Bluetooth 5.3 on the 15 inch MacBook Air M4 supports AirPods, Magic accessories and third-party headphones, and its problems are about the accessory more than the radio. If AirPods will not connect, Apple's page for AirPods says to put them in the case, close it, wait fifteen seconds, open it near the Mac and press the button on the case until the light flashes white, then connect from System Settings, Bluetooth.
The checks in more detail
For Magic accessories, Apple's page covers charging them, switching them off and on, and pairing by cable. If a third-party device is not found, put it in pairing mode and check it is not connected to a phone. Because the M4 Air also supports Wi-Fi 6E, interference between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is less common but still happens on 2.4 GHz. Remove the device and add it again, restart and update macOS.
If a headset connects but sound is poor, the microphone and speaker modes differ, and switching the Mac's output to the headset in Sound settings and leaving the input on the Mac's own microphone improves quality, because Bluetooth lowers the quality when the headset's microphone is used. If you use several Apple devices, Handoff and Universal Control can make a headset or mouse hop between them, which looks like a connection fault; switch the device you want in the Bluetooth menu or turn off automatic switching for AirPods in the device's settings in System Settings, Bluetooth.
Third-party headphones that use proprietary dongles can interfere with Bluetooth if the dongle sits in a USB-C port beside the radio, so move the dongle to the other side and test again. Keep macOS updated, because Apple fixes Bluetooth faults in point releases.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple MacBook Air 15-inch Bluetooth is missing, will not pair or disconnects”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
AirPods needing a reset
What separates it They will not connect to the Mac
How to confirm Case, close, wait, open, hold the button until white
- 2
A Magic accessory off or flat
What separates it It does not appear
How to confirm Charge and pair by cable
- 3
The headset's microphone lowering quality
What separates it Sound is thin on calls
How to confirm Use the Mac's microphone for input
- 4
2.4 GHz interference
What separates it Dropouts
How to confirm Use 5 or 6 GHz Wi-Fi
- 5
A stale pairing
What separates it It shows but will not connect
How to confirm Remove and add again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The accessory
- Whether it works on an iPhone
- The Wi-Fi band
- The macOS version
Try in this order
0 of 8 completedReset the AirPods
ReversiblePut them in the case and press the button until the light flashes white.
Pair Magic accessories by cable
ReversibleThen unplug.
Choose Input and Output
ReversibleIn System Settings, Sound.
Use 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi
ReversibleTo reduce interference.
Remove and add the device
ReversibleIn Bluetooth settings.
Restart and update
ReversibleInstall the latest macOS.
Set AirPods to connect to this Mac
ReversibleIn System Settings, Bluetooth, the info button beside the AirPods, Connect to This Mac: When Last Connected to This Mac.
Check Handoff and Universal Control
ReversibleIf a mouse jumps between devices, turn them off to test.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Mic mode
- Bluetooth lowers quality when the headset's mic is used.
- AirPods reset
- A reset fixes most connection faults.
- Automatic switching
- AirPods hop between Apple devices.
- Universal Control
- It lets one mouse control several devices.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If Bluetooth is unavailable after a restart, contact Apple Support
- !If only one accessory fails, contact its maker
- !If AirPods fail on every device, ask Apple about them
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I reset AirPods?+
Hold the case button until the light flashes white.
Why do calls sound thin?+
The headset's microphone lowers quality.
Which Bluetooth version?+
5.3.
Do I need Wi-Fi 6E?+
It reduces interference.
Why do my AirPods keep jumping to my iPhone?+
Automatic switching; set Connect to This Mac.
What is Universal Control?+
One keyboard and mouse across devices.