How to turn on bose wireless earbuds

Learn how to connect Bose earbuds to your laptop and mobile devices.

It’s not always easy to figure out how to connect Bose earbuds to your device, especially since different models require different steps.

Throw in trying to connect your earbuds to a range of devices like a PC, Mac, Android, or iPhone, and it gets even more complicated. It’s frustrating to be stuck with the very first step in using your earbuds!

Good news: this article will show you how to connect Bose earbuds to all of your different devices—no matter which model you have. Let’s dive in!

In This Article

• How to Put Bose Earbuds in Pairing Mode
• How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Your Mobile Devices
• How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Windows PC
• How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Mac
• Bose Earbuds Won’t Connect: What to Do
• Conclusion

How to Put Bose Earbuds in Pairing Mode

Several models of Bose earbuds are available today. Fortunately, all of them use Bluetooth, which means they should easily connect to different devices.

The specific steps for connecting Bose earbuds to your devices will vary. But, if it’s your first time using the earbuds, they should automatically be on pairing mode when you turn them on. If not, you’ll have to activate pairing mode.

Here’s how to do this for different models: 

• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: Press and hold the button on the case until the Bluetooth light slowly blinks.
• Bose Sport Earbuds: Same as Bose QuietComfort.
• Bose Sport Open Earbuds: Press and hold the button on the right earbud for five seconds until you hear “ready to connect.”
• Bose Soundsport wireless: Press and hold the power button on the right earbud until the light turns blue.

How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Your Mobile Devices

You have two options for connecting Bose earbuds for mobile devices: companion apps or manual Bluetooth pairing. Here we will discuss how to connect Bose earbuds through both methods.

How to connect Bose earbuds via Bose app

Bose has two companion apps: Bose Connect and Bose Music, both available for iOS and Android devices. The main difference between these apps is that each is only compatible with specific devices.

Bose Connect is an older app that is mostly used with Bose Bluetooth speakers and older headphone models. Whereas Bose Music is newer and supports most of Bose’s more recent products, allowing users to have better control over their music.

Connecting using the Bose Music app

The Bose Music App can be downloaded on Google Play or the Apple Apps Store. This app is compatible with the following earbuds:

• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
• Bose Sport Earbuds
• Bose Sport Open Earbuds

Here’s how to pair Bose wireless earbuds using the Bose Music App:

1. Open the Bose Music App. If prompted, click to allow Bluetooth permissions.
   
   Installing Bose Music app
2. Tap Sign in or Create an account. If you don’t have a Bose account, create one. Otherwise, sign in to your existing account.
3. On the My Bose screen, select your device. If your device doesn’t appear, tap the + button to add your earbuds.
   
   Adding device to app (From: Youtube/Bose Product Support) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmKoo1KoOns
4. When prompted, select Headphones and wait for the app to find your earbuds. While the app is searching, make sure your Bose earbuds are into Discoverable mode.
   
   Bose Music app searching for devices (From: Youtube/Bose Product Support)
5. The app will tell you when connecting your device has been successful. From now on, a pop-up will appear to connect automatically whenever you turn on your earbuds.
   
   Successfully connected (From: Youtube/Bose Product Support)

Connecting using the Bose Connect app

Like the Bose Music App, you can download the Bose Connect App on Google Play or the Apple Apps Store. It’s compatible with the following earbuds:

• Bose QuietControl 30 Earbuds
• Bose SoundSport Free Earbuds
• Bose SoundSport Pulse Earbuds
• Bose SoundSport Earbuds

Here’s how to pair Bose QuietComfort Earbuds or other compatible products through the Bose Connect App:

1. Open the Bose Connect App. If prompted, click to allow Bluetooth permissions.
2. With your earbuds on, bring them close to your device. They should appear in the list of available devices. If not, click Headphones and Frames.
   
   Selecting Headphones and Frames on Bose Connect App
3. Once your headphones appear in the list of available devices, make sure they are in Discoverable mode and click on them to connect.

After you connect your earbuds the first time, a pop-up will appear to automatically connect whenever you turn your earbuds on.

How to manually connect Bose earbuds to Android & iOS devices

If you don’t want to use a companion app, you can still connect your Bose earbuds to your mobile device manually through Bluetooth. In this section, we’ll show you how.

Manually connect Bose earbuds to Android

To connect your Bose earbuds to your Android device, you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Put your Bose earphones in pairing mode.
2. On your Android device, open the Settings app and go to Bluetooth.
   
   Android Bluetooth settings
3. Make sure Bluetooth is toggled on, then select your Bose earphones from the list of available devices.
   
   Turning on Bluetooth and connecting to Bose earbuds
4. You should see a message that says “Connected” when the pairing is successful. Your earbuds should automatically connect to your device when you turn them on.
   
   Successfully connected Bose Earbuds to Android

Manually connect Bose earbuds to iOS

Need to connect Bose earbuds to an iPhone? Follow these steps:

1. Put your Bose earphones in Discoverable mode.
2. On your iOS device, open the Settings app and tap on Bluetooth.
   
   Bluetooth settings on iOS
3. Make sure Bluetooth is toggled on, then select your Bose earphones from the “My Devices” drop-down list.
   
