How to connect your AirPods to Apple TV using Siri

Apple TV
Apple TV (Image credit: iMore)

According to Reddit user bd7349, you can use the Siri button on your Siri Remote to instantly connect your AirPods to your Apple TV. If you've already paired your AirPods, you should be able to switch audio without any additional steps. This is not a beta feature. It supposedly works in tvOS 10.

Now, I should say that I tried this over and over and over again, and the only thing that happened when I said "Connect to my AirPods" was that I was directed to the Settings app. However, the original poster of the information swears that, when done correctly, the AirPods should connect and start playing audio without you needing to perform any additional steps.

Though I was unable to instantly connect my AirPods to Apple TV, I did manage to come up with a workaround that you might find useful.

How to use Siri to connect your AirPods to Apple TV

If you discover that Siri just takes you to the Settings app when you ask to connect to your AirPods, this will make the experience a little less disappointing.

  1. Open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
  2. Click on Remotes and devices.
  3. Click on Bluetooth.
  4. Navigate to your AirPods but don't click on them.
  5. Press and hold the Menu button to return to the home screen.This step is important. Don't back out. Make sure you exit Settings from the AirPods screen.

From now on, when you ask Siri to connect to your AirPods, you'll be taken directly to the AirPods connection screen in the Settings app.

Basically, Siri will navigate to whatever the last screen you were on in the Settings app. So, save your place by always pressing and holding the Menu button to exit Settings instead of backing out, step by step.

Have you tried it?

Have you tried to connect your AirPods to your Apple TV using the Siri button on your Siri Remote? Did it work? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

Lory Gil

Lory is a renaissance woman, writing news, reviews, and how-to guides for iMore. She also fancies herself a bit of a rock star in her town and spends too much time reading comic books.  If she's not typing away at her keyboard, you can probably find her at Disneyland or watching Star Wars (or both).