Everything about connecting a Bluetooth headset to a smartphone: synchronization, setup, problem solving

Kristina Gorbunova

Higher education in the specialty “Information Systems”. In the field for more than 7 years, he develops websites on WordPress and Tilda.

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Most smartphone owners use a Bluetooth headset. It is convenient, takes up little space, has no wires and is therefore practically not subject to physical wear and tear. We will tell you how to connect wireless headphones of different brands to Android and iOS smartphones. Let's look at common problems that arise when setting up and using a headset.

How wireless headphones work

The headset receives an audio signal from the source “over the air”. Three technologies are used for data transfer:

• Bluetooth. Technology for creating wireless personal networks. With its help, you can connect headphones to any device that has Bluetooth. Thanks to individual encoding, it prevents audio data from being intercepted by other equipment.
• IR port. The devices transmit data using high-frequency pulsating signals. This is an outdated technology that is most often found on Chinese smartphones and TVs. In addition to connecting wireless headphones, the IR port is also used to control home appliances from the phone.
• Radio connection. This technology ensures stable data transmission from the audio source. Radio headphones are usually used only indoors. Despite the high quality of communication and extended range, they are very heavy.

To start using wireless headphones, they need to be charged. The built-in controller will not allow the headset to reach a deep discharge during operation.

Problems with your smartphone

If there are problems with the gadget after connecting the device to it, the sound is not played and the icon of the connected modules does not appear on the screen. The reason for this may be:

1. Contamination and oxidation of the contacts in the connector due to which the system does not recognize the headphones.
2. Short circuit.
3. Damage to the cable.
4. Audio codec problem.

Shine a flashlight into the port; it may be clogged with dirt, which will require a toothpick or can of compressed air to remove. The latter remedy will be more effective, given that it usually comes with a thin tube that allows you to accurately blow away dust from hard-to-reach places.

This cleaning prevents damage to the connector. Well, if there is no spray can, you need to use wooden products, since steel ones can damage the contacts, although they can also be dangerous, but to a much lesser extent.

If the cable or port breaks, it is better to contact a service center to replace parts. If there are clogs and oxidation, try cleaning them yourself using a cotton swab lightly moistened with alcohol. Do this very carefully so as not to damage the parts.

In addition, the issue may be with the audio codec. This device is a small chip that converts an analog signal to a digital signal. If it has a defect, then the headphones, as well as the speaker and microphone, stop functioning. Failure of such a component can occur after the smartphone is dropped.

How to connect wireless headphones to an Android phone: step-by-step instructions

The general scheme for connecting Bluetooth headphones to a smartphone is the same for all phones. To do this you need:

1. Turn on the headphones and put them into pairing mode.
2. Activate Bluetooth on your phone.
3. Select the headphones to be connected from the list.
4. Establish a connection with bluetooth headphones.
5. Grant the headset the necessary permissions to operate.

Wireless headphones connect to your phone instantly. But first they need to be prepared for work.

Turning on and preparing the headphones

The procedure for activating the headset depends on the manufacturer. To turn on the headphones, you need to use the touch buttons on the earbuds or on the charging box. Some gadgets turn on automatically when the user takes them out of the case. This is indicated in the manufacturer's instructions.

Before you connect wireless headphones to your Samsung phone or iPhone, you need to charge them. Otherwise, they may turn off during pairing or during operation. You can start connecting the headset after the charging indicator lights up or turns off. This point depends on the headphone model.

Connection via Bluetooth

To connect a wireless headset to your phone, you must:

1. Activate Bluetooth on your smartphone. To do this, open the quick access panel or the “Wireless networks” section in the device settings.

2. Turn on headphones. This point is described in detail in the manufacturer's instructions. Some models turn on by pressing a button on the charging case, while others turn on by holding the buttons on the earbuds. The built-in indicators on the headphones should flash.
3. Start searching for Bluetooth devices.
4. The smartphone will find all devices available for connection. The wireless headset will appear in the list by model name.
5. Click on the model name to connect the headphones and smartphone.
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6. Once the process of connecting the headset to your phone is completed, you can use it to make calls and listen to music. In the Bluetooth connection settings you need to set the necessary permissions.

