Owning a Chromebook and an Android phone and being invested in Google's ecosystem of devices has its benefits. One of those is a new "fast pair" functionality that has recently been adopted across Android and ChromeOS. You can connect your favorite headphones or a great pair of earbuds to your excellent Chromebook without going through multiple Bluetooth pairing menus. You'll need an Android phone for this, but it works by linking the device to your Google Account and is quite easy to get started with.

How to fast pair headphones on a Chromebook

Before getting started, keep in mind that you'll need a Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet running the latest version of ChromeOS for this feature to work. Fast pair was added in ChromeOS 111, so you'll need to make sure your Chromebook is updated to the latest version of ChromeOS. Naturally, you'll also need a compatible pair of headphones or earbuds.

Fast pair only works with select headphones or earbuds. You'll know if your accessory is compatible as it is usually listed on the box or in the retail listing. Many, like the Pixel Buds series of earbuds, will say "Made by Google" or "Made for Google" which should usually mean the feature works fine.

Fair Pair will also tie your Bluetooth accessory to your Google Account, for use across devices. Once saved to your Google Account, the headphones or earbuds should connect automatically to your Chromebook without action, as long as Bluetooth is on.

Once you pass all these prerequisites, get started with the steps below.

1. Click on the Time area in the bottom right side of your screen.
2. Click the Bluetooth icon to turn on Bluetooth.

3. Open the lid on the case for the earbuds you want to pair to your Chromebook. For headphones, bring them close to your Chromebook.
4. A pop-up will appear on the left side of your screen.

5. Choose Connect.

That's all there is to fast pairing headphones. If fast pair doesn't work, you can try the steps below to force a fast pairing action. In our example, we're using a Pixel 7 Pro running Android 13, so it's easier to find and pair Bluetooth devices. Depending on your phone model and Android version, the steps will be different. But generally, you should look for a Bluetooth Devices section to get into a pairing menu.

1. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your Android phone.
2. Put your headphones into pairing mode, usually by pressing a button on the casing or at the side of the headphones.
3. You should see a pop-up with a picture of your headphones or earbuds. Choose the Connect button to save it to your Google account for Fast Pair.
4. Go to Settings then Connected Devices then Pair New Device.

5. Under Available Devices look for your headphones or earbuds.
6. Tap on the name of your headphones or earbuds.
7. Make sure you grant access to contacts and call history.
8. Tap the Pair button.
9. In the pop-up box, click the Save button. This saves the accessory to your Google Account.

After you pair and save your headphones to your Google Account from your Android phone, you can head over to your Chromebook. From there, you should automatically be prompted to connect to your headphones as long as Bluetooth is enabled on your device. Just bring it near your device.

Just like that, you've now paired your headphones or earbuds to your Google Account, and the next time you set up a new Android phone or Chromebook with the same Google Account, all you need to do is open the lid or bring it close to your device to get started and jump into listening to your favorite songs or movies.