How To Pair Bose Headphones: A Simple Guide

Written by: Timothy Scott

March 30, 2023

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Bose headphones are among the finest on the market today, with fantastic sound and the best noise canceling available. But sometimes they can be a bit tricky to use, and one of the things people can have problems with is how to connect Bose headphones to a phone, PC or other device.

In this article I will explain how to pair Bose earbuds or headphones, in clear and simple language that should help explain how to pair Bose wireless earbuds or headphones of almost any model.

Certain Bose headphone models might have a slightly different process, so if the general instructions below don’t work I will also include links for more detailed instructions on a few specific Bose models.

At the bottom of this article you will find specific instructions for how to navigate the Bluetooth page on the most popular devices – Apple computers and iPhones, Windows PCs and Android phones.

But first, to make this as simple and painless as possible, let’s cover the most basic points.

Table of Contents

How To Pair Bose Headphones: Basic Points

If you’ve never paired your Bose headphones before, or are having trouble with the process, we’ll go through into more detail in the next section, with a still simple but more thorough explanation of just how to do this.

But before we do let’s list out the most important points of how to connect Bose earbuds or headphones:

Step 1:

Make sure Bluetooth is turned on on your PC, phone, tablet or other device

Step 2:

Turn on your Bose headphones or earbuds and put them in “discoverable” mode – usually done by pressing the power/bluetooth button for a few seconds, until the LED indicator light begins to blink

Step 3:

Find your Bose headphones on your PC, phone, tablet or other device, and select them

Step 4:

You should see the LED light glow steady now, and if your earbuds or headphones have voice prompts activated they will say “connected”

Step 5:

If the process is not working, you can try to fully power down and restart both your headphones and your device, and then try again

This is the most basic guide, and following these steps should work to connect your Bose earbuds or headphones to pretty much any device, but now let’s go into a more specific step-by-step explanation of the process of how to pair any Bose headphones.

How To Connect Bose Headphones: A Step by Step Guide

Step 1

Turn on your Bose headphones or earbuds and make sure they are in pairing mode

First, find and press the power button – it is usually on the right earcup or earbud, or with Bose true wireless earbuds it is on the front of the case
Now press and hold the power / Bluetooth button (or slide it to the Bluetooth icon) for a few seconds until the light flashes
With various models of Bose earbuds or headphones this may work slightly differently, so please check below for Links to Instructions for Specific Bose Models

Step 2

Go to the Bluetooth page on your PC, phone or tablet, and turn Bluetooth on.

Step 3

Find your Bose headphones on this Bluetooth page and select them

If your Bose headphones are powered on and in pairing mode, they should appear on the Bluetooth Page. If not, go back to the first step – and make certain the Bose headphones are charged and are close enough to your device
Also, If you don’t see your Bose listed, you can refresh the list, or turn Bluetooth off and on

For more specific instructions on how to find and use the Bluetooth page on various computers and phones, please see the sections below for Windows PC, Apple Macintosh, Android phones and Apple phones.

Your Bose headphones should now be paired and connected to your device. The LED indicator light should now be glowing steady blue, and if you are playing music, a movie or any other audio you should be able to hear it.

Please note that you only have to go through this manual pairing process one time – after that, your Bose headphones and your phone, PC or other Bluetooth gadget will automatically find each other and pair every time they are turned on and in range

What if It Didn’t Work?

If the above instructions didn’t work, or if you’d just like more specific instructions for your particular model of Bose headphones, you can simply find your model below and click on the link, and you’ll be taken to a detailed explanation of how to pair your particular headphones or earbuds.

How to Pair Bose Earbuds and Headphones: Specific Models

If you’re still having problems…

How to Connect Bose Earbuds and Headphones: Basic Troubleshooting

Make sure your Bose headphones are not just on and pairing, but are sufficiently charged

Remember that your headphones and device have to be in range of each other – this can be several hundred feet, but when pairing I always have them right next to each other

Make sure you are actually playing something – music, a movie, an audiobook or any other audio

Check the volume controls on your headphones, your gadget and your media player, making sure they are all turned up at least a bit

Make sure your PC, phone, tablet or other device is not locked or in airplane mode

Power down your headphones and restart your PC or phone, and try the process again

If all else fails, you can always contact the Bose Online Support Page

How To Find and Use the Bluetooth Page

How to Find and Connect Your Bose Headphones on an Apple Phone

On your iPhone go to Settings, and then to Bluetooth
Turn Bluetooth on
Make sure your Bose headphones are in Pairing Mode (see sections above)
Tap on the name of your Bose headphones
Enter any required passwords or pin codes (if you’re not sure, enter 0000)
Click Yes or Confirm for any ensuing pop-ups

How to Find and Connect Your Bose Headphones on Apple MacBook PC

Go to Apple menu, then System Preferences, and then Bluetooth
Make sure your Bose headphones are in Pairing Mode (see sections above)
Select your Bose headphones and click on Connect
Enter any required passwords or pin codes (if you’re not sure, enter 0000)
Click Yes or Confirm for any ensuing pop-ups

How to Find and Connect Your Bose Headphones on an Android Phone/Tablet

Swipe down from the top of your screen
Find the Bluetooth icon and press and hold it until the Bluetooth page opens
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on
Make sure your Bose headphones are in Pairing Mode (see sections above)
Tap on the name of your Bose headphones
If you do not see your Bose headphones listed, you may have to press one of the following (depending on your device):
- Connect New Device
- Refresh
Enter any required passwords or pin codes (if you’re not sure, enter 0000)
Click Yes or Confirm for any ensuing pop-ups

How to Find and Connect Your Bose Headphones on a Windows PC

Go to Settings, and then to Devices
Turn Bluetooth on
Make sure your Bose headphones are in Pairing Mode (see sections above)
Click on “Add Bluetooth or other device”
Select your Bose headphones from the pop-up list and click on Connect
Enter any required passwords or pin codes (if you’re not sure, enter 0000)
Click Yes or Confirm for any ensuing pop-ups