Using this algorithm, you can connect any Bluetooth headphones. But first it is better to study the instructions from the manufacturer.

Connecting headphones with an NFC chip

JBL, Razer, Sony and other manufacturers equip headphones with NFC chips. Thanks to this element, you can synchronize your headset and smartphone simply by touching them to each other. The phone must support NFC technology. To connect headphones you need:

1. Activate the NFC chip on your phone.
2. Turn on the headset and bring it to the smartphone. There is a special icon on the headset. It is this side that you need to lean the earbud against the phone.

3. Activate Bluetooth after receiving the notification. In some mobile device models, it turns on automatically.

How to connect AirPods to Android

Connecting AirPods to an Android phone is no different from synchronizing with a headset from any other company. Some functions of the Apple wireless headset (Siri, interruption of audio playback when removing the earbud from the ear) will not work on a smartphone, as they are designed specifically for iOS.

Algorithm of actions when connecting AirPods to Android OS:

1. Activate Bluetooth.
2. Open the lid of the AirPods charging box.
3. Press the button on the back of the case until a flashing white light appears. The headphones will appear in the list of available devices.
4. Establish a connection with AirPods.

If you are connecting via Bluetooth

The Bluetooth connection can also cause problems and make our mobile phone not detect the headphones or they do not sound . In this case, since it is a wireless connection, we must try other methods to detect the problem. Some of the methods shown above can also work like this:

• Reboot your mobile
• Turn Bluetooth on or off
• Check the volume
• Try different headphones

Clear network settings

Clearing network settings works many times. This causes any configuration to be restored and the settings are cancelled, which could mistakenly cause the mobile phone not to recognize the headphones. This option is located under Settings/System/Reboot & Reset, but may also be under Settings/Connections. We won't lose any data, but we will have to pair the Bluetooth device again.

Clear Bluetooth cache

Another effective method is clearing the system's Bluetooth application cache . To do this we go to Settings / Applications and, once inside, click "Show all" and look for Bluetooth. Once inside, click on clear data and cache. The next step is to restart your mobile phone and try again.

Check the maximum number of connected devices

If this option is set to "1" and we already have another Bluetooth device connected, it will be the reason that we will not be able to connect the Bluetooth headphones. To dispel doubts, go to Settings / Connections / Bluetooth and click on “Number of connected devices”. If the value is one, we will try using a higher number, such as 3 or 5, to see if this way the problem goes away and we can connect the headphones correctly.

Change codec

Sometimes there may be compatibility issues between our Bluetooth headphones and the configuration selected on our mobile phone. Among the options for developers we will find the option “Bluetooth Audio Codec”. It's about trying different options compared to the default one to see if we find the right one and if we can listen to the sound without problems.

How to connect bluetooth headphones to an iPhone: instructions

Connecting a wireless headset to Apple smartphones is no more difficult than connecting to Android smartphones. To do this you need:

1. Activate Bluetooth in the quick settings menu.

2. Start searching for devices. Find the headset you need in the list that appears.
3. Establish a connection.

One of the features of connecting a wireless headset to iOS is the ability to add a new device manually if it is not displayed in the list during automatic search. To do this you need:

1. Tap on the “Add new device” button.
2. Wait for the wireless headphones to appear in the list of devices available for connection.
3. Establish a connection.

If the headset does not appear in the list of devices available for pairing, you need to restart your iPhone and reset the Bluetooth gadget’s settings.

Features of setting up headsets of different brands

Many manufacturers produce specialized software along with wireless headsets for setting them up. You can download applications to your phone using the App Store or Google Play. The instructions often contain a QR code with a direct link to the software. It is recommended to install specialized software before synchronizing with a wireless headset.

