Bose Headphones Won’t Connect to iPhone Solved

If your Bose headphones won’t connect to your iPhone, the culprit is either the headphones or your iPhone. So, you need to fix either one or both devices.

There are some very simple and effective troubleshooting methods that can help you solve this issue.

This article is a complete guide and will tell you the best solutions if your Bose headphones won’t connect to an iPhone.

Table of Contents

1. Perform Some Basic Tips and Checks

There are some very minor reasons your Bose headphones won’t connect to your iPhone. So, you need to perform some basic checks;

First of all, you need to check that both of your devices are in Bluetooth mode. Enable Bluetooth on your iPhone; the Bluetooth icon turns blue when it is in discoverable mode.
Put your Bose headphones in pairing mode, the Bluetooth LED indicator glows solid blue on your headphones.
Both devices should be closer to each other- ideally within 30 feet.
Also, make sure that you are trying to connect to the right headphones and not clicking on some other similar Bose model nearby.
Make sure that your Bose headphones are fully charged and your iPhone battery is not draining out.
Try connecting both your headphones and iPhone to some other Bluetooth device. The device which cannot connect has a problem with it.
If your iPhone is connected to another device, it may also interfere while connecting to Bose headphones. Other Bluetooth devices in the close vicinity can also create problems. So, turn off all other Bluetooth devices.
Most of the Bose headphones can pair up to two devices at the same time. If your Bose is already connected to two devices, it won’t connect to your iPhone.
In case you are trying to connect via Bose Connect app, you need to enable Bluetooth for it.
On your iPhone, go to Settings>Privacy> Bluetooth. From here, open the Bose Connect app and turn on Bluetooth for it.
Make sure that your Bose headphones are compatible with iOS devices. You can check this in the user manual or online by reading the specifications of your Bose headphones model.

2. Re-pair Your Bose Headphones and iPhone

If you have already paired your Bose headphones to your iPhone, they should connect automatically when headphones are turned on.

If this does not happen, unpair both devices and pair them again. To do this;

Go to settings and then to Bluetooth on your iPhone.
Tap your Bose headphones showing on your iPhone screen.
Next, click the ‘info button’ and then “Forget this device”.
Reboot your iPhone and wait for some moments.
Put your Bose headphones into pairing mode and connect them again with your iPhone.

3. Clear the Bluetooth Pairing List on Your Bose Headphones

You should also clear the Bluetooth pairing list from your Bose headphones. This can be done by the following method;

On your Bose headphones, slide the power button to the Bluetooth icon.
Now, press and hold the button for 10 seconds or until the device gives a confirmation sound.

Another option is clearing the list from Bose Connect app.

Open the app on your phone and click the Bluetooth icon.
Navigate to ‘Connections’ and choose ‘Edit’.
Next, tap on your iPhone name showing in the list and select ‘Disconnect’.

4. Reset Your Bose Headphones

If you have checked both devices and they are still not pairing then reset them. First of all, restart your Bose headphones.

On your Bose headphones, press and hold the power button for two seconds. This will restart your device.

You can reset the device by the following method;

Turn off your Bose headphones and wait for whole 30 seconds.
Connect the headphones to the power supply and after 5 seconds unplug it.
After 60 seconds, power on your Bose headphones again.
This way, you can reset your headphones. After the process is complete, you’re your device on and off once.
Now, put the headphones in pairing mode by holding the ‘Call’ or ‘multifunction’ button. Now, see if your iPhone can discover them.

5. Update Firmware on Your Bose Headphones

If resetting does not work, update your Bose headphones. An outdated software version may be the reason your Bose headphones won’t connect to your iPhone.

You can update the software by two methods; through Bose Connect App and through your computer. You need to connect your phone with the headphones to use the app and check its update section.

Since your iPhone is not connecting to headphones, the computer option will work for you. The step by step method is given below;

Connect your Bose headphones to your computer or laptop through a USB cable.
In your browser, open the Bose website by clicking here.
Start the process by clicking on “Accept and Continue”.
Choose ‘Download’ and the file will be saved to your PC.
Now, open the file and install the update.

Software update can resolve the issue of your Bose headphones won’t connect to iPhone.

6. Reset Your iPhone

Maybe your iPhone is creating trouble, hence it cannot connect to your headphones. So, you should reset your phone. There are multiple options to reset your iPhone.

On your iPhone, slide down from the top of the screen to open the control center.
Turn on the Airplane mode. Wait for two minutes and then turn off the Airplane mode.
Now, try connecting it to your Bose headphones.

If still, it won’t connect, try this trick.

Go to ‘Settings’ on your iPhone. Select ‘General Settings’.
Click on the ‘Shut Down’ option and then drag the slider. Your phone will be powered off. This method works on all iPhone models.
After some moments, power on your iPhone by holding down the side/sleep-wake button till the Apple logo appears on the screen.

7. Update Your iOS Version

Like headphones, the older iOS version on your iPhone can also cause trouble. Therefore, it cannot be connected to your Bose headphones.

So, the simple solution is to update the software on your iPhone. Follow these steps;

Connect your iPhone to a stable internet connection.
Click the Settings icon and select ‘General Settings’.
Next, choose ‘Software Update’ and click the ‘Install Now’ button.
Once the process is complete, restart your phone. Now, try connecting it again to your Bose headphones.

Final Words

You can solve the issue of Bose headphones won’t connect to iPhone by following this guide. Try each solution one by one. These solutions work best and resolve your problem easily.

However, in some rare cases, all these troubleshooting methods fail. If this happens to you then you must consult the manufacturer.

First, find which device is faulty. Try to connect both your Bose headphones and iPhone with some other Bluetooth device.

If one of these devices fails to connect to other Bluetooth devices, it means that the device has some defect.

Contact Bose if headphones are faulty and Apple support if your iPhone is defective. This is the last option to solve the issue of Bose headphones won’t connect to the iPhone.