The setup is a Pixel phone, a MacBook, and a pair of AirPods Pro. The rule we wanted is simple: when the AirPods come out of the case, they should go back to whichever device used them last. When that was the phone, they should play on the phone.

What actually happened: take the AirPods out, and the Pixel shows them as connected. Press play, and the music comes out of the phone speaker. About 30 seconds later the "connected" label disappears and the AirPods end up on the Mac.

Tapping the AirPods in Quick Settings fixed it every time. That turned out to be the most useful clue.

What is supposed to happen

Pairing guides say that after the first pairing, AirPods reconnect to an Android phone on their own when you open the case nearby, like any other Bluetooth earbuds ( Yahoo Tech ).

There is a condition. AirPods go back to the device they were last connected to ( DEV Community ).…