AirPods can be used with Android phones and other non-Apple Bluetooth devices, although some of the features available on an iPhone are lost.
At their most basic level, AirPods behave like Bluetooth headphones. Put the AirPods into pairing mode, open the Bluetooth settings on the Android device and select them from the list of available devices.
Audio playback and the microphones can work without an iPhone, making AirPods perfectly usable for music, podcasts and calls on Android.
The compromise is Apple’s deeper ecosystem integration. Features that depend on Apple software, account integration or automatic switching between Apple devices may not be available in the same way on Android.
Android users also do not get the same built-in AirPods settings interface found in iOS. That makes some configuration and battery information less convenient.
If you already own AirPods and move to Android, there is no requirement to replace them. If you are buying new earbuds specifically for an Android phone, however, it is worth comparing alternatives that offer deeper integration with that platform before deciding.