How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Any Device

Bluetooth headphones do not require wires to connect with your devices. If you have trouble connecting your Bluetooth headphones with your computer or mobile device, it is understandable. But it is easy to get your headphones connected to any device.

This guide will provide a general overview of the steps required for each device. Although we can’t connect all brands and models of headphones to every console, laptop, or phone, this overview will help you get started. If you still have questions, consult your instruction manual.

Before We Start:

You should ensure that your computer has a good audio level. It is possible to have a confusing experience if your computer’s audio volume is too low or is set on muted.

At most, your headphones and device must be three feet away from each other. Bluetooth connections are stronger and more straightforward if your devices are within three feet of each other.

Charge both devices. You don’t have to charge them completely, but make sure there is enough power, so they won’t suddenly stop working when you pair.

Bluetooth enabling on your headphones

Before you do any other things, make sure to learn how Bluetooth pairing works on headphones. In the manual, you might find steps such as Bluetooth pairing and syncing. For Bluetooth pairing, you will need to hold the button on your Bluetooth device or place your finger on the touchpad.

This will activate the headphones. During this process, your headphones should either beep or sound something like “pairing”. Sony provides a great example of this. You must have both your headphones and the device that you want to pair with in pairing mode. You should not activate it until the scanning process is complete on the other device.

Quickly learn how to connect your Bluetooth Headphone and your Windows 10 computer, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or TV to your Android phone.

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to your Mac Computer

Open the Apple Menu. The Apple Menu is located in the top-left corner. Click it to open a drop-down list.

Click System Preferences.

Next, click Bluetooth.

Bluetooth on Mac should be on. It should be “Bluetooth on Mac” in the Bluetooth page. If it says “Bluetooth is Off”, click the option that says, “Turn Bluetooth on.”

Hold down the power button for your headphones. You will need to enable pairing mode to pair your Bluetooth headphones with your Mac. Depending on the type of headphones you have, this will turn your headphones on and activate Bluetooth. Other headphones might have a different “paring” button. For more information, consult the instructions provided with your headphones.

Click Connect next to the name of your headphones. The model number of your headphones may be listed next to the name. It might include a sequence of letters or numbers. You can also look for the speaker icon if the model number is not easily remembered.
To connect your headphones more quickly, you can click the box beside “Show Bluetooth In Menu Bar” in the Bluetooth menu under System Preferences (next the red arrow in this image). You can then click the Bluetooth icon on the menu bar, and hover over the headphones’ name. Then click Connect from the pop up menu.

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a computer

Click on Windows Start Menu. The Windows Start Menu button is shaped just like the Windows logo located in the lower left corner of your screen.

Next, click “Settings”. If Windows 10 is installed, the search bar will be located in the top right corner of your screen. If you’re running an older version, the Search Bar will be located on the Start Menu Panel. In the Search Bar, type in “Settings.”

Click Devices.

Next, click the slider beside Bluetooth to activate it. If you don’t see the Bluetooth option, click “Bluetooth & Other Devices” in the left-sidebar.

Click “Add Bluetooth device” just above your Bluetooth slider.

Choose Bluetooth from the popup window

Hold down the power button for your headphones. You will need to enable pairing mode to pair your Bluetooth headphones with Windows 10 PC. Depending on the type of headphones you have, this will turn your headphones on and activate Bluetooth. Other headphones might have a different “paring” button. For more information, consult the instructions provided with your headphones.

Select your headphones’ name to pair them. The model number of your headphones may be listed. It might include a series or letters. You can also look for the icon of the headphone icon if you forget the model number.
Once your headphones have been paired to your computer, they will appear in the Bluetooth & Other devices list.

How do you connect headphones to your Windows computer

Setup on Windows 8.1 is very simple. Microsoft has discontinued support for older versions of Windows XP and Vista.

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to iPhone

To begin, tap Settings. This is the icon with the gear-shaped symbol on your home screen.

Tap Bluetooth, then make sure that the slider is green.

Next, hold the power button for your headphones. You will need to enable pairing mode to pair your Bluetooth headphones with iPhone. Depending on the type of headphones you have, this will turn the headphones on and activate Bluetooth. Other headphones might have a different “paring” button. For more information, consult the instructions provided with your headphones.

Select your headphones from your list at the bottom. Your headphones may be identified by a model number. This can be a combination of numbers and letters.

From this point on your headphones should connect automatically. If they don’t, go to Bluetooth settings and choose them from the list. The headphones should automatically activate any calling capabilities.

Remove headphones from Bluetooth

You can get rid of your headphones by tapping the “i” icon beside the name. Then, tap Forget This Device.

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to an Android phone

First Open Settings. This can be found under Apps. Or by sliding your finger towards the top of your screen and clicking the gear icon in the upper-right corner.

Next, tap Connections.

Tap Bluetooth. This will allow you to check whether your Bluetooth connection has been turned on or off.

Tap Scan in top-right corner.

Next, hold the power button of your headphones. You will need to enable pairing mode on your Bluetooth headphones in order to pair them with your Android smartphone. Depending on which headphones you own, this will turn the headphones on and activate Bluetooth. Other headphones might have a different “paring” button. For more information, consult the instructions provided with your headphones.

Finally, locate your headphones and tap on them. Your headphones may be identified by their model number. It could be a series or letters and numbers. They can be found next to an icon that is used with headphones or other devices.

