How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone

This is an article that shows you how to connect headphones, speakers, watches or other Bluetooth accessories to your iPhone. You can also learn some simple troubleshooting tips in case something goes wrong while using your device.

Connect with iPhone

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 1

Turn on the Bluetooth accessory. Make sure the Bluetooth accessory is fully charged and powered on before you perform the connection operation. Depending on the accessory, you'll need to push a button or push a slider to power it on.

Make sure the Bluetooth accessory and iPhone are located close to each other. The specified distance will vary by accessory, but should not exceed 9 meters.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 2

Put the accessory in connection mode. The accessory must be in pairing mode for iPhone to pick up the signal. Some accessories automatically go into connection mode when powered on, but others require you to push a button or select a setting in a menu. Normally, you can tell if the accessory has entered connection mode by looking at the display of the LED. For example, the light will blink on the device ready to connect.

If you are not sure if the connection mode is turned on, see the user manual.

"Connection mode" is also sometimes called "search mode" or "switch device to search mode".

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 3

Open the Control Center of your iPhone. If you're using iPhone X or later, swipe down from the top right corner. For older iPhones, you'll swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 4

Touch and hold the Bluetooth icon . The screen will display a menu with many other icons.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 5

Tap Bluetooth to turn it on (if it's off). If you see the word "Off" below the "Bluetooth" icon, tap the icon to turn it on. Bluetooth is enabled when the icon turns blue.

If you don't see this option, you're probably using an older iOS version. To connect to the accessory, you need to open Settings , select Bluetooth , and push the green "Bluetooth" slider to On. After doing this, you will move on to step 8.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 6

Touch and hold the Bluetooth icon . This time, your iPhone will scan for the nearest accessory that is connected and display the information as a list.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 7

Touch the accessory name to initiate the connection. If the connection step doesn't require a password, you can start using the Bluetooth accessory with your iPhone right away. If you are asked for a password, look for it in the accessory's manual (or on the screen, if available). Common default passwords are usually 0000, 1111, and 1234. You can try one of these if you can't find the information.

The accessory is now connected; you will always see a connection option in the Bluetooth menu. You don't need to pair the two devices again unless you choose to disconnect or "forget" the accessory on your iPhone.

Always place the accessory near the iPhone during use. You need to place the devices within the specified range to stay connected.

Bluetooth Troubleshooting

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 8

Restart the Bluetooth accessory. If the accessory doesn't show up as a connection option, the accessory is probably no longer in connection mode. Sometimes the accessory turns off automatically after it takes too long to connect to iPhone. Try restarting the accessory and enabling connection mode.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 9

Disconnect the Bluetooth device and reconnect it. If you see the accessory name in the connection selection on iPhone but can't connect successfully, select "forgot" the accessory on iPhone to reconnect. The operation is as follows:

Open Settings on iPhone.
Select Bluetooth .
Tap the blue "i" in the circle next to the accessory's name.
Tap Forget This Device .
Touch the return button.
Restart the accessory and enable connection mode.
Select the accessory name on the iPhone to connect.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 10

Restart Bluetooth on iPhone. On the other hand, iPhone can also be the cause of your inability to connect to Bluetooth devices. Open Control Center and select the Bluetooth icon to turn Bluetooth off and then back on. If this doesn't work, try restarting your iPhone and reconnecting.

How to Connect Bluetooth Device to iPhone Picture 11

Update to the latest iOS version. If you haven't updated your iPhone operating system in a while, you need to do this to use the accessory to connect. Connect iPhone to a power source, connect to Wi-Fi, and see the iOS update guide for instructions.

Bluetooth