The manufacturer's instructions usually indicate how to quickly connect to Bluetooth headphones and what to do in case of problems. Let's look at the features of connecting wireless headsets Honor, JBL, Xiaomi, TWS, Samsung, Hoco to your phone.

Honor

Most of the headphones from this company support instant pairing with mobile devices running EMUI. Connecting the Honor headset to Android via Bluetooth is also not difficult. Let's look at the connection process using the Magic Earbuds wireless headset as an example:

1. No need to remove the headphones from the case. Open the lid and search for devices in the Bluetooth menu on your smartphone.

2. If the connection cannot be established in automatic mode, start pairing manually. To do this, press the button near the charging port. Hold the indicator until the LED starts flashing.

3. Search for devices in the Bluetooth menu and connect to the headphones.

If starting pairing manually does not help, you will have to reset the headset settings. To do this, open the charging box and hold the button at the charging port for 10 seconds.

JBL

Before you connect a Bluetooth headset to your smartphone, you need to put it into pairing mode. This is done by pressing a button on the headphone body. When pairing mode is activated, the indicator light will flash. Further procedure:

1. Activate the Bluetooth module.
2. Wait until all gadgets available for connection are detected.
3. Select wireless headphones in the list of devices that appears.
4. If the Bluetooth headset has previously been connected to the smartphone, it will establish an automatic connection. Otherwise, you need to make a synchronization request.

TWS is

Let's consider the method of connecting a TWS wireless headset versions i7S, i12, i11S:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your headphones.
2. Launch Bluetooh on Android or iOS.
3. Allow pairing with headphones.
4. Wait for the flashing blue indicator to appear.
5. If the connection fails on the first try, turn off the headset and try again.

When you turn it on again, to reset the settings, you need to hold the touch button until the red-blue LED flickers.

Xiaomi

One of the most popular models of this brand is AirDots. The headset supports separate use of earbuds, which makes the connection procedure a little more complicated. Unlinking Xiaomi AirDots from another device must also be done in a certain order.

The step-by-step connection looks like this:

1. Remove the earbuds from the charging box. Touch the sensors on the sides of both parts of the headset. Hold them for about 10 seconds. If the procedure is carried out correctly, the red-violet LEDs will light up. This means a complete reset.
2. Place the earbuds back into the charging box for 5-10 seconds. Take them out at the same time. If the procedure is completed without any violations, the purple LED on the right earphone will light up.
3. Turn on Bluetooth, start searching for other devices.

4. Devices available for connection will appear on the screen. The headset may be called Redmi AirDots or MI AIRDOTS BASIC (L and R). We recommend connecting the right earphone with the letter R in its name first. Select the right earphone in the list of Bluetooth devices to connect to your smartphone. To connect the left earphone, you need to hold down the button on it for a few seconds until you hear the characteristic turn-on sound.

5. After connecting the gadget to the smartphone, the white LED will blink frequently for 10-15 seconds. This means that the headphones are synchronized with each other. Once synchronization is completed and connected to the smartphone, both LEDs will turn off.

In order to connect only one earphone, you must:

1. Remove one of the earbuds from the charging box.
2. Hold down the touch button.
3. Activate Bluetooth, start searching for devices.
4. Select a device called Redmi AirDots L/R, where L is the left earphone and R is the right.
5. Allow device synchronization.
6. The earbud will blink for 10-15 seconds, trying to sync with the other earbuds, but then connect to the playback device.

Samsung

Let's look at the connection algorithm using the Galaxy Buds as an example. The easiest way to connect these headphones is to a Samsung phone. To do this, you need to activate Bluetooth on your smartphone and open the protective case of the headset. The manufacturer's firmware will automatically detect the gadget. In order to connect Samsung wireless headphones to Android you need to:

1. Activate Bluetooth on your smartphone.
2. Make sure the headphones are fully charged.
3. Open the protective case. The headphones automatically sync with Bluetooth. A notification will be sent to your phone asking you to connect gadgets.
4. In the window that appears, select “Connect”.
5. Wait for the connection to be established and begin setting up the headset.

