How To Connect AirPods Pro to Ubuntu 20.04 via Bluetooth

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of connecting your Apple AirPods Pro to an Ubuntu 20.04 system via Bluetooth. This process involves modifying the Bluetooth configuration file and pairing the AirPods Pro with your Ubuntu system.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

• A set of Apple AirPods Pro
• An Ubuntu 20.04 system with Bluetooth support
• Terminal access on your Ubuntu system
• Basic knowledge of navigating the terminal

Step 1: Modify the Bluetooth Configuration File

The first step is to modify the Bluetooth configuration file on your Ubuntu system. This file controls how your system interacts with Bluetooth devices.

Open the terminal and run the following command:

sudo nano /etc/bluetooth/main.conf

This command opens the Bluetooth configuration file in the Nano text editor. The sudo command is used to run the command with root privileges, which are necessary to edit this system file.

In the configuration file, find the line that says ControllerMode. Change its value to bredr. If there is a # in front of the line, remove it to uncomment the line. This step is necessary because the bredr mode allows for Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate, which is required for some Bluetooth devices to connect properly.

The line should look like this after modification:

ControllerMode = bredr

After making the change, save the file and exit the text editor. In Nano, you can do this by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y to confirm the save, and finally Enter to exit.

Step 2: Restart the Bluetooth Service

Next, you need to restart the Bluetooth service on your Ubuntu system for the changes to take effect. Run the following command in the terminal:

sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth restart

This command restarts the Bluetooth service. The restart parameter tells the system to stop and then start the service again.

Step 3: Put AirPods Pro in Pairing Mode

Now, put your AirPods Pro in pairing mode. Open the lid of the charging case and press and hold the button on the back until the LED light on the case starts flashing white. This indicates that the AirPods Pro are in pairing mode.

Step 4: Pair and Connect AirPods Pro to Ubuntu

Finally, you can pair and connect your AirPods Pro to your Ubuntu system.

Go to the Bluetooth settings on your system by clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the top-right corner of the screen and selecting “Bluetooth Settings”.

In the Bluetooth settings, click on the “+” button to add a new device. Your AirPods Pro should appear in the list of available devices. Click on them to select them, and then click on the “Pair” button to initiate the pairing process.

Follow any on-screen prompts to complete the pairing process. Once the pairing is successful, your AirPods Pro should be connected and ready to use with your Ubuntu system.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while following the steps above, there are a few alternative solutions you can try:

• Some users have reported success by setting the ControllerMode to dual instead of bredr. You can try this alternative by following the same steps as above but changing the value to dual instead.
• Another user mentioned that turning off and on the Bluetooth switch in the GUI after setting the ControllerMode to bredr helped them successfully connect their AirPods Pro.
• In one case, changing the ControllerMode to le instead of bredr or dual resolved the issue and allowed for immediate connection to the AirPods Pro.

Remember, the success of these alternative solutions may vary depending on your specific setup and Bluetooth device. If none of the solutions work for you, it’s recommended to seek further assistance or explore other troubleshooting options.

Conclusion

In this guide, we showed you how to connect your AirPods Pro to an Ubuntu 20.04 system via Bluetooth. We hope this guide was helpful and that you are now able to enjoy your AirPods Pro with your Ubuntu system. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment or contact us.