You have bought a replacement earbud – maybe because you lost one, or because the battery gave up. Now you have the part in hand, but how do you make it work properly with your existing set? Or maybe you bought a new charging case because the old one broke. In both cases, you need to pair the part again.

Good news: pairing a replacement part is often much simpler than people think. This applies to wireless earbuds such as Apple AirPods and comparable models. With the right steps you will have a working set again within a few minutes.

At Earbuds Restore we specialise in single earbuds and separate charging cases. So we know exactly which steps to follow to get everything working smoothly again.

When do you need to re-pair a part?

Before we dive into the steps, it is useful to know in which situations you need to re-pair a part. Here are the most common scenarios:

• You have bought a replacement left or right earbud – A single replacement earbud needs to be paired with your existing earbud to work as a set
• You have a replacement charging case – A new case needs to "get acquainted" with your existing earbuds.
• One earbud no longer produces sound or is not recognised – Re-pairing often solves this problem.
• Your earbuds no longer connect to your phone automatically – A reset and re-pairing usually fixes this.

• You want to pair your earbuds with a new device – With a new phone or another device, you need to set up the connection again.

In all these cases, resetting and re-pairing is often the solution. It may sound technical, but it is actually very simple.

Important before you start: check the model and generation

If you have bought a replacement earbud, there is one crucial point: the replacement earbud must be exactly the same generation as your existing earbud. A 2nd generation earbud will not work with a 3rd generation one, even if they look alike.

So always check the following before you start pairing:

• Check the generation – 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Pro 1 or Pro 2? This must match your existing earbud.
• Make sure left/right is correct – Lost the left or the right one? Then order exactly that side.

Not sure exactly which generation you have? Check out our extensive guide "Which model do I have?" in which we help you identify your exact model based on model numbers.

Pairing a replacement earbud (general steps)

Bought a single earbud and want to pair it with your existing one? Then follow this step-by-step plan. These steps work for all generations:

Steps per generation

The steps above work for all generations. There are, however, a few small differences per model to keep in mind:

Standard earbuds (2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)

The procedure for the standard earbuds is the same for all generations. The most important thing is to make sure the replacement earbud is exactly the same generation as your existing earbud. A 2nd generation cannot work together with a 3rd or 4th generation.

With the 4th generation there are two variants: with and without Active Noise Cancellation. Note: these are not compatible with each other either.

Check out our single 2nd generation, 3rd generation or 4th generation.

Pro earbuds (1st and 2nd generation)

The same principle applies to the Pro earbuds: the replacement earbud must be the same Pro generation. A Pro 1 cannot work together with a Pro 2.

One small difference: on some Pro models the status light is on the front of the case (between the earbuds) instead of on the outside. This makes no difference to the procedure itself – you simply watch for the light, which should flash white.

Check out our single Pro 1st generation or Pro 2nd generation.

Pairing a replacement charging case with existing earbuds

Lost your charging case or is it broken? With a replacement case you can simply carry on with your existing earbuds. Here is how to pair a replacement case:

Important: for cases too, the generation must match. A 3rd generation case only works with 3rd generation earbuds. The Pro 2 comes with two case variants (Lightning and USB-C), but the earbuds work with both.

Browse our full range of separate charging cases.

Troubleshooting pairing problems

Pairing not working right away? No worries – there is often a simple fix. Here are the most common problems and how to solve them:

Problem: The earbuds are not recognised

• Check that the case is sufficiently charged (at least 10%)
• Make sure both earbuds sit correctly in the case and make contact
• Try holding the reset button for 15 seconds

Problem: Only one earbud works after pairing

• Check that both earbuds are the same generation
• Clean the contact points with a dry, soft cloth
• Reset both earbuds again and try once more

Problem: The light flashes amber instead of white

• Amber often means the battery is almost empty – charge first
• It can also indicate an error – try a full reset

When replacing is smarter than repairing

Sometimes connection problems are a symptom of a bigger issue. In these cases, replacing a single part is often the wisest choice:

• The battery has degraded significantly – After 2-3 years of intensive use, battery capacity can have dropped noticeably.
• One earbud no longer produces sound – This can indicate a defective speaker that cannot be repaired.
• Your case no longer charges properly – The battery or charging port may be defective.

In all these cases, a single replacement earbud or a replacement charging case is far cheaper than buying a complete set.

Related articles

• Lost an earbud? Replace only what you are missing
• Will a replacement earbud work with my existing set?
• Which model do I have? Model number checker
• View all single earbuds per generation
• View all separate charging cases