Hi Denise,
I can see that the AI Answer has already covered the basic pairing steps. Were you able to try them and did the AirPods appear at any point?
Could you also confirm whether the PC can detect and connect to other Bluetooth devices and whether the AirPods appear normally on a phone or another computer? Please press Win + R, type winver and share the Windows version and build shown.
In the meantime, fully charge the AirPods and their case, then temporarily turn off Bluetooth on any nearby devices they normally connect to. Restart the PC and install any available updates under Settings > Windows Update.
If the AirPods still do not appear, open the Get Help app and run the Bluetooth troubleshooter. You can also open Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, select the Bluetooth adapter and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. If Windows does not find a newer driver, check the PC manufacturer’s support site for the latest Bluetooth driver for your exact model.
Please let me know what you find and I’ll help you with the most suitable next step.