How to connect AirPods to PS4 (Or Any Bluetooth Headphones).
Most wired headsets can be connected to PS4, but Bluetooth headphones cannot be connected. The headphones must be PS4 compatible, which will set you back at least $ 60. Many people ask how to connect Bluetooth headphones to PS4 like Airpods. Answer: yes, but with additional steps. The PS4 doesn’t allow third party headphones, but if you really want to go that route, I’ve compiled a list of methods you can use to route audio to your PS4 and use your AirPods or any other Bluetooth headphones.
How to connect a Bluetooth headset to a PS4
The workarounds I’ve found are relatively inexpensive and can be used with your existing Bluetooth headphones, including Airpods. Here are four ways to use Airpods with PS4. The first method uses the official PS4 app, available for both Android and iOS. The second method involves using a computer to route TV audio to AirPods. Finally, the third and fourth methods involve purchasing a dongle that will connect your wireless headphones to your PS4. Let’s consider each of them in detail.
1. Use the PS4 Remote Play app.
This is the easiest way from the list. PS4 recently launched the Remote Play Android app that lets you play your favorite PS4 games on Android as long as your smartphone and PS4 are on the same Wi-Fi network. Basically, it creates a remote connection that not only shows you the display on the smartphone screen, but also shows you the PS4 controls on the Android screen. For this method to work, you need the following items:
- iPhone or Android smartphone
- DS4 controller
- AirPods
- PS4
This method only works with iPhones running iOS13, so make sure your iPhone is up to date. Any Android version above 5.0 works for Android devices. Since the steps are exactly the same for Android and iOS, you should be able to route audio across both devices effortlessly.
Step 1. Download and install Remote Play app from App Store and Play Store for your iPhone and Android smartphone respectively.
Step 2. Make sure Remote Play is enabled on your PS4 system, you can go to Settings Remote Play Connection Settings check the Enable Remote Play checkbox on your PS4 system. Now open the Remote Play app and register the device with your PSNaccount. Enter your PSN credentials on the login page and wait for the entire process to complete.
You can also register manually by entering the code. On the PS4 system, go to Settings Remote Play Connection Settings Add Device Code. Enter this code into the Remote Play app and click Register.
Step 3. Your device will automatically connect to PS4 and you can see the display and controls on your smartphone screen.
Step 4: Now, just connect your AirPods and DS4 controller to your smartphone by going into your device’s Bluetooth settings. If you have used the Remote Play app before, then when you establish a remote connection with the app, you would know that the DS4 controller turns off automatically, and when you reconnect, Remote Play turns off. To get around this, simply connect your DS4 controllers to your smartphone and enjoy the game.
This method is not completely flawless, you do get a few harsh moments during gameplay as the sound and controllers are routed through the app, but if your network has decent speeds, you shouldn’t have any problems during casual games and puzzles. Since your controller is connected via a smartphone, you may or may not receive vibration feedback. Overall, if you want to use AirPods with your PS4, you’ll have to compromise on these features.
However, if you don’t have an iPhone with iOS13 or your Android smartphone doesn’t support the remote play app. You can check out other methods on this list.
2.Via Samsung TV and SmartThings App
This method is for a very specific group of users as it requires a Samsung Smart TV and a Samsung smartphone. I list it here because it is almost effortless and you get PS4 audio to your AirPods instantly. We’ll connect AirPods to a Samsung smartphone and route audio through the SmartThings app. However, for any other bluetooth headphones, you can directly pair the pair to the TV. Just go to Settings Sound Sound Output Speaker List Bluetooth Device Pairing and connect. I tried to get this method to work with AirPods, but for some reason the TV won’t connect to it. The steps listed below are only temporary fix for AirPods.
For this method to work, you need the following items:
- Samsung Smart TV
- Samsung Smartphone
- SmartThings App
- AirPods
- PS4
Step 1. Install SmartThings app on your Samsung smartphone and sign in with your Samsung account. If you don’t have one, you can create one here.
Step 2. Make sure your TV and smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Launch the app and add your TV by clicking the + button in the top left corner.
Step 3. Tap the TV tile and go to the options by clicking the options button in the upper right corner and select Play TV sound on my phone.
Step 4. Now the audio from the TV will be redirected to the smartphone, and you can connect your AirPods to your Samsung smartphone and play your favorite games on PS4.
That’s it, a simple and easy way to use your AirPods with PS4 using your Samsung Smart TV. I agree that this is not for everyone, but if you have a Samsung Smart TV and a Samsung smartphone, then why not. You can learn more about Samsung Smart TV and what you can do with it.
3. Using a computer
For this method to work, you need the following items:
- A computer with a 3.5mm microphone jack.
- Optional Cable
- AirPods
- PS4
Step 1: Connect your console to your TV via HDMI. You will find the port on the back of your TV. Connect the other end to the PS4’s HDMI port.
