Sony makes things complicated when it comes to Bluetooth audio. Your PlayStation 4 won’t recognize AirPods or most wireless earbuds straight out of the box. You need a Bluetooth adapter to make them talk to each other. With the right adapter, AirPods will deliver clean audio with minimal lag, but the microphone won’t work for team chat. I’ll explain below why. Let me explain how to connect AirPods to your PS4.
Why You Need an Adapter to Connect AirPods to PS4
Sony restricted Bluetooth audio on the PS4 for a reason. The console hoards its Bluetooth bandwidth for DualShock controllers, leaving audio devices to deal with lag, echo, or connection failures.
You need a Bluetooth audio adapter to fix this. These tiny transmitters plug into the PS4’s USB port or headphone jack and take over the wireless pairing that Sony won’t let the console handle. Good adapters from brands like Twelve South, Avantree, or GuliKit are plug-and-play and work with most Bluetooth headphones, including every AirPods and AirPods Pro model you can think of.
- Related: How to Connect AirPods to PS5
How to Connect AirPods to PS4
Once you have a compatible Bluetooth adapter, here’s how you can connect your PlayStation 4 and AirPods:
- Make sure your AirPods and the Bluetooth adapter are charged. Plug the adapter into the PlayStation 4’s USB port or controller headphone jack. Which one depends on your adapter model.
- Most adapters blink when they’re ready to pair. If not blinked, some adapters need you to hold down a button for a few seconds first, so check what yours needs.
- Open the AirPods case (keep the buds inside) and press and hold the button on the back until the status light flashes white. That’s when earbuds are in pairing mode, ready to connect.
- The adapter light will turn solid or stop blinking when the connection is done. The PS4 should now automatically route game audio through AirPods.
To make sure the connection is properly done, go to PS4’s Settings → Devices → Audio Devices:
- Set Output Device to Headphones Connected to Controller (in case of a jack-based adapter).
- Set Output to Headphones to All Audio.
From here, you can adjust the volume and confirm that sound streams correctly to your AirPods. If you don’t hear anything, unplug the adapter and try again. Note that some models require the AirPods to be in pairing mode before the console can detect them.
What You Can (and Can’t) Do
While adapters handle audio output with no issue, they don’t send microphone input back to the console. You’ll hear the game voice, but the microphone won’t work. Bluetooth adapters are transmitters, not two-way radios, so your teammates won’t hear a word you say.
If you’re playing solo or watching Netflix, it’s not an issue. But when you need voice chat, you’re better off getting a dedicated PS4 headset. Otherwise, you’d have to plug a separate mic into the controller, which defeats the purpose of going wireless.
