Based on a video by Apple Support.
If your AirPods stopped pairing, sound funny, or you're handing them down to someone else, a factory reset is the cleanest fix. The process unpairs them from your Apple ID, wipes the settings, and gets them ready to set up fresh.
This walkthrough from Apple Support covers all three current AirPods models. The steps are mostly identical - the only difference is the specific button or buttons you hold to trigger the reset.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap your name at the top of the screen and scroll down until you see your AirPods listed.
If they don't show up there, go to Bluetooth instead - they'll appear in the list of paired devices. Tap your AirPods to open their detail screen.
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the AirPods settings screen. Tap Forget This Device (or, in Bluetooth, tap the small info button next to your AirPods first, then Forget Device).
A confirmation popup appears warning that the AirPods will be removed from all your iCloud-connected devices. Tap Forget Device a second time to confirm.
Tip
The double-confirm is intentional - your AirPods are tied to your Apple ID, so unpairing removes them from your iPhone, iPad, and Mac in one go.
Place your AirPods in their charging case and shut the lid. Wait a few seconds, then open the lid back up.
If a Connect card pops up on your iPhone offering to re-pair, tap the close button (X) in the top corner to dismiss it. You don't want to re-pair yet - the reset hasn't happened.
Look at the back of the case for a small round button - that's the setup button. With the lid still open, press and hold it for about 15 seconds.
For older AirPods cases without a setup button, use the alternate method instead: while the status light is on, double-tap the front of the case three times in a row, watching the light pattern change with each tap.
While you're holding the button, the status light flashes amber for a few seconds. Keep holding. Then it switches to flashing white.
Once you see the white flash, the reset is complete. Release the button. Your AirPods are now factory-fresh and ready to pair with any device the same way they did out of the box.
AirPods Max don't have a case button to reset, so the steps are different. After unpairing in Settings (same as Step 1 and 2), take the headphones out of their Smart Case if they're stored.
Press and hold the noise control button and the digital crown on the right earphone at the same time. Hold for about 15 seconds. The LED near the bottom of the right earphone flashes amber, then white. Release - they're reset.
Tip
Charge your AirPods Max for a few minutes before resetting if the battery is low. A flat battery can prevent the reset sequence from completing.
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