Since 1999, Bluetooth has revolutionized the technological connection game. It’s enhanced the way we connect to devices and are able to integrate technology into our work and everyday lives. We can connect our computers to large display TVs, our phones to wireless headphones, gaming consoles to controllers, and so much more. Technology integration has never been easier, but it’s also never been more confusing. With so many companies and brands making products with Bluetooth capabilities, it's hard to tell how each one operates. Is there a button to push? Is it automatic? What happens when it doesn’t pair? There are a million and one questions that come with Bluetooth, so let’s answer a few. 

What Is Bluetooth?

Before we can really start tackling problems that Bluetooth has and how to go about solving them, understanding what it is will give us good insight and direction. To put it simply, Bluetooth is a short-range connection that transfers data back and forth through radio waves, which eliminates the need for wires. This data transfer doesn’t happen automatically, as the two devices need to be paired for the transfer to begin. Bluetooth has grown and changed as time and technology progresses, so you’ll see a lot of devices with different types of Bluetooth versions.

The latest version of Bluetooth in 2024 is 5.4, where it supports a vast number of devices, has strong security, and enhanced power efficiency. It’s important to double-check what Bluetooth versions your device supports so there’s no chance of connection problems later. 

Bluetooth in Headphones

In the world of headphones, you’ll see Bluetooth come in two main different types of connections: wireless and true wireless. What’s the difference? Wireless connection is one unit that is being paired to a device. This is, more often than not, a pair of over-ear headphones, or attached earbuds that are worn around the neck. The ironic difference is that the left and right sides are connected by a wire. True wireless, on the other hand, means that there are no wires at all in the construction of the headphone. The left and right sides are not connected via a wire like in most other headphones, so that makes them “truly” wireless. The Bluetooth connection to your device exists in one piece, and the other side is connected to its pair. It's a more advanced connection, and a downside is how it allows for more potential error. 

Pairing to Your Device 

With the vast amount of design choices there are, the way Bluetooth is set up and shown varies on a case by case basis. Let’s look at regular, over/on ear headphones first. A model like the Focal Bathys or Sony WH-1000XM5 is a classic pair of headphones with Bluetooth technology. There’s a detachable wire, but more often than not there will be a button on the side of the headphones to activate the Bluetooth signal. The headphones themselves have lights or buttons to help pair them to the device. It sometimes shares a spot with the power button, which makes pairing sometimes a little tricky since you might keep turning your headphones on and off. It's best practice to hold one side up to your ear as you press the buttons, as it will likely have sonic indications on if the headphones are on, off, in pairing mode, etc. 

In true wireless headphones, like a pair of Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 or Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4, the charging case is the place to start when pairing. Opening the case activates most pairs almost immediately, and taking one side out of the case puts them into pairing mode. Sometimes, there is a button you can press/hold to pair them while still in the case, and a light that will indicate battery life, pairing mode, and other status. Look inside the quickstart guidebook that is provided to learn what specific colors and blinking patterns mean, as it varies from headphone to headphone. There is also a chance that a sticker covering a sensor needs to be removed to activate them, or placing them in your ears so you can hear what the status of the headphones are. 

Troubleshooting

Now that we know the basics of Bluetooth itself and what pairing headphones to your device looks like, it’s time to investigate when things don’t quite go to plan. What do you do when the Bluetooth isn’t pairing? Before you go out searching for a new pair, or make an appointment at a repair shop that might cost you money for a consult, let’s go over your troubleshooting options that are easy to do by yourself. You can do these in any order, but we ranked them in this order based on how we would approach the situation. 

• Check the specifications. Is the version of Bluetooth on the headphones compatible with your device? Are all necessary softwares up to date? Sometimes connectivity issues are as simple as a version mismatch, so maybe exchanging the headphones for a compatible model is the solution. Luckily, this is an issue you might only find in early versions of headphones, where the technology is out of date. It is still a good first step to avoid any headaches later on.

• Check battery life. Making sure your device and the headphones have enough battery is more important than you think. Even if the headphones aren’t completely dead, low battery can cause connectivity issues, and that can be fixed with a simple charge. Let the headphones (and your device!) charge for a little while before testing the connection again. Sometimes a two-minute charge can give you more than an hour of listening, and that’s enough to check their pairing ability.

• Reset Bluetooth on your device. Without realizing it, Bluetooth is open and ready to activate on our phones at any given time. Unless it's specifically shut off, our phones are ready to be paired with any device we may encounter. There are a lot of devices around us, so sometimes it's difficult for the right device to show up on our phones. Turning Bluetooth off for a little while (maybe a minute or two) will help reset your device and open it to new connections in the immediate area. It’s like turning the WiFi on and off again to restabilize the connection. 

• Turn the headphones on and off again. It’s possible that your device isn’t the problem in connectivity issues: it might be the headphones themselves. Turn them off, give them a moment to rest, then turn them back on to start pairing again. Leaving the headphones on for long periods of time may cause them to run slower after a while. A quick reset can get them up and running at their full potential.

• Restart your phone. If a simple Bluetooth switch on and off doesn’t do the trick, restarting your phone is another way to reset the connection. Granted, it takes a moment to turn your phone off and on again, but it's well worth making sure everything is set. It will reset the Bluetooth, WiFi, and give your phone a break from constantly running 24/7. It’s a good step to make sure everything on your device is square and working before moving onto the headphones themselves. 

• Forget the headphones on your device and re-pair. If you’re trying to re-pair the headphones to a device you’ve connected them to before, try forgetting the device and introducing it as a new product. This step comes with a reset to the headphones, which isn’t as scary as it sounds. Sometimes reintroducing the headphones as a new product helps the connection come back, as they’ve been reset and can be found easily.

• Take a look in the quick-start guide. Most headphones come with a handy guidebook that tells you all the specifications and finer details of the headphones you are using. In that manual, you’ll likely find the information on how to specifically pair that device. Using this as a last step is a good way to make sure you did each step properly, in terms of resetting, re-pairing, and activating the headphones. If there are light indicators for different modes, the quick-start guide will tell you that. 

Conclusion

If after you’ve been through the whole list and your device is still not pairing, it may be well worth giving a call to the manufacturer or taking it to a repair shop. A lot of these solutions don't deter from the quality of the product itself, but can help you determine if the product you have is defective. It is more than likely that a repair shop will tell you to cycle through this list of things again, but you might save them some time by doing it once yourself. 

Even if these solutions don’t work, don’t lose hope! Now you have a better understanding of how your headphones work and how they connect to your device. Bluetooth can be a finicky thing, especially since it involves radio waves we can’t see. And remember: every device is different, so patience is key.

You can buy and demo Bluetooth headphones and earbuds at Audio46.