Bose is responsible for creating some of the best audio playback devices on the planet, so if you’ve just invested in a pair of their headphones, firstly…congratulations, and secondly…prepare to hear all of your favorite records like you’ve never heard them before.
But, unless they have a cable, you’ll need to pair your new Bose headphones with the device holding your music before you can sit down for the listening session of the century.
Whether this is your smartphone, your laptop, or your desktop, the process is the same. But, before I tell you how it’s done, let’s quickly discuss what pairing is and why it needs to be done.
What Is Pairing And What’s It For?
Simply put, pairing is the connecting of two Bluetooth-enabled devices. You can think of it as the forging of an invisible cable, enabling them to communicate with one another.
Unfortunately, pairing needs to be engaged manually, otherwise, there’d be nothing to stop your new headphones from connecting to everybody’s phones and computers as you go about your day.
Pairing Your Bose Headphones
Okay, let’s get down to business. There are two ways of pairing your Bose headphones with another device, so I’ll run through both and then I’ll guide you through some troubleshooting should you run into any problems.
Pairing Bose Headphones – The Manual Method
Here we’re going to be using the headphones themselves to make the invisible connection to your digital music repository. Let’s take it step by step.
- Power your Bose headphones on. The on switch is normally situated on the outside of the right earpiece. Alternatively, check the edge of the earpiece for a dedicated power button. For Bose in-ear headphones, you usually just have to press the button on the front of the charging case to turn them on.
- Stand near the device you want to connect your headphones to and turn on “Discoverable Mode“. Bluetooth has a range of around 10 meters, but certain things can interfere with the signal, so it’s best to get up close and personal with your devices when pairing them.
To switch on Discoverable Mode in headphones with a power switch, push and hold the switch to the right for about 5 seconds. For headphones with a dedicated power or Bluetooth button, press and hold it for 5 seconds.
You should notice a small light pulsing next to the power light. This signals that the Bluetooth settings are ready to go and Discoverable Mode is working as it should be.
- Turn on the device you want to pair your headphones with, and fire up its Bluetooth settings. If you’re not sure how to do so, have a good look in the “Settings” or “System Preferences” menu of your device. The exact location of the Bluetooth options can differ from gizmo to gizmo, but it can usually be found under a “Devices” sub-menu. Once you find it, toggle Bluetooth on.
- Select your Bose headphones from the device list. In the same Bluetooth menu you used to turn on your phone or computer’s Bluetooth signal, there should appear a device list showing all the Bluetooth devices within range. Pick your headphones from the list and allow them a few seconds to complete the pairing process.
Side-Note – If you see your headphones listed twice on the device list, ignore the one that starts with“LE”.
- If asked for a password, type 0000, then click “Ok” or “Confirm”.
…And voilà; you’ve done it! You’ll notice the Bluetooth indicator LED starts flashing again, then rests as a solid color for 10 seconds before switching back off.
If all has gone to plan, you should be able to select a song on your device and hear it with astounding detail and clarity through your new headphones — hurray!
Pairing Bose Headphones – The App Method
This is basically the same process, but instead of pairing your headphones to your device, you pair them directly to the Bose Connect app within your phone.
I know what you’re thinking…what’s the point? Well, the Connect app provides a one-stop shop for controlling numerous Bose devices simultaneously, which is a lot easier than managing them individually in your device’s Bluetooth menu.
- Download the Bose Connect app from the Google Play or iOS App Store.
- Fire up the app and search the UI for a “Connections” menu. As you won’t have connected your headphones to the app before, you’ll need to find the “Connect New” option.
- Engage Discoverable Mode as you did in the first method by holding the power switch to the right or pushing the power/Bluetooth button for 5 seconds.
- Your headphones will now appear on the app. Select them, and that’s a wrap, folks!
The Bluetooth indicator LED will flash a couple of times, then the app will confirm that they’re paired with your phone.
Should you need to disconnect them and then re-pair them, just check the history subcategory of the Connections menu in the app, then click on your headphones.
Fixes For Non-Pairing Bose Headphones
Don’t worry if you can’t get your Bose headphones to pair right away; it’s quite common. Here’s what you can do to fix the issue:
Clearing Device Memory
Next to the name of your headphones on your phone or computer’s device list, there should be some sort of advanced menu option. It may look like a cog or a lowercase “i”. Press it and then remove your device from the list.
Then press the power/Bluetooth button/switch on your headphones for 10 seconds. Now refresh the device list on your phone/computer and try pairing your headphones again.
Restart Your Device
Still no luck? Try shutting your phone or computer down, turning it back on, then pairing again.
Update Your Headphones
Hook your headphones up to your computer via a USB cable and download any updates from btu.bose.com. Once updated, try the pairing process once more.
Summing Up
There you have it, my fellow audiophile.
Hopefully, your new headphones paired up perfectly on the first attempt and you’re not even reading this conclusion. But, if you did make it this far through the article, make sure to give each fix a try and you’ll be bobbing your head to your favorite tunes in no time!