How to Connect Bose Headphones to ANY Device (Quick Steps)

To pair Bose headphones, hold the Power/Bluetooth button (on headphones) or the charging case button (on earbuds) to enter pairing mode. Then, follow the steps to connect to your device.

Learn how to initiate and pair your Bose headphones with any device. And how to troubleshoot common pairing problems.

Step 1: How to Activate Pairing Mode on Bose Headphones & Earbuds

Pairing Bose headphones and earbuds use different approaches. However, the steps are similar to headphones and earbuds from other brands (with one exception, but more on that later).

How to activate pairing mode on Bose headphones

Here, we’ll discuss activating pairing mode on different Bose headphones. But first, you start with:

1. Power ON your Bose headphones.
2. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: Press and hold a dedicated Bluetooth button until you see a small LED next to the button start flashing.
3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Press and hold the Power/Bluetooth button for at least 3 seconds. They’ll turn OFF, but keep holding until you hear “Ready to connect” from the headphones.
4. Bose QuietComfort 35(II): Swipe and hold the power button in the middle of the ear cup until you see a Bluetooth LED light under the right ear cup flashing. Alternatively, enable NFC on your smartphone and lean it over the NFC logo on the right ear cup.
5. Your Bose headphones are now in pairing mode.

How to activate pairing mode on Bose earbuds

Bose earbuds are less confusing when it comes to activating pairing mode. The only difference is in the location of the case button.

1. Open the charging case.
2. Locate the charging case button (Bose Sport Earbuds or QuietComfort Earbuds have it under the lid, whereas Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have it behind the case).
3. Press and hold the button for a few seconds until you see a small LED light flashing blue.

4. Your Bose earbuds are now in pairing mode.

Now that your headphones and earbuds are in pairing mode, jump to the device you want to pair to:

• iOS (iPhone, iPad)
• Android
• Windows (10, 11)
• MacOS (Mac, MacBook)
• TV (Tizen OS, Android TV, webOS)

Step 2: How to Connect Bose Headphones to an iPhone, iPad (iOS)

Bose headphones are fancy but don’t have an Apple chip. So, you need to use a standard method to connect them to an iOS device.

1. In your Home screen, find and open “Settings“.

2. Go into “Bluetooth” and enable it.
3. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
4. Tap on your Bose headphones (or earbuds) when they appear under “OTHER DEVICES” (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

5. Your Bose headphones will jump into “MY DEVICES“, showing they’re “Connected“.

Step 2: How to Connect Bose Headphones to an Android Phone

Unlike pairing with iOS, MacOS, or TV, Android offers 2 methods of pairing: standard one or with the help of Google Fast Pair.

Let’s first describe the standard method of connecting Bose products to an Android device:

1. Swipe from the top to open notifications and access quick settings.
2. Tap on the Bluetooth icon to enable it. A Bluetooth searching widget should appear. You can also long-press the Bluetooth symbol to access Bluetooth settings.

3. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
4. In Bluetooth menu, scroll to the bottom to see “Available devices“. When your Bose headphones’ name shows up, tap it (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

5. When the “Bluetooth pairing request” message shows, tap “Pair“.
6. Your Bose headphones are now connected. You should see a volume bar popping on the right.

The second pairing option is to use the Google Fast Pair feature, supported in Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds:

1. Swipe to access quick settings and enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
2. You can close the Bluetooth searching widget.
3. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
4. Soon, you should see a message asking you to link your Bose headphones to your Google account. Tap “Connect“.
5. After finishing connecting, tap “Done“.

Learn more about the benefits of connecting your headphones using the Google Fast Pair feature).

Step 2: How to Connect Bose Headphones to a PC & Laptop (Windows)

Connecting headphones to Windows 10 is similar to Windows 11, but we’ll cover both operating systems.

Note that you can use the Google Fast Pair feature on Windows 11, simplifying the pairing process (it only works on Acer and HP computers).

Another thing worth mentioning is the Bluetooth compatibility among Windows PCs:

• Windows laptops have a Bluetooth module already built in.
• Most desktop Windows PCs DON’T have a Bluetooth module, so you are required to buy a Bluetooth dongle.

