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How to connect AirPods to a PS4 or PS5
The Apple AirPods are some of the most popular earbuds on the market, and they offer a great listening experience. You would not be wrong to want to take advantage of the high-quality audio on your gaming console, and that begs the question, “Can you connect AirPods to PS4 or PS5?” The answer is no, but you can bypass it and we’ll show you how.
Can you connect AirPods to a PS4 or PS5?
If you took your PS4 or PS5 out of the box and tried to connect your AirPods to it, it would not work. The console will detect the device and attempt to pair, but the process will fail every time.
That’s because neither the PS4 or PS5 natively supports Bluetooth audio. To get around this problem, you need to get a Bluetooth adapter or dongle that supports Bluetooth audio on the PS4 or PS5.
But if the consoles already have built-in Bluetooth compatibility, why didn’t Sony just add support for Bluetooth audio? The answer to that question lies in the limitations of the current Bluetooth technology.
The summary of the whole thing is that the current Bluetooth latency is not low enough to keep up with the fast pace of modern games. This results in delayed audio transmission from the console to your earbuds or headphones and audio that’s out of sync with the video playback.
Sony also notes that connecting your wireless controller to the PS5 already takes up Bluetooth bandwidth. So adding wireless audio like the Apple AirPods Pro 2 may lead to a choppy experience. However, you can improve the sound by using high-quality accessories.
The majority of Apple AirPods produce high-quality audio. You should be good if you pair them with a Bluetooth USB adapter like the Avantree DG60P, which has a long-range external antenna, supports Bluetooth 5.3, and comes with the Qualcomm aptX-Adaptive codec for low latency audio.
Note that although Bluetooth adapters support audio playback, you can’t chat with other players.
How to connect AirPods to a PS4 or PS5 by using a Bluetooth adapter
Now that you know the answer to the question, “Can you connect AirPods to PS4?” here’s the process for both the PS4 and PS5, using the Avantree DG60P:
- Plug the DG60P transmitter to your PS4’s USB port. It’ll enter pairing mode automatically.
- Put your Apple AirPods in pairing mode by opening the charging case lid. If that doesn’t work, long-press the setup button on the case until the indicator flashes white.
- Hold them close to the transmitter for a few seconds until they are paired.
- Go to Settings > Devices > Audio Devices on your PS4, and select Avantree DG60P as the input/output device. On the PS5, you may need to navigate to Settings > Sound > Audio Output > Output Device.
The Avantree DG60P only works with audio devices like wireless earbuds and headphones. It is incompatible with keyboards, mice, and other non-audio devices.