After pairing your headphones for the first, you won’t need to hit the Scan again. Once you have paired your headphones, they will appear in the Bluetooth devices list.

Remove headphones from Bluetooth

To remove headphones, tap on the cog icon next their name and then Forget with the garbage container icon.

How do you connect headphones to a television

Most TV manufacturers added Bluetooth audio support only recently. The setup process can vary between brands as well as between operating systems and versions.

We tried our best to cover each brand’s steps, but they might differ depending on your TV model. These steps should help you at the very least. Your TV may not support Bluetooth if you are unable to locate the Bluetooth settings.

Connecting headphones to gaming consoles

This is because many gaming consoles don’t support Bluetooth connectivity to audio devices. Bluetooth interferes with wireless controllers. While wireless headphones can be purchased that are compatible with consoles, you may still be able to use your regular Bluetooth headphones.

Notice: These methods may reduce the audio quality or cause problems with your microphone during in-game conversation. Some people won’t allow you to use your microphone at all.

How Bluetooth headphones can be used with any device with a Bluetooth port

Wired headphones are dying. Wired headphones with an 3.5mm plug are at least on the decline. It may be many years from now, but the trend towards “all-wireless-everything” is in full effect, outside of specialist cases where audio quality is absolutely critical.

This switch has seen a slew of “true wireless” earbuds pop up in recent times. They all use Bluetooth to stream music, whether they are good or bad. Apple’s AirPods are an example of this. Sometimes, a custom chip adds some extra magic.

But what if there are old gadgets that don’t come with Bluetooth? You don’t have to worry if you are like me and still have your Zune collection. Or if you simply want to add wireless audio for an old stereo. You can combine the best of both old tech and modern convenience.

However, it’s important that you define a few terms first. When searching for the right dongle you will encounter two different, but similar devices: Bluetooth receivers and Bluetooth transmitters.

Bluetooth transmitters can be anything you add to a device to transmit Bluetooth signals to another. In this case, the Bluetooth transmitter would transmit the audio signal of your music to your Bluetooth headphones. Bluetooth receivers can be connected to an auxiliary port and allow cars to hear audio from your Bluetooth device.

Although there are some dongles that can do both of these, it is best to stay clear of anything that is merely a Bluetooth receiver. There are many Bluetooth transmitters available.

How to choose a Bluetooth transmitter

There are many options available depending on the purpose of the Bluetooth connection. A portable Bluetooth device is best for old MP3 players. You can get a bulkier device that will not only be stationary, but also provide stronger Bluetooth connectivity to your TV or stereo system.

ZIIDOO Bluetooth5.0 receiver and transmitter is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a device that packs many capabilities in a small package. It can be used both as a receiver and transmitter depending on your requirements.

You get Bluetooth 5.0 as an additional benefit. It also supports the aptX wireless codec which significantly reduces latency. It’s important to have aptX-compatible headphones and earbuds.

ZIIDOO 5.0 Bluetooth transmitter and receiver

This ZIDOO dongle is capable of acting as both a receiver and transmitter, so it’s ideal for when you need to send audio from an old MP3 or car stereo.

If you do not need a receiver, but only want a transmitter, the TaoTronics Portable Bluetooth Transmitter opens in new tab is a great alternative. This time, the aptX codec is supported, so you can get low latency audio with headphones or earbuds compatible.

TaoTronics Portable Bluetooth Transmitter

This TaoTronics Portable Bluetooth Transmitter can be used for simple but powerful tasks. This transmitter is all you need to convert an old device into Bluetooth. TaoTronics claims a range of 33ft (10m) and an eight-hour battery life. This is a very small device.

Avantree Oasis Plus

Avantree Oasis Plus offers many extra features, such as multiple connections. This unit is large, but it should be easy to add wireless audio for any TV.

Avantree Oasis Plus will give you the best setup possible for your TV or stereo. Along with Bluetooth 5.0 support, the Avantree Oasis plus includes an aptX codec that should reduce latency when viewing TV. Avantree offers many other ways to connect to your audio source.

Avantree Oasis Plus can be connected using a standard 3.5mm RCA cable, RCA cables, and even an optical (Toslink). It supports audio passthrough so you can connect it between your soundbar or TV. This allows you to push sound simultaneously through your speaker and your Bluetooth headphones.

But all that functionality comes at an expense. Avantree Oasis Plus retails for $80. The unit is still great for TVs and other home uses.

There are many options for modernizing aging tech, regardless of which Bluetooth transmitter you choose. You can use this method with any device that has a standard 3.5mm audio port. For something more unique, you can add a transmitter or receiver to an old hi fi system or recorder.

My Zune will be living like 2008 again, so I’ll be setting up wireless earbuds to make it sound as if it’s 2008. Until I get bored, when I’ll go back to my phone.

You should now be able to connect your Bluetooth headphones with your Windows 10 PC, Mac or iPhone.

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Any Device: FAQ’s

Does Bluetooth headphones have a latency?

Although wireless audio has made some improvements over the years, this problem still plagues wireless audio. While some headphones claim to automatically adjust latency, other devices can either manually adjust or use small tweaks that are available in milliseconds.

These settings will vary by brand, so make sure to check the instructions manual for your headphones and the device you’re using for information on latency and lip sync.

Are Bluetooth headphones compatible with all Bluetooth devices that have a headset port?

You can combine the best of both old tech and modern convenience. This is a way to add Bluetooth connectivity to any standard 3.5mm headphones port. A Bluetooth transmitter is required for this task.