Remember not to play any audio while pairing headphones to a Windows PC, especially if you’re wearing them. After a successful Bluetooth connection, Windows tends to crank the volume close to 100%, which results in a painfully loud surprise.

Here’s how you connect your Bose headphones to Windows 11 and Windows 10 computers.

Windows 11

1. In the bottom right corner, left-click the “Wi-Fi/Speaker/Battery” icon to access quick settings.
2. Click on Bluetooth to enable it.
3. Right-click on the Bluetooth and select “Go to Settings“.

4. In “Bluetooth & devices“, click on “Add device“.

5. In the new “Add a device” window, select the first “Bluetooth” option.

6. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
7. Windows could take 10 to 30 seconds to find your Bose headphones. It’s really slow, so be patient. When your Bose headphones finally show up, click on them (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

8. They’re successfully paired when you see “Connected mic, audio” under their name.

Alternatively, you can use the Google Fast Pair feature to quickly pair your Bose headphones to Windows 11. Of course, headphones also need to support this feature.

1. In the bottom right corner, left-click the “Wi-Fi/Speaker/Battery” icon to access quick settings.
2. Click on the Bluetooth to enable it.
3. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
4. Wait until you see a message in the bottom right corner stating, “New *Bose headphones* found“. Click “Connect“.

Windows 10

As mentioned above, Windows 10 uses steps almost identical to those of Windows 11. The only exception is the absence of Google Fast Pair support.

1. In the bottom right corner, left-click the “Notifications” icon to reveal quick settings.
2. Click on the Bluetooth to enable it.

3. Right-click on the Bluetooth and select “Go to Settings“.

4. In the “Bluetooth & other devices” window, select “Add Bluetooth or other devices“.

5. In a new “Add a device” window, pick the first “Bluetooth” option.

6. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
7. Be patient, as Windows can take 10 to 30 seconds to find your Bose headphones. When it does, click on them (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

8. Headphones are successfully connected when it says “Connected voice, music” under their name.

Step 2: How to Connect Bose Headphones to a Mac, MacBook (MacOS)

As a non-Apple-supported product, Bose headphones lack the benefits of seamless connectivity with MacOS devices. So, you need to pair them the standard way.

1. In your Home screen, find and click on Apple’s logo (Apple icon in the upper left corner). Select “System Preferences…“.

2. In System Preferences, find and click on “Bluetooth“.

3. In Mac’s Bluetooth settings, click “Turn Bluetooth On“.

4. Now, activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
5. Soon, a new device with a headphone icon on the left should appear in the “Devices” window. Click “Connect“. It can happen that MacOS doesn’t show your headphones’ full name but instead shows their MAC address (also, don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

6. Your Bose headphones should now display their full name with the word “Connected” underneath.

How to Connect Bose Headphones to Other Bluetooth Devices

We covered the most common uses for Bluetooth headphones. But let’s say you want to use your Bose headphones on a TV. Here’s how you do it:

How to pair Bose headphones to a TV

Pairing headphones to a TV means enjoying marvelous audio without bothering others and vice versa.

Since smart TVs use different operating systems, we’ll cover only the most popular ones:

• Tizen OS (Samsung)
• Android TV (Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp, TCL, Hisense, etc.)
• webOS (LG)

Pair Bose headphones to Tizen OS (Samsung)

Here are the instructions to pair Bose Bluetooth headphones to Tizen OS:

1. Click the “House” icon on the remote controller to open the Tizen OS interface. Select “Settings” in the bottom left corner.

2. Go to “Sound” and select “Sound Output“.

3. In the Sound Output window, select “Speaker List“. TV is now searching for your Bose headphones.

4. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
5. When your Bose headphones appear in the Speaker List, click on them and select “Pair and connect” (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

6. Bose headphones are now connected. Click “OK” to finalize the pairing.

Pair Bose headphones to Android TV

1. Using the TV remote controller, enter the Android TV interface. Click “Settings” in the upper right corner next to the clock.

