I’m an Android user, but I exclusively use Apple earbuds for wireless listening. A trusty pair of AirPods Pro 2 handles everyday wear, while the more specialized Powerbeats Pro 2 stay in my ears for runs, hikes, and everything sporty. While both sets of earbuds are made by Apple, only one of them natively integrates with Android. Beats headphones and earbuds have superb integration outside the Apple ecosystem, complete with an official Play Store app. I can’t say the same about AirPods.
At their core, AirPods are still Bluetooth earbuds — or headphones, in the case of the AirPods Max. You can pair them with just about any Bluetooth source; as a tinkerer, I’ve paired AirPods with everything from iPods to record players. Without an Apple device, you’ll miss out on crucial features and settings. That is, unless you download this free and open-source app that makes your AirPods fully featured on Android and Linux.
Pair your AirPods with an Android phone
The button on the back of the case is your best friend
AirPods can be paired with most Bluetooth devices, but the pairing process isn’t as simple as connecting to an Apple device. Within the Apple ecosystem, simply pop the lid of your AirPods case or remove the AirPods Max from their sleeve. A pop-up will appear instantly, pairing the earbuds with an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch in seconds. It’s genius, but unsurprisingly, AirPods doesn’t support Android quick-pairing standards like Google Fast Pair.
Instead, it’s a manual process. If you own the first-, second-, or third-generation AirPods, open the lid of the charging case and press and hold the button on the back for five seconds. Keep your AirPods in their case during this process. You should see the status light flash white, indicating the AirPods are in pairing mode and are visible to other devices. Select the name of your AirPods from the Bluetooth list on your other device, and the earbuds will connect.
These steps also work for the AirPods Pro 1 and AirPods Pro 2, which have a physical pairing button. Newer models, including AirPods 4, AirPods 5, and AirPods Pro 3, have a capacitive pairing button. You can’t see it, but the front of the charging case has a touch-sensitive surface that you’ll use to pair your AirPods with non-Apple devices. Open the charging case, double-tap the front of the case, and wait for the status light to flash white.
Finally, Apple’s over-ear headphones, AirPods Max, have a listening mode button that doubles as a pairing button. Press and hold this button for five seconds, and the status light will flash white. Whenever a pair of AirPods is flashing white, it’s in pairing mode. From there, you select the name of your AirPods from the Bluetooth list on your other device to connect the earbuds or headphones.
Use LibrePods to regain full functionality
ANC modes, Head Gestures, and more are back
AirPods become basic Bluetooth earbuds or headphones when paired with a non-Apple device. LibrePods is a free app that brings Apple-exclusive AirPods features to Android and Linux users. It’s not a new app, but up until recently, LibrePods required root access to change “how certain parts of Bluetooth worked,” according to the developer on Reddit. Now, you can use LibrePods to regain your AirPods’ original feature set on any device running Android 17 without root — it’s as easy as downloading the app from the Google Play Store.
The Play Store app has in-app purchases, but the free and open-source version available on GitHub has all features available at no cost. If you’re comfortable sideloading, you can download the APK from the GitHub releases page and install it on your Android device. Or, you can test out LibrePods on the Play Store and support the project to unlock the advanced features.
After installing LibrePods, you’ll need to start by granting the app Bluetooth, notifications, and phone permissions. Bluetooth is necessary for connecting with your AirPods, notifications are used to show your AirPods’ battery status, and phone permission is required for responding to phone calls with head gestures. Most importantly, you’ll need to grant LibrePods permission to display over other apps. This allows the app to simulate the Apple overlays that show your AirPods name and charge level when they are connected.
After connecting your AirPods via Bluetooth and setting up LibrePods, the fun starts. The app shows the accurate battery status of your earbuds or headphones down to the exact percentage, whereas the usual Bluetooth Low Energy estimates only appear as 10% increments. Ear detection starts working immediately. Pull out a single AirPod, and media playing on your Android device automatically pauses.
My favorite LibrePods feature is the ability to change my AirPods’ listening mode from my Android phone. Using the app, widget, or quick settings tile, you can switch your AirPods’ listening mode between Off, Transparency, Adaptive, and Noise Cancelation on Android. Moreover, you can customize Adaptive Audio and enable features like Personalized Volume or Conversation Awareness. The app also brings a three-band AirPods equalizer to Android.
Changing the settings of your AirPods requires an Android device, unless you use LibrePods. The app has settings for call controls, press-and-hold gestures, head gestures, optimized charge limits, and more. They’re all available on the app’s main homepage, so you don’t need to dig through settings menus to find them. To find more options, tap the settings gear in the top-right corner of the homepage.
I won’t use AirPods on Android without this app
LibrePods makes app control and battery management possible
I’ve used AirPods with Android devices for years, but LibrePods adds the features they should’ve had in the first place. The one thing you’ll still need an Apple device for is updating your AirPods’ firmware.
Features like head-tracked spatial audio aren’t available, and heart-rate monitoring support is still a work in progress. But by and large, the AirPods features I use daily are all available on AirPods thanks to a free and open-source app.