How to Stop Your AirPods from Automatically Switching Devices

By Ashleigh Page Updated 05/06/2021

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The automatic switching feature for AirPods means if you're listening to music on your laptop and a call comes in, your AirPods should switch Bluetooth connection from your laptop to your iPhone. Unfortunately, some users find that this means their AirPods switch between devices unnecessarily when they're close together.

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How to Switch AirPods between Devices After an Automatic Switch

When your AirPods randomly disconnect and the automatic switch happens, a "Moved To" notice will appear at the top of your iPhone screen. If this was a mistake, you can tap the blue arrow in the notice to switch your AirPods back to your initial device.

If you're new to AirPods, you can also learn about how to set up and pair your AirPods and how to make your AirPods' batteries last longer. For more great AirPods how-tos, check out our free Tip of the Day.

How to Disable Your AirPods Automatic Switch Feature

Now we'll show you how to change your AirPods settings to stop the automatic switch from occurring later.

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Bluetooth.

Tap the info icon next to your AirPods in the device list.
Tap on Connect to This iPhone.

Tap to select When Last Connected to This iPhone.

This will disable automatic switching. Your AirPods will now remain connected to the same device unless you manually connect them to a different one.

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Topics

How-To

Bluetooth

Settings

Author Details

Ashleigh Page

Ashleigh Page is an Associate Editor for iPhone Life. A longtime Apple enthusiast with a Bachelor's in English and Computer Science and three years of experience writing about tech, Ashleigh has written and tested hundreds of articles about devices and features within Apple's ecosystem. She specializes in iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Mac content and has authored a 60-page in-depth guide about the Apple Maps app. Based in North Carolina, Ashleigh is often crafting whimsical (and sometimes nonsensical) short stories and hiking when she's not working.

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