How do I put my Bose speaker in pairing mode?

What is Pairing Mode

Pairing mode allows two Bluetooth-enabled devices to establish a wireless connection and communicate with each other. When you put a Bluetooth device like a Bose speaker into pairing mode, it makes the device “discoverable” to other Bluetooth devices like smartphones, tablets, or laptops so they can find and connect to the speaker.

Bluetooth pairing establishes a link between the two devices using short-range wireless technology. Once paired, the devices can send and receive information like music streaming or hands-free calling over the Bluetooth connection. The pairing process involves exchanging passkeys or PINs between the two devices to authenticate the connection.

According to this article, a Bluetooth connection allows transmission between two paired devices within a range of about 30 feet. Both devices need Bluetooth capability and must be set to pairing or discoverable mode to find each other and establish a paired connection.

When to Put Bose Speaker in Pairing Mode

There are a few instances when you’ll need to put your Bose speaker into pairing mode:

First time connecting device to speaker – The first time you want to connect your phone, tablet, or other Bluetooth device to the Bose speaker, you’ll need to put the speaker into pairing mode. This allows the speaker to be discoverable so your device can find and connect to it.

Connecting additional devices – If you want to connect additional devices like a second phone or a laptop to your Bose speaker, you’ll need to put the speaker back into pairing mode each time so the new device can find and connect to it. The speaker can only be actively connected to one device at a time.

Reconnecting a disconnected device – If your Bose speaker loses its connection to your device, you may need to put the speaker back into pairing mode to reestablish the connection. This is useful if your device and speaker disconnect frequently.

Prepare the Bose Speaker

Before you can pair your Bose speaker, you’ll need to make sure it is ready to connect. Here are the steps to prepare your speaker for pairing:

First, fully charge the Bose speaker. Plug it into a wall outlet using the included charging cable. The indicator light will show orange when charging and green when fully charged. Allow at least 3 hours for a full charge.

Next, turn on the speaker. Press and hold the power button until you hear a tone. The Bluetooth indicator light will blink white to indicate the speaker is on.

Finally, locate the Bluetooth pairing button on your speaker model. On most Bose portable speakers, this is a round button with the standard Bluetooth symbol. On SoundLink speakers, the Bluetooth button is located on the back. On Bose Home speakers, it’s generally on the top panel behind the controls.

Once your speaker is charged, powered on, and you’ve identified the Bluetooth button, it’s ready to be put into pairing mode.

Put Bose Speaker in Pairing Mode

To put your Bose speaker into pairing mode:

Press and hold the Bluetooth button on your Bose speaker for a few seconds until the indicator light starts blinking blue. This may take up to 6 seconds. For Bose SoundLink Mini and other small speakers, the Bluetooth button is located on the back. For larger Bose home speakers and soundbars, the Bluetooth button is usually on top of the speaker. Refer to your specific Bose speaker’s manual if you cannot locate the Bluetooth button.

Once the indicator light is blinking blue, your Bose speaker is now in pairing mode and ready to connect with your phone, tablet or other Bluetooth device. You will typically have 3 minutes to complete the pairing process once the speaker enters pairing mode.

If the Bluetooth light is not blinking after holding the button, try holding it down longer or consult your speaker manual for device-specific instructions. The Bluetooth light may blink a different color like white or red to indicate pairing mode, depending on your exact Bose speaker model.

Make sure your speaker is turned on and has sufficient charge before attempting to put it in pairing mode. Having your speaker plugged into a power source can also facilitate the pairing process in some cases.

Once your Bose speaker is blinking and ready for pairing, you can move on to preparing the device you want to connect to it via Bluetooth and complete the setup process.[1]

Prepare Your Device

Before pairing your Bose speaker, you need to ensure your device has Bluetooth enabled and is ready to pair. Here are the steps to prepare your device for pairing:

First, turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle Bluetooth to the “On” position. On Android devices, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. For Windows 10 computers, click the Start button and go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices, then turn on Bluetooth.

With Bluetooth now enabled, the next step is to open the Bluetooth settings screen on your device. On iOS, stay on the Bluetooth screen in Settings. On Android, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Previously Connected Devices. On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices. Your device is now ready to search for and pair with your Bose speaker.

According to Apple Support, you should leave the Bluetooth settings screen open on your iPhone or iPad until pairing is complete. The Android Bluetooth settings screen will automatically search for nearby devices.