Most TVs have audio out ports. It can be RF, optical, 3.5mm, or a combination of all three.
Step 2. Plug the extra cable into the 3.5mm jack on the back of the TV, it will probably have a headphone icon on it.
Step 3: Take AUX and connect one end to your TV and the other to your computer.
Some computers have separate headphone and microphone ports; newer models have a hybrid jack that can be used for both headphone and microphone. The hardware is ready.
Read:Â How to Turn Your TV on Using Your PS4 Controller
Set up your computer to route audio from the microphone port to AirPods.
Step 4: Open Control Panel on your computer and click on Hardware and Sound.
This will open a new page in the window where you can add devices, change power settings, etc.
Step 5: Click “Sound” to open the settings.
The Sound dialog box will show you all of the devices connected to your computer, including the microphone we just configured.
Step 6: Go to the Recording tab and make sure the Aux cable is plugged into the microphone output port on your computer, otherwise it may not appear in the list.
Step 7. Right-click an external microphone option in the list and click to open the Properties window.
Step 8: Go to the “Listen” tab and check the “Listen to this device” box.
Your computer will now play the sound it picks up through the microphone port and play it on the default audio output.
Step 9: Just connect your AirPods to your computer and start playing the game and the sound will flow through the AirPods. Carefully.
Also Read:Â How to Record 1080p Footage without PS4 Pro
I recommended this method because you don’t need to buy a dongle just for this purpose if you have a computer near your console. It works in much the same way and gives you a lot more flexibility. However, there is one caveat: you can only use this method if you don’t need the chat function. It just redirects audio from PS4 to AirPods, and if you’re going to play multiplayer games, your only way out is to buy PS certified headphones.
4. Use a Bluetooth transmitter to stream audio from TV to PS4.
I had this dongle and wanted to try and see if it works with PS4 and it works. If you don’t have a computer or don’t want to use it for any specific purpose, you can purchase this key from Amazon. It costs about $ 30 and works with all devices that have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Not only is it helpful to connect your AirPods to your PS4, but you can use it to watch TV without disturbing others, or connect the dongle to your stereo or turntable so you can listen to music on your wireless headphones or AirPods. …
To do this, you will need the following items:
- A pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones or AirPods.
- Bluetooth transmitter with Aux support.
Step 1. Connect your TV to PS4 using an HDMI cable.
2. Connect the dongle to your TV using the 3.5mm auxiliary cable.
3. Put the dongle in pairing mode by pressing and holding the button on the dongle.
4. Put the headphones into pairing mode by pressing and holding the AirPods.
5. The Dongle and AirPods will automatically connect to each other and you can start listening to PS4 audio through AirPods.
This dongle can be used with any device that has a headphone jack, but requires an extra step and connects to a TV instead of a PS4. There are other dongles that connect directly to the PS4 and therefore shorten one point of failure (extra cable).
5. Use Bluetooth dongle to connect AirPods to PS4.
This is the easiest solution if you want to connect your AirPods to PS4. Given its ease of use, it also comes with a price tag. Amazon has a variety of options that would work great. This $ 30 Bluetooth dongle is a Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into your PS4’s USB port. Then you can connect any Bluetooth headphones to this dongle, and the sound will be transmitted through AirPods.
To do this, you will need the following items:
- A pair of wireless headphones.
- PS4 compatible Bluetooth adapter.
I wrote a detailed guide on how to use AvanTree Leaf to connect AirPods to PS4 here, however below is an overview of the steps.
Step 1. Connect your TV to PS4 using an HDMI cable.
2 . Connect the dongle to the TV via the USB port on the PS4.
3 . Put the dongle in pairing mode by pressing and holding the button on the dongle.
4 .Put the AirPods into pairing mode by pressing and holding the button.
5. The Dongle and AirPods will automatically connect to each other and you can start listening to PS4 audio through AirPods.
It works just like any other Bluetooth device and the best part is that it’s Plug n Play. You can just plug it into your PS4 and it will automatically detect the dongle. However, you can still check if the device is connected in the settings.
Go to Settings Devices Audio Devices Input & Output USB Avantree Headset.
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Once the devices are connected, you can start playing games and you will get audio on AirPods. This works, but it still has its limitations. For example, it will only route audio to AirPods and you won’t be able to chat using a microphone, so keep that in mind.
How to connect a Bluetooth headset to a PS4
These were two different methods that can be used to route audio from the game to existing Bluetooth headphones or AirPods. The first method is a bit like a hack because you have to use a different computer to achieve a simple goal that should have been possible initially, but here we are. I tried to solve this problem using an android device but couldn’t find a reliable method. If so, I will update this method as well. Until then, try these methods to use your AirPods with your PS4 and share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.
How to connect AirPods to PS4 (Or Any Bluetooth Headphones)