How to Connect Wireless Headphones to Your Phone

Step by step

1. 1

   Charge them and enter pairing mode

   Charge the headphones first - when the battery is dead, they often will not enter pairing mode. Put earbuds in their case or hold the power button (usually 3-5 seconds on over-ear models) until the LED starts flashing, often alternating blue and red. A flashing light means the headphones are visible to your phone.

2. 2

   Turn on Bluetooth on your phone

   On Android, open Settings → Connected devices (or Bluetooth) and turn Bluetooth on. On an iPhone, go to Settings → Bluetooth and flip the switch. You can also enable Bluetooth with the quick toggle in the notification shade or Control Center.

3. 3

   Search for and select the headphones

   Tap Pair new device (Android) or wait for the headphones' name to appear on the list (iPhone), then select it. AirPods and many newer headphones show a pop-up asking to connect when you open the case near your iPhone - just confirm.

4. 4

   Confirm the connection and test the sound

   Wait until the status changes to Connected and the LED stops flashing. Play some music or a video to check the sound. Next time, just take the earbuds out of the case or switch the headphones on, and your phone will connect to them automatically.

5. 5

   Route the audio to the headphones

   Sometimes the headphones are connected but the sound still comes from the phone speaker. While something is playing, open the audio output panel (in the player notification on Android, in Control Center on iPhone) and select the headphones as the output. Also check that the volume is turned up.

When your phone cannot see the headphones

The most common cause is that pairing mode is off - the LED needs to be flashing, not solid. If it is not flashing, hold the button longer or check the manual for your model's combination, because it varies between manufacturers.

The second cause is a connection to another device. Many headphones remember the last device and connect to it automatically - turn off Bluetooth on that other phone, laptop, or tablet. If that does not help, reset the headphones (usually by holding the button for 10-15 seconds) and pair them again.

Models with multipoint connect to two devices at once, for example a phone and a laptop. That is convenient but can be confusing when the audio goes to a different device than you expect - in that case, disconnect one of them in the Bluetooth settings.

If only one earbud plays, the other usually did not seat properly in the case or the pair lost sync. Put both in the case for a moment, then take them out; if that does not help, reset the set and pair again.

Connecting to a laptop or TV

On Windows, open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Add device → Bluetooth, after putting the headphones in pairing mode. On a Mac, go to System Settings → Bluetooth and pick the headphones from the list. The process is the same as on a phone.

TVs are a lottery. Many smart TVs have Bluetooth - look for it in the sound or audio output settings and pair the headphones just like with a phone. If the TV has no Bluetooth, plug an external Bluetooth transmitter into the headphone or optical output; only then will the audio reach your headphones.

When the audio stutters or lags

Choppy audio usually means interference or too much distance. Keep the phone closer, ideally on the same side of your body as the headphones, and avoid crowds and microwave ovens, which share the same frequency band as Bluetooth. Charging the headphones helps too, because the connection gets unstable on a low battery.

Audio lagging behind the picture in videos can be annoying. Many video apps sync the track automatically, but in games the delay can be noticeable. If it bothers you, check whether your headphones have a low-latency mode, or switch back to wired headphones while gaming.

Frequently asked questions