Why is my phone connected to Bluetooth but no Sound?

Check That Bluetooth Is On

The first step is to confirm that Bluetooth is enabled on both the phone and the device you are trying to connect to. On your Android phone, pull down the notification shade and check if you see the Bluetooth icon. If not, open Settings and enable Bluetooth [1]. You can also programmatically check if Bluetooth is on using the BluetoothAdapter class [2].

Likewise, ensure Bluetooth is turned on for the accessory or device you want to pair with. Refer to its documentation if unsure. Once Bluetooth is definitely on for both devices, you can move on to troubleshooting other potential issues.

Check Volume Levels

One of the first things to check when your phone is connected to Bluetooth but not playing sound is the volume levels on both your phone and your connected device.

Make sure that the volume on your phone is turned up, and that the media volume is turned up. You may have the ringtone volume up but the media volume (used for music, videos, etc.) muted. Slide the volume controls on your phone all the way to the right to make sure volume is maxed out.

Also make sure that volume is turned up on the connected Bluetooth device, whether that’s a speaker, car stereo, headphone or other gadget. Check to see if there is a physical volume button or slider bar that needs to be adjusted. Turn it all the way up as well.

If the volume is maxed out on both your phone and the connected Bluetooth device but you still don’t hear audio, then the issue likely lies elsewhere and you will need to troubleshoot further.

Update Bluetooth Drivers

Outdated Bluetooth drivers can sometimes cause connection issues between your phone and Bluetooth devices like headphones, speakers or your car. Check that you have the latest drivers installed on both your phone and the device you are trying to connect to.

On your Android phone, open Settings > System > Advanced > System Update to check for and install any available system updates. This will ensure your phone’s Bluetooth drivers are up to date.

For the Bluetooth device you are connecting to, check the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers. For example, if trying to connect Bluetooth headphones, go to the headphones’ site, find the model and see if there are any driver updates available. Download and install these to update the drivers on the device side.

Keeping both sides – the phone and connected device – updated can help resolve Bluetooth connection problems due to outdated drivers. Check for updates on both ends if still struggling with a stable Bluetooth connection. For cars, also make sure you are running the latest firmware.

Source: https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/how-to-update-bluetooth-driver

Toggle Bluetooth Off and On

One way to refresh the Bluetooth connection on your phone is to toggle Bluetooth off and back on. This resets the connection and may solve the issue. Follow these steps:

Open Settings on your phone
Scroll down and select Bluetooth
Toggle the Bluetooth switch off

Wait 5 to 10 seconds
Toggle Bluetooth back on

If you’re still not hearing sound after toggling Bluetooth on and off, try forgetting the paired device in your phone’s Bluetooth settings. Then, pair it again to create a fresh connection.

Turning the Bluetooth radio on and off essentially refreshes the connection between your phone and the paired device. And forgetting and repairing the device clears out any faulty settings and starts fresh. This can get sound playing properly again through your Bluetooth device.

Check Paired Devices List

One issue could be that you have unwanted devices paired with your phone via Bluetooth, resulting in failed connections. To solve this:

Open your phone’s Settings and navigate to the Bluetooth settings menu.

Here you will see all the devices paired with your phone. Go through the list and make sure the device you want to connect to is present. According to Verizon support, you may need to remove any unwanted or unrecognizable devices from the paired list.
Make sure the correct Bluetooth accessory you want to connect to is showing in your list of paired devices.
You can try unpairing devices you no longer use, then pairing again with the accessory you want to connect to your phone.

After removing unwanted devices and verifying the correct one is in the paired devices list, try connecting and testing if Bluetooth audio works properly.

Check App Permissions

If you’ve connected your phone to a Bluetooth device successfully in the past, but now can’t hear audio over Bluetooth, the issue may be that the app no longer has permission to use Bluetooth. Android apps require specific permissions in order to access certain features on your device, like the camera, microphone, or Bluetooth connection.

To allow the app to use Bluetooth again, you’ll need to grant Bluetooth permissions in the app settings:

Open your phone’s Settings app
Tap “Apps” or “Application Manager”
Select the problematic app

Tap “Permissions”
Enable the permissions related to Bluetooth and Nearby Devices

For example, as noted in the Android developer documentation, if an app looks for Bluetooth devices like headphones or speakers, it needs the BLUETOOTH_SCAN permission enabled.

Likewise, as explained by iHeartRadio, the iHeartRadio app specifically needs the Nearby Devices permission in order to play audio over a Bluetooth connection. So if iHeartRadio suddenly loses Bluetooth capability, granting the Nearby Devices permission again should resolve the issue.

After enabling Bluetooth-related permissions, try using the app with your Bluetooth device again. If the problem persists, you may need to troubleshoot other potential causes.

Restart Phone

One of the easiest troubleshooting steps to try is simply restarting your phone. This can refresh all connections and services, including Bluetooth. According to Google, powering your Android device off and on can help fix Bluetooth problems.

To restart your phone:

Hold down the power button for a few seconds until the “Power off” prompt appears.
Tap “Power off” to turn your phone completely off.

After 30 seconds or so, press and hold the power button again to turn your phone back on.

Allow a minute or two for your phone to restart and reconnect to wi-fi, cellular, and Bluetooth services. Restarting your device essentially performs a soft reset which can force refresh your Bluetooth connections. If you were previously having issues with Bluetooth, check if they are resolved after restarting your Android phone.

Check for Hardware Issue

A faulty Bluetooth antenna or chipset can prevent connectivity. If checking for the more common issues like volume levels, ensuring devices are paired, and rebooting your phone still don’t fix Bluetooth connectivity, then it could indicate a hardware issue with your phone. According to this source, Bluetooth issues that persist through troubleshooting software settings or app connections may require phone repair if there is an internal hardware problem.

Bluetooth relies on short-range signals received from an internal antenna or chipset. If either is faulty, damaged, or disconnected, then your phone won’t be able to detect or connect to any paired devices. Before pursuing phone repair, double check that software issues are ruled out and any phones paired to yours connect to other devices. If those work, then it points to your specific phone being the issue.

Phone repair can replace any faulty Bluetooth components, and restoration to factory conditions or a full software update could also resolve issues with the Bluetooth software interacting properly with the hardware, according to Google’s support guide.

Update Phone Software

Outdated operating systems versions can cause issues with Bluetooth connectivity. Device manufacturers regularly release software updates that contain bug fixes, performance upgrades, and compatibility improvements for hardware like Bluetooth.

Check if there are any pending software updates for your phone, and install the latest available version (Source). This will ensure your device is running the most up-to-date OS and Bluetooth system files. Any bugs causing Bluetooth problems may be addressed in newer OS releases.

Navigate to your phone’s Settings > System > System Updates (or Software Updates) to check for and install any pending updates, including security patches. Once your phone’s operating system is fully updated, check if the Bluetooth issues persist.

Reset Network Settings

One option that can help resolve Bluetooth connectivity issues is resetting your phone’s network settings. This will clear out any stored Bluetooth pairing information and network connections and reset them to default (Source). Resetting network settings can help fix bugs that may have occurred from failed Bluetooth pairing attempts or connections in the past.

When you reset your network settings, it will remove all Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular network settings, and Bluetooth pairings from your device. However, it will not delete any of your data or media. Your contacts, text messages, apps, photos, videos, and other personal content will remain untouched (Source).

After resetting network settings, you will have to reconnect to Wi-Fi networks and re-pair any Bluetooth devices. This can be inconvenient but may resolve Bluetooth issues you are experiencing. It’s worth trying before exploring more complex hardware or software fixes.