Hoco

This brand produces inexpensive and high-quality headsets. But there are no detailed Russian-language instructions for setting them up on the company’s official website. In order to connect the Hoco ES20 Bluetooth headset, you must:

1. Remove both inserts from the box.
2. Wait until the synchronization of the right and left headphones is completed. There is no need to press buttons or sensors.
3. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone.
4. Find a device called Hoco, establish a connection.

Connecting Galaxy Buds

Samsung branded headphones can be connected either as described above or through special Galaxy Wearable software. It is installed by default on some smartphones, but you can download it from the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store.

1. Launch the application, select the appropriate device from the list

   and grant Galaxy Wearable the required permissions

2. When the application detects Buds, click on them, allow access to contacts, call log and tap “Connect”.
3. On the next screen, click “Continue” and give additional permissions - access to the calendar, SMS, etc.
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4. Galaxy Buds can report notifications that come to the device, as well as read their content. If you are interested in such a feature, first we allow them to read notifications, and then we give access to them on the smartphone.
5. Read the brief instructions for using the headphones and tap “Got it.” The device is ready for use.
6. Unlike the standard connection, the Galaxy Wearable app gives you more options for customizing your Buds.

Possible problems and solutions

Connecting a wireless headset is a relatively simple procedure. But some users have difficulty synchronizing or setting up headphones via Bluetooth. We have discussed the most common questions that smartphone owners have.

No connection

The user can do everything according to the instructions from the manufacturer, but the gadget still does not appear in the list of available devices. Or it appears, but you can’t connect your smartphone to it. There are four most common ways to solve this problem:

1. Try pressing the connection button again. If this doesn't help, turn off the headphones for one minute and then turn them on again. Try deactivating and restarting Bluetooth on your smartphone. It is also recommended to manually configure the search for nearby devices. When connecting for the first time, it is advisable to place the headset closer to the smartphone.
2. Check if the headset is connected to another device nearby. If the headphones are already connected to a tablet, TV or smartphone, you will not be able to connect them a second time to another device. You need to reset your headset. To do this, you need to turn it off for 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn off other wireless devices that may cause interference. When connecting wireless headphones to your phone, it is important that there are no working radios, other Bluetooth gadgets, or Wi-Fi routers nearby. Even the Thunderbolt 3 interface can interfere with pairing of the headset and smartphone.
4. Disconnect from the headset and restart your smartphone. This will help if synchronizing your headphones and phone takes a very long time and is unsuccessful.

Can't find the device

After activating the headset, the smartphone does not always find it the first time. Causes of this problem:

• The headset and phone are too far apart. At a distance of more than 5 meters, the headphones cannot connect to the smartphone. It is recommended to place the gadget next to the smartphone.
• The phone or earbuds are almost completely discharged. The headphones must be placed in the box and charged for at least 1 hour. A full discharge is dangerous for a phone, so manufacturers have provided at the software level to turn off the radio modules when the smartphone switches to energy-saving mode.

Only one earphone connected

When you connect a wireless headset to your phone, you must activate the earbuds at the same time. With budget models this is a particularly important point. If there is sound only in the right or left earbud, you should reset. It is also recommended to check the functionality of the headset with other devices.

If a problem occurs with your phone after installing software from unverified sources, you need to update the firmware or reset the settings to factory settings. You should also remove programs that caused problems with the headset connection.

Channel blockage

Since the earplugs are inserted directly into the ear canal, the ear pad and mesh located at the output of the earphone sound channel become contaminated with earwax and other secretions, causing the volume and sound quality to deteriorate.

The ear pads are easy to remove and wash, but when you try to clean the mesh from the outside, you can push dirt inside the earphone.

Together with the cleaning liquid, sulfur particles will clog the speaker holes or get onto the membrane, which will degrade the sound quality.

Therefore, disassemble the earphone and wash the half of the case with the mesh in alcohol.