2. Go down to the Remote & accessories section and select “Add accessory“.

3. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
4. After some time, your Bose headphones should appear in the upper right corner. Click on them (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

Bose headphones are connected when you see “Paired” written under their name, and a volume bar pops up from the right side.

Pair Bose headphones to webOS (LG)

1. Click the “Settings” button on the remote to access Settings.
2. Go to “Sound” and select “Sound Out“.

3. In Sound Out, select “Use Wireless Speaker“.

4. Next to “Bluetooth Device”, click the 3 vertical dots.

5. Activate the pairing mode in your Bose headphones by following the step-by-step guide above.
6. Soon, your Bose headphones should appear under “Connectable Devices“. Select them when they do (don’t click on the name with an “LE” at the beginning).

7. Headphones are connected when you get a “[*Bose headphones*] is connected” message at the bottom of the screen.

How to Verify Bose Earbuds and Headphones are in Pairing Mode

To verify your Bose earbuds and headphones are in pairing mode, observe the LED lights on the headphones/earbuds themselves. Some models also leave audible feedback.

Visual confirmation

Bose headphones and earbuds have an LED light(s) that blink (typically in blue) to indicate they’re in pairing mode. Models like Bose 700 or QC 35(II) have a dedicated Bluetooth light indicator.

Audible confirmation

Some Bose headphones (like Bose QC Ultra Headphones) play “Ready to connect” through the speakers when entering pairing mode.

Connecting Bose Wireless Earbuds & Headphones After Pairing

After pairing, a device remembers your Bose headphones when connecting the second time. However, it isn’t always that smooth. Let’s see what can happen.

Automatic reconnection

Usually, Bose headphones connect automatically to any device they’ve been previously paired to.

• Enable Bluetooth on your device and turn ON your Bose headphones or take Bose earbuds out of the charging case.

However, sometimes the automatic reconnection fails if you’ve paired your Bose Bluetooth headset to multiple devices or reset them.

Manual reconnection

In case your headphones don’t automatically connect, you need to reconnect manually.

1. Enable Bluetooth on your device and turn your Bose headphones and earbuds ON.
2. Go into your device’s Bluetooth settings to see all previously paired headphones.
3. Find Bose headphones you want to pair to and click on them.
4. The device should now reconnect to your Bose headphones.

Troubleshoot Pairing Issues on Bose Headphones and Earbuds

In case you have pairing issues with your Bose headphones, here are some troubleshooting ideas for the most common problems.

Before you start, it’s necessary to know which device is actually causing problems: headphones or a device you try connecting your headphones to.

• Try pairing your Bose headphones to a different device:
  • If your headphones manage to connect, there’s something wrong with your device.
  • If your headphones still fail to connect, there’s something wrong with your headphones.

Reenable Bluetooth

The first thing to try is to turn Bluetooth OFF and back ON in both Bose headphones and the device.

1. Turn your Bose headphones OFF, wait a few seconds, and turn them ON again. For earbuds, place them in the charging case and close and reopen the lid.
2. In your device, find a Bluetooth toggle, switch it OFF, wait a bit, and turn it back ON.

Low or empty battery

When activating pairing mode, your Bose headphones and earbuds use a little more energy to beam their Bluetooth signal as “loud” as possible.

Therefore, they need sufficient charge left in their battery. Here’s how you check their remaining battery:

• Headphones: In models like Bose 700 or QuietComfort 45, a voice tells you the battery percentage when you turn your headphones ON.
• Earbuds: Models like QuietComfort Earbuds and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have a voice prompt telling you the remaining battery level.

A glitch in the software

Headphones and other devices can suffer from software glitches, which affect how a feature works.

Glitches can be temporary or accidental, like when Bluetooth fails to boot correctly. Or they can be reoccurring, resulting from an error in code.

• Resetting your headphones and the device helps solve temporary or accidental glitches.
• Updating the firmware of your headphones and the device solves the reoccurring glitches.
  • To update your headphones or earbuds (without the app), connect them or the charging case to a computer with a USB cable. Go to Bose Updater to install any new updates.
  • To update your device, go into Settings and find anything related to “Software updating”.

