How To Use Airpods As A Walkie Talkie

You can turn your AirPods into a walkie-talkie if you pair it with your Apple Watch and use the Walkie Talkie app.

Do you want to use your AirPods as a walkie-talkie? Whether you want to communicate with friends, family members, or others, there are ways you can use your AirPods as a walkie-talkie. This guide will tell you all you need to know about it, so keep on reading!

What “AirPods as a Walkie-Talkie” Really Means

While AirPods aren’t actually walkie-talkies, they can function as one if you pair them with your iPhone or Apple Watch.

AirPods don’t actually have a walkie-talkie feature built inside them. However, you can pair your AirPods with your Apple Watch, which does have a PTT (Push To Talk) feature, provided via the Walkie Talkie app, that simulates walkie-talkies. Some apps also provide PTT functionality on iPhones.

Check Requirements Before You Start

If you plan to use the Walkie Talkie app on your Apple Watch, both you and your friend need an Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.3 or later. Furthermore, both of you need a paired iPhone with iOS 12.4 or later and the FaceTime app installed.

You should also be aware of regional restrictions; the Walkie Talkie app is not available in all regions. See availability by region here.

If you can’t use the Walkie Talkie app, either because you don’t have an Apple Watch or you don’t meet the requirements, you can use a PTT app on your iPhone instead. Scroll to the end of the article to learn more.

Pair AirPods With Your Apple Watch

First, let’s talk about how to pair your AirPods to your watch, which you will need to do if you want to use your AirPods as a walkie-talkie with the Walkie Talkie app.

The easiest way to pair your AirPods with the Apple Watch is to open the settings on your Apple Watch, head over to Bluetooth, and tap on your AirPods, which should appear in the list of available devices. If they don’t appear, follow these steps:

Hold the AirPods, in their case, near the watch with the case open.
Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case (or double tap the front of the case if you have AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 3) until the status light on the case flashes white.
Open the Settings app on your Watch and go to Bluetooth. Your AirPods should now appear.

Set Up Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch

The Walkie Talkie app allows you to turn your Apple Watch into a walkie-talkie.

To use the Walkie Talkie app on your Apple Watch, just open the app, scroll through your contacts, and tap on the name of a friend to send them an invitation. Once your friend accepts the invitation, you can start using the app with them.

To talk with them, just press and hold the talk button and speak into your AirPods. Stop holding the button once you finish speaking. Your friend will receive an alert when you press the button if they are wearing their Apple Watch and have Walkie Talkie turned on (you can turn it on and off in the app). They will be able to listen to you speak in real time.

Troubleshoot Common Problems

For Walkie Talkie to work, you need to be within range of your iPhone, and the iPhone needs FaceTime downloaded and enabled. If you don’t have an iPhone nearby, you can still use Walkie Talkie, but your watch needs to be connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

If Walkie Talkie is not working, try the following:

Make sure FaceTime is downloaded on your iPhone.
Go to Settings > FaceTime on your iPhone and toggle it on.
Connect your watch to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Restart your watch and iPhone.
Make sure your AirPods are charged and connected to your watch.
Update to the latest versions of watchOS and iOS.

Use iPhone Alternatives if You Don’t Have an Apple Watch

How To Use Airpods As A Walkie Talkie 4 — Use iPhone Alternatives if You Don’t Have an Apple Watch

Zello is a popular app that provides PTT functionality to iPhones.

If you don’t have an Apple Watch, you can use iPhone alternatives instead. While iPhones do not have a built-in PTT feature, there are third party apps that will provide this functionality.

For example, Zello is a popular app that allows you to turn your iPhone into a walkie-talkie over the internet. It’s particularly popular among teams, such as fleets of taxi drivers. There are also apps that do not require an internet connection and work offline (within Bluetooth distance), such as DirectTalk.

Conclusion

I hope this guide was useful! You can use your AirPods as a walkie-talkie by pairing it with your Apple Watch and using the Walkie Talkie app. Another option is using a PTT app like Zello or DirectTalk on your iPhone, if you don’t have an Apple Watch that supports the Walkie Talkie app.