Pair Your Device

Once your Bose speaker is in pairing mode, you need to pair your smartphone or tablet to the speaker via Bluetooth. Here are the steps:

On your smartphone or tablet, open the Settings app and go to Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Your device will automatically start scanning for available Bluetooth devices.

Under “Available Devices,” you should see your Bose speaker show up. Tap on the name of your Bose speaker to initiate pairing.

Your phone will send a pairing request notification to the Bose speaker. Accept the pairing request on your speaker by pressing the Bluetooth button or using the speaker controls. Refer to your speaker’s manual for specific pairing instructions.

Wait for both devices to successfully connect. This usually takes 10-15 seconds. You’ll know the devices are paired when the Bluetooth icon on your phone stops flashing. The speaker may indicate a successful connection as well. The speaker name will also show as “Connected” under paired devices.

Once paired, your phone or tablet will automatically reconnect to your Bose speaker whenever both are powered on and in range without needing to pair again. You can now start streaming audio from your device to the wireless speaker.

Source: https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-connect-bluetooth-speaker-to-phone-4173931

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having trouble pairing your Bose speaker to your device, here are some troubleshooting tips to try:

Restart the speaker and device – Sometimes simply restarting both devices can resolve connectivity issues. Power off both the speaker and the device you are trying to connect. Wait at least 10 seconds, then power them back on and try pairing again.¹

Move closer to the speaker – Bluetooth has a limited wireless range, usually up to 30 feet. If you are far away from the speaker, the connection can be spotty. Try moving closer and pairing again.

Remove other connected devices – Your speaker may already be connected to another device, which can prevent a new device from pairing. Go into your device’s Bluetooth settings and “forget” or disconnect any existing Bluetooth connections to your speaker. Then try pairing again.

Reconnecting a Paired Device

If your Bose speaker is no longer connecting to a previously paired device, you may need to put the speaker back into pairing mode to reconnect it. Here are the steps:

1. Make sure the Bose speaker is powered on.

2. Press and hold the Bluetooth button on your Bose speaker for 2-3 seconds until you hear a tone or voice prompt indicating it has entered pairing mode. The Bluetooth light may also flash blue. Refer to your specific Bose speaker’s manual for instructions.

3. On your mobile device or computer, open the Bluetooth settings and make sure Bluetooth is enabled.

4. Select your Bose speaker from the list of available devices. Your mobile device will reconnect and pair with the Bose speaker.

If the speaker doesn’t immediately reconnect, you may need to delete the speaker from your device’s Bluetooth menu and repair it from scratch. Follow the same steps to put the Bose speaker back in pairing mode, then select it again from available devices to fully repair it.

Refer to: https://www.minitool.com/news/how-to-unforget-a-bluetooth-device.html, https://www.wikihow.com/Unforget-Bluetooth-Device-iPhone

Connecting Multiple Devices

You can connect multiple devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops to your Bose Bluetooth speaker. According to Bose’s support article Using multiple Bluetooth® connections, here’s how to connect multiple devices:

Pair each device individually:

Turn on the Bluetooth feature on the device you want to pair.
Press and hold the Bluetooth button on your Bose speaker until you hear “Ready to connect another device”.
Select your Bose speaker from the device list on your phone/tablet/laptop.

Repeat for other devices you want to connect.

Switch between paired devices:

Your Bose speaker can maintain connections with up to 8 devices.

It can actively play audio from only one device at a time.
To switch playback to another device, pause audio on the first device and start playback on the new device.
The Bose speaker will automatically switch to the new device.

Unpairing Devices

To remove a paired device from your Bose speaker’s memory, you’ll need to unpair it. Unpairing devices essentially tells your speaker to “forget” those connections. This frees up your speaker to connect with new devices.

Follow these steps to unpair a device:

Press and hold the Bluetooth button on your Bose speaker for 10-15 seconds until you hear “Ready to pair.” This clears all paired devices.

Open the Bose Connect app and go to the “Products” tab. Select your speaker.
Tap on the settings icon and choose “Unpair.” This will unpair just that single device.

You can also unpair devices directly from your phone or tablet’s Bluetooth settings. Go to the Bluetooth menu, select your Bose speaker, and choose “Forget Device” or “Unpair.”

Once a device is unpaired, your Bose speaker will no longer automatically connect to it. You’ll have to go through the pairing process again if you want to reconnect that device in the future.

Unpairing can help solve connection issues if your speaker is paired with too many devices. It also lets you start fresh if you get a new phone or tablet. Just remember to unpair old devices first before pairing new ones.