How to connect AirPods Max to your Mac

Apple’s AirPods Max are VERY pricey, but they sound fantastic. To use ‘em with a Mac, you’ll need to be running macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, then:

If you set up your AirPods Max with your iPhone and your Mac is signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID, your AirPods Max are ready to use with your Mac. If they don’t connect, place your AirPods Max on your ears and click either the Bluetooth menu  or the volume control  in the menu bar on your Mac.1 Then choose AirPods Max from the list.

If you don’t see your AirPods Max in the Bluetooth  or volume control  menu, pair your AirPods Max with your Mac:

1. On your Mac, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu (), then click Bluetooth .
2. Make sure that Bluetooth is on.
3. Press and hold the noise control button until the status light flashes white.
4. Select your AirPods Max in the Devices list, then click Connect.

If sound still plays from your Mac speakers, click either the Bluetooth menu  or the volume control  in the menu bar and make sure that your AirPods Max are selected as the output device.

(This how-to is based on my experiences and info on Apple’s support pages — where the images sometimes come from.)