Bridging the Audio Gap on PlayStation 5
Apple AirPods are the most convenient wireless earbuds on the market, seamlessly switching between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Given that the PlayStation 5 (PS5) has built-in Bluetooth hardware for connecting its DualSense controllers, you might logically assume you can simply pair your AirPods to the console and start gaming in private.
Unfortunately, you cannot connect them directly. Sony has deliberately disabled the ability to pair standard Bluetooth headphones directly to the PS5. The console’s Bluetooth bandwidth is strictly reserved for the controllers to ensure virtually zero input latency. If the console had to split that bandwidth to also transmit high-quality audio to standard Bluetooth headphones, both the controller input and the audio would suffer from noticeable lag.
To use wireless audio, Sony expects you to buy their official Pulse 3D headset (or a licensed third-party alternative), which uses a dedicated USB wireless receiver rather than standard Bluetooth. However, if you already own AirPods and refuse to buy another headset, there are two reliable workarounds to connect them to your PS5.
Method 1: Use a Bluetooth USB Transmitter (Best for Game Audio)
The most permanent and reliable solution is to purchase a third-party Bluetooth audio transmitter. These small dongles plug into the USB-C port on the front of your PS5 (or the USB-A ports on the back) and act as a bridge. The PS5 sends the audio to the dongle via USB, and the dongle broadcasts it to your AirPods via Bluetooth.
Popular transmitters include the Avantree C81, the Twelve South AirFly Pro (which plugs into the controller’s headphone jack), or generic Bluetooth 5.0 transmitters found on Amazon.
- Turn on your PS5.
- Plug the Bluetooth USB transmitter into an available USB port on the console.
- The PS5 will instantly recognise the transmitter as a “USB Headset.”
- Turn on the transmitter and put it into Pairing Mode (usually by holding the main button until it flashes red and blue).
- Place your AirPods inside their charging case and leave the lid open.
- Press and hold the small, circular Setup button on the back of the AirPods case until the status light flashes white, indicating they are in pairing mode.
- Hold the AirPods case close to the Bluetooth transmitter. Within a few seconds, the devices will discover each other and connect (the light on the transmitter will usually turn solid).
- On your PS5, go to Settings > Sound > Audio Output.
- Ensure the Output Device is set to your USB transmitter.
You will now hear all game audio and dashboard sounds through your AirPods. However, there is a catch: Most standard Bluetooth transmitters only send audio one way. You will be able to hear the game perfectly, but you generally cannot use the microphone built into your AirPods for party chat. (Some premium dongles do support two-way audio, but the microphone quality is usually quite poor due to Bluetooth bandwidth limitations).
To get around this, the PS5 will automatically use the microphone built directly into your DualSense controller while routing the incoming audio to your AirPods.
Method 2: Connect to Your Smart TV’s Bluetooth (Easiest)
If you have a modern smart TV (manufactured within the last five years), there is a very high chance the TV itself has built-in Bluetooth audio support. Instead of trying to connect the AirPods to the PS5, you simply connect the AirPods to the television.
The PS5 sends the audio to the TV via the HDMI cable, and the TV then wirelessly transmits it to your AirPods.
- Put your AirPods into their case, leave the lid open, and hold the back button until the white light flashes (Pairing Mode).
- Using your TV’s remote control, open your TV’s main Settings menu.
- Navigate to the Sound or Audio Output section.
- Look for a Bluetooth Speaker List or “Wireless Audio” setting.
- Select your AirPods from the list of available devices and pair them.
This method requires zero extra hardware. However, depending on the age and quality of your television, you might experience a slight audio delay (latency). A 200-millisecond delay might not matter for a slow-paced puzzle game, but it will be noticeable in a competitive first-person shooter.
Additionally, because you are connected to the TV and not the console, you cannot use your AirPods microphone for voice chat at all with this method. You will still need to rely on the DualSense controller’s built-in microphone to talk to your friends.