   Connecting to Bose earbuds on iOS
4. You should see a message that says “Connected” next to your earphones when the pairing is successful.
   
   Successfully connected Bose earbuds to iOS

How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Windows PC

While there is no Bose app Available for PC, Bose earbuds can be connected to a Windows PC using Bluetooth. You’ll have to put your earphones into pairing mode and connect them manually.

Here’s how to connect Bose earbuds to a PC laptop:

1. Open the Start Menu by clicking on the square icon at the corner of your taskbar.
2. If your Bluetooth isn’t on, you can turn it on by clicking the Bluetooth symbol.
   
   Turning on Bluetooth on Windows
3. Right-click on the Bluetooth menu and select Go to Settings.
   
   Going to Bluetooth Settings
4. Select Add Bluetooth & other devices. Click on Bluetooth.
   
   Prompting search on Windows Bluetooth
5. Turn on your Bose earphones and make them discoverable by moving the power button to the far-right position.
6. Once your earphones appear in the list of available devices, click on them to start pairing.
7. Windows will tell you when you’re paired and ready to go.
   
   Connected Bose Earbuds to Windows

Depending on which version of Windows you have, the interface may vary slightly. However, the process should be similar regardless of which Windows operating system you’re using.

How to Connect Bose Earbuds to Mac

Like with a Windows PC, there is no app available for Mac, so you’ll have to connect your Bose earbuds manually through Bluetooth.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Apple icon on the top left of your screen and select System Preferences.
   
   Going to Mac Bluetooth settings
2. Select the Bluetooth icon. Click Turn on Bluetooth if it isn’t already on.
   
   Turning on Bluetooth on Mac
3. Put your Bose earbuds in discoverable mode.
4. Your earphones should appear in the list of available devices in the Devices box. Select your earphones and click Connect. Wait for the label on the screen to say “Connected.”
   
   Connected Bose Earbuds on Mac

Bose Earbuds Won’t Connect: What to Do

Are your Bose earbuds not connecting to your phone, PC, or Mac? The first thing you might want to do is try resetting them.

Factory resetting your Bose earphones will restore them to their original factory settings. This can be a quick and easy way to fix most connection issues. It also helps ensure your earphones are fully equipped with the latest software and firmware updates. How to reset your Bose earphones will depend on the model you have.

Resetting your earbuds will erase any paired devices and may wipe out your settings. Be prepared to start from scratch if you go this route.

How to reset Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

If you have QuietComfort Earbuds, you can reset them by doing the following:

1. Connect the charging case to a power source and place your earbuds in the case.
2. Close the charging case lid for five seconds, then open the lid.
3. Press and hold the Bluetooth button in the case for 30 seconds. The LEDs on the earbuds should blink, glow solid white, then blink blue.
4. Go to your device’s Bluetooth settings and select Remove or Forget to erase your earbuds from your device’s memory.
5. Reconnect your earphones to your device.

This reset method clears your earbuds’ memory of previously connected devices but doesn’t restore factory settings—which means you will keep the settings you have set on your earbuds.

How to reset Bose Sport Open Earbuds

For Bose Sport Open Earbuds, here’s how to reset them:

1. Place both earbuds on their charging base with the in-ear portion of the earbuds pointing away from each other. The earphones should magnetically snap into place, and the status lights will blink to indicate a good connection with the base.
2. Press and hold the Bluetooth button on the right earbud for ten seconds. The status light will blink twice.
3. Repeat step 2 for the left earbud.
4. Wait ten seconds, then remove the earbuds from the charging base. The earphones are now reset to their factory settings.

How to reset Bose SoundSport Earbuds

Bose SoundSport Earbuds can be reset with the following steps:

1. Turn off your earphones and wait 30 seconds.
2. Connect your earbuds to a wall outlet with a USB charger.
3. Wait five seconds before disconnecting the USB cable from the earphones.
4. Wait one minute before powering on your earphones.

This reset retains your earbuds’ settings.

How to reset Bose Sport Earbuds

Are you wondering how to connect your Bose Sport Earbuds or struggling to get them to work? Hopefully, it will be easy after a simple reset.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Connect the charging case to a power source and place the earbuds inside the case.
2. Close the lid of the case for five seconds, then open it.
3. In the charging case, press and hold the Bluetooth button for 30 seconds before releasing it. The earbud LEDs will blink, glow white, and then blink blue.
4. Go to Device Settings on your previously-connected device and Remove or Forget the Bose earbuds from the list of devices.
5. Reconnect your earbuds to your device.

This method clears your earphones’ memory of connected devices but doesn’t restore factory settings.

Conclusion

Bose is always coming out with new and innovative products to help you live, work, and play better. And while their products are usually pretty easy to use, you might need a little help connecting your Bose earbuds to your devices every once in a while.

But after reading this article, you should be an expert on connecting Bose earbuds to PC, Mac, Android, or iOS devices. You can now enjoy your music to the fullest, no matter what earbud model you’re using!

Did you find this article helpful? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!

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