a major concern. There has been a long-running console battle between Microsoft and Sony. There’s also a Nintendo presence. Playing animal crossing is a popular pastime for many individuals.
Even though I love the war as a PS and Xbox fanboy because I have all the consoles out there, hey, you all fight, and at the end of the day, I get quality products on all my consoles. We all know the PlayStation 5 wins when it comes to exclusives, but if you’re a PS5 owner, don’t you miss being able to play Forza 5 and Halo Infinite?
And if the next Elder scrolls are just for the S/X series, many PS5 owners will cry in the corner, I know. You see, we love to boast about our platform, but Sony and Xbox are the only ones profiting from it.
Sony lags well behind Xbox in terms of backward compatibility, despite Xbox offering extensive support for previous console generations.
Using my Dualshock controllers on the PlayStation 5 would have saved me money on purchasing a new one. It turns out that’s impossible. That’s a horrible decision by Sony, to be honest. The Dual Sense can be used to play PS4 games on the PlayStation 5, but you can’t play PS5 games on the PS4.
But Microsoft is a little bit ahead of PlayStation when it comes to this because you can use your Xbox one controller in your Xbox series consoles. Big ups to Microsoft. But lately, Nintendo stole the show; they have recently added Bluetooth support on the switch consoles, officially supporting Airpods and all other Bluetooth headphones.
Also, check our exclusive tutorial on how to hard reset Xbox Series X/S.
How to Connect my AirPods to my Xbox?
All three Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles lack AirPod compatibility due to the different wireless technology used by the respective systems. Xbox wireless headphones, which are available at a variety of pricing points, are a good alternative if you want to stay with official gear.
But do keep in mind official headphones are going to be pretty expensive. If this is a problem for you, there are a number of solutions you may try. Even though the solution isn’t perfect, it is the best option for those who need a fast headset replacement and isn’t willing to wait for official support.
Here are the steps to connect Airpods on Xbox:
1. Use Remote Play
If you are in a rush and you want to jump in with your friends right with a good enough stable communication method, then this is the simplest way. With the cloud feature, you can stream your games on your phone, and if you connect your phone with AirPods, then you will hear both the game music and you will be able to talk with your friends.
Here are the steps to use Airpods via remote play on Xbox:
- Tap the Xbox button on your controller.
- Go to profile and system.
- Select settings.
- Pick Device and connections.
- Choose remote functionally.
- Enable Remote Play.
- Switch over to your phone.
- Connect your Airpods via Bluetooth.
- Open Xbox App.
- Select your Xbox console.
- Turn on Remote play from this device.
Remote play will broadcast video from your Xbox and audio from your paired AirPods. Gaming audio should be low-latency and stutter-free, albeit not as flawless as official Bluetooth support. But if you just want to use the AirPods for communication, then you can follow the next step.
Also, check out our separate post on AirPods not showing on homescreen.
2. Use Party Chat in Xbox App
Many people ask, how to use the AirPods as a mic in Xbox? You can use the AirPods as your Mic through your Phone. You just have to download the Xbox app on your phone then pair your Airpods with your phone. Don’t be overwhelmed with all the details; I will walk you through it.
Here are the steps to use Airpods in party chat on Xbox App:
- Pair your Airpods with your phone.
- Launch the Xbox App.
- Go to party chat.
- Join the party chat.
You will be able to use the Airpods as your communication method now. Apart from the game volume, you will hear everything through the Airpods in this method.
3. Connect Airpods with your Smart TV
You can also use your Smart TV Bluetooth connection to connect your Airpods and play games on your TV on a much bigger screen.
Here are the steps to connect Aripods with your Xbox TV:
- Go to your Tv settings.
- Turn on Bluetooth.
- Pair your AirPods.
- Go to your Xbox settings.
- Select Volume & Audio output.
- Change the speaker Audio to Through the TV.
Game music will stream through your AirPods now. The only drawback with this method is that you will not be able to communicate with your friends. If you want to communicate with your friends, follow the step above.
Also, check out our separate post on Airpods Not Working with Microsoft Teams
4. Use Third-Party Adapter
Despite being the newest and greatest video game console, the Xbox series x/s does not enable third-party Bluetooth audio.
Unless you purchase a converter, you can’t use Bluetooth headphones, including AirPods, with the Xbox. This may be addressed by connecting a Bluetooth audio adapter to the console. Fortunately, numerous Bluetooth adapters are competitively priced. But I won’t tell you which adaptor to use. Due to the number of adapters, choose the finest one for you.
My advice is to avoid the cheaper alternatives since they have the habit of getting wrecked within a few months. So, before buying, read the whole review. Also, don’t purchase anything that claims an official Microsoft or Xbox Bluetooth adapter since Microsoft hasn’t produced such a thing. Don’t be deceived.
Which Headphones are Compatible with Xbox?
Yes, Xbox may not support Bluetooth headphones like AirPods, but there are plenty of certified headphones available for Xbox. Some are very cheap; on the other hand, you can find some of the extremely good-looking gaming headsets with a fair amount of price.
Here are the Top 5 compatible Xbox series X/S headphones:
- SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless.
- Corsair HS75 XB Wireless.
- Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset.
- Razer Kaira Pro.
- Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox
With the certified headphones, when playing online shooters, expect to hear footsteps and directional indications to assist you acquire an advantage on adversaries no matter where you are in the arena, whether you are concentrating on single-player or multiplayer. Many of the top Xbox One headsets are also compatible with Xbox Series X, according to Microsoft’s backward compatibility promise.
Follow our guide to fix Xbox Series X error Code 0xe0e8000f.
Final Thoughts
Xbox and PlayStation not having the Bluetooth feature is still a very nomadic move, and it feels weirder when Nintendo addresses the issue with adapting Bluetooth with a software update. Surely PlayStation and Xbox can learn something from this and officially ad the Bluetooth feature to their system.
Hopefully, this guideline will help you with your queries, and for future queries, do reach out!