Malfunction

If there’s something more seriously wrong with your Bose headphones or earbuds, their LED flashes are in amber and white colors.

If that happens, Bose recommends to contact their customer support.

How to Reset Bose Headphones & Earbuds

Bose only has a few headphones, but all use a widely different approach to resetting. Some are really complicated, so try to follow the instructions correctly.

We’ll cover how to (factory) reset:

• Bose QuietComfort 35(II)
• Bose QuietComfort 45
• Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Bose QuietComfort 35(II)

This one is quite confusing, so make sure to follow instructions closely.

1. Disconnect Bose headphones from your device and remove them (and from the Bose Connect app).
2. Slide the Power/Bluetooth button to the right and wait 10 seconds to clear out the Bluetooth device list.
3. Power your headphones ON and then turn them back OFF.
4. Wait 30 seconds.
5. Plug them into a wall outlet as if you’re charging them.
6. Wait 5 seconds.
7. Unplug the USB cable from the headphones.
8. Wait 1 minute.
9. Your headphones are now reset.

Bose QuietComfort 45

1. Remove your Bose headphones from your device (and Bose Connect app).
2. Slide the Power/Bluetooth switch to the right and press the Action button on the side of the ear cup.
3. Hold them both for 30 seconds or until you see the LED indicator blinking amber (for 2 or 3 seconds).
4. Headphones are now reset.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

1. Unpair Bose headphones from your device (and the Bose Connect app).
2. Before starting, ensure you have a USB cable ready to charge the headphones, but don’t connect it yet.
3. Press and hold the Power/Bluetooth button.
4. Simultaneously, with the other hand, plug the USB cable into the headphones. The power LED light should blink 2 times.
5. Wait 2 seconds and release the Power/Bluetooth button.
6. Your headphones are now reset.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

1. Remove your Bose headphones from your device (and Bose Connect app).
2. Press and hold the Power/Bluetooth and Multi-function buttons simultaneously for 15 seconds.
3. The LED light should blink white. Wait another 30 seconds for the light to blink amber for 2 to 3 seconds.
4. Your headphones are now reset.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

1. Remove your Bose earbuds from your device (and Bose Connect app).
2. Ensure that the charging case is charging via a USB port.
3. Place the earbuds into the charging case while leaving the lid open. You should see LEDs light up when placing the earbuds inside. Otherwise, push them down a bit to ensure contact with the pins.
4. Press and hold the case button on the back for 30 seconds. After that, LEDs should blink in this order: 2x white, slowly blue, and nothing.
5. You can release the button. LEDs should blink white 5 times and then continue to flash in blue.
6. Your earbuds are now reset.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

These steps are also applicable to Bose Sport Earbuds.

1. Remove your Bose earbuds from your device (and Bose Connect app).
2. Ensure that the charging case is charging via a USB port.
3. Place the earbuds into the case and close the lid.
4. Wait 5 seconds and reopen the lid.
5. Press and hold the case button between the earbuds for 30 seconds, then release it. 
6. Looking at the LED light, it should blink, then blow white, and then blink blue.
7. Your earbuds are now reset.

How to remove Bose headphones and earbuds from the app

When making a fresh factory reset, it’s recommended to also remove your Bose headphones and earbuds from the Bose app to fully set all settings to default. Here’s how you do that:

1. In the Bose Music app, click on “My Account” (a circle avatar icon).
2. Under Products, select “Manage Products“.
3. Your Bose headphones should be under “My Bluetooth Products”. Tap on “Edit“.
4. Tap on the circle next to your Bose headphones’ name to change it into a checkmark.
5. Tap “Delete” on the upper left side of the screen.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Hopefully, your pairing process went fuss-free, and you’re already enjoying your favorite songs or videos on your device.

If you have any other technical questions (or troubleshooting solutions that worked for you), please let us know in the comments below.

Here are other “how to pair” guides:

• How to pair TOZO earbuds
• How to pair Sony headphones and earbuds
• How to pair Apple AirPods Max (headphones)
• How to pair Apple AirPods 1, 2, 3, Pro, and Pro 2 (earbuds)