How To Reset a Bose Speaker: A Simple Guide

Written by: Levi Alston

March 30, 2023

Affiliate Disclosure: When you buy a product via our links, we sometimes earn a referral fee. Learn more

Bose Bluetooth wireless speakers are known for their simple and trouble-free operation and for their reliability, but sometimes, even with a Bose speaker, you might have some problems with getting them to work.

And if nothing you’ve tried has resolved the issue, it might be time to factory reset your Bose speaker – an easy process which can fix nearly any problem.

In this article I will explain, in clear and simple language, how to reset most models of Bose Bluetooth wireless speakers After that we’ll get into some reasons why you might want or need to factory reset a Bose wireless speaker, followed by some other troubleshooting steps you can try if you are still having problems.

Certain Bose speaker models might have a slightly different reset process. You won’t hurt anything by trying my general instructions with any Bose speaker, but if it doesn’t work I will also include links for more detailed instructions on a few specific Bose speakers.

Table of Contents

How To Reset Bose Speakers: Step by Step Instructions

By following these 5 basic steps you should be able to successfully do a full factory reset on most models of Bose Bluetooth wireless speakers.

Step 1

Connect your Bose wireless speaker to a power source – a wall outlet or charging cable

Step 2

Turn your speaker on

Step 3

Hold down the power button for 10-15 seconds, until the indicator light flashes and your speaker powers down

For some speakers, you press and hold the mute button insead of the power button, and for other (usually older) models you need to simultaneously press and hold down the Bluetooth and volume down (-) buttons, again for 10-15 seconds

Step 4

You will now need to re-enter any of your settings or customization on your speaker and/or Bose mobile phone app

Step 5

You will also need to reconnect your speaker to any Bluetooth devices you use – phone, PC, tablet, music player, etc

Please check out our article on How To Pair Bose Speakers

Why Reset Bose Wireless Speakers?

A full factory reset of your Bose Bluetooth wireless speakers can solve a lot of problems you might be having, and so it is recommended to reset them if:

You can’t get them to connect to your PC, phone, tablet or other device. Again, you may also want to check out our guide on How To Pair Bose Speakers

Your speaker will pair with your device, but you keep losing the connection

You are having problems charging your speakers, or even powering them on

There are problems with sound – stuttering, delays (like between sound and video), gaps or stoppages, any distortion or strange sounds, or no sound at all

After you factory reset your Bose speaker you will need to reconnect the speaker with your phone, PC, tablet and/or other devices, and you might also need to re-enter certain settings and preferences in the Bose app, but these aren’t difficult processes, and so a reset is highly recommended if you are having recurring problems that you can’t quite figure out how to fix.

What if It Didn’t Work?

Please note that these general instructions may not work with every Bose wireless speaker (though you can’t hurt anything by trying).

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

How to Reset Bose Speakers: Specific Models

If you’re still having problems…

Basic Troubleshooting of Bose Wireless Speakers

Make sure your speaker and device are turned on and sufficiently charged

Make sure the device’s Buetooth is turned on, and that it is not locked or in Flight mode

Remember that your speaker and device have to be in range of each other – this can be several hundred feet, but physical obstructions and interference can significantly reduce the range

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

Check the volume controls on your speaker, your device and also its media player, making sure they are all turned up at least a bit

Make sure your Bose speaker is not actively paired to another device, or your device is not actively paired to other headphones, speakers or anything else

Try un-pairing and then re-pairing your speaker and device

Power down your speaker and turn it back on

Restart your PC or phone

If all else fails, including the factory reset, you may need to contact the Bose Online Support Page