I recently had a problem: my iPhone couldn’t find my Bose Bluetooth speaker!
This made me feel bad because I use it to make calls and listen to music. I wanted to play my favorite song through the speaker one time, but my phone couldn’t find it. To find out what was wrong, I began my “detective work.”
Steps to Troubleshoot the Issue
- Check the Distance Between Devices
First, I measured how far away my iPhone and Bose speaker were from each other. When I used it last, in the living room, the signal was weak because a wall was in the way of the connection. I learned my lesson this time and moved the speaker right next to my phone to make sure they were in Bluetooth’s “line of sight.” - Check the Speaker’s Status
After that, I checked on the speaker. It was fully charged and turned on, so I knew it was safe. The speaker once wouldn’t work at all, and I found out later that it was dead. I made sure everything was ready this time by checking it twice. - Restart the Speaker
The next thing I did was turn the Bose speaker back on. These gadgets can be moody from time to time, like my computer, which needs to be restarted every so often to work right. I pressed and let go of the power button for a few seconds. The speaker “woke up” as if it had just woken up from a nap. - Update iPhone Software
I also made sure that the software on my iPhone was the latest version. Updates from Apple that fix bugs come out all the time. I checked to see if the system was updated by going to settings. That made me feel better—at least the software wasn’t the problem.
How to Put Bose Bluetooth Speaker in Pairing Mode
First, I have to put the Bose speaker into pairing mode so that my iPhone can see it. It’s really easy, but it might seem hard if you’ve never done it before. It took me a long time to figure it out the first time I tried. To connect, press and hold a speaker button, like the power or Bluetooth button, for a few seconds. The Bluetooth light will then start flashing. That means it’s ready to pair, and you can use your phone to look for it and connect.
Why Won’t My Bose Speaker Connect to My Phone?
- Too Many Previously Connected Devices
Bose speakers remember recently connected devices so that they can be quickly reconnected, but if the memory is full or there are bugs, it might not work. I tried to connect my speaker one time, but it wouldn’t work. It had saved too many old devices, it turned out. It worked the second time I cleared its memory, which is like getting rid of useless files on a computer.
Tips for Connecting iPhone to Bose Speakers
- Ensure Bluetooth is On
Make sure that your iPhone’s Bluetooth is turned on again. I once wasted time trying to fix a problem only to find that I had turned off Bluetooth by accident. I now always check first. - Forget Unnecessary Devices
Having too many saved Bluetooth devices on your iPhone can be confusing. I had this problem before, but it went away after I “forgot” about old devices, like getting rid of contacts I wasn’t using. - Update Software
Bluetooth bugs are often fixed in iOS updates. Once, a bug in the system made it hard to connect, but an update fixed the problem. Now, I check for updates often. - Reset Network Settings
Resetting the network settings can be helpful sometimes. I did this once after reading about it online, and it worked like magic!
How to Enter Pairing Mode and Reset Bluetooth
- Enter Pairing Mode
Hold down a button on a Bose speaker until the Bluetooth light flashes to enter pairing mode. When I was at a friend’s house, my iPhone couldn’t find their speaker until I realized that pairing mode wasn’t turned on. It was fixed with a quick button press! - Reset Bluetooth
If the speaker is acting up, try starting over. When my speaker wouldn’t connect one time, I did these things:
- The battery light should show that it is charged when you hold down the reset button.
- Held on until the Bluetooth light flashed blue, which meant the reset was complete. Then my phone found it right away!
If your phone is having trouble connecting, make sure that both devices have Bluetooth turned on. I once couldn’t connect outside and found that the Bluetooth on my phone was turned off. Make sure that both devices have Bluetooth profiles that work with each other. Once, problems happened because profiles didn’t match. Switching profiles fixed it!
How to Connect Bose Speakers to Apps and Fix “No Sound”
- Using the App
Bose has an app that you can use to make settings and changes. I found the app when I wanted to change the sound one time. It’s easy to set up the speaker—just pair it in the app. - Connected but No Sound
If the speaker connects but stays silent, try turning it off and on again. When I restarted my phone, the sound came back like magic!
How to Fix a Speaker That Won’t Work: 9 Steps
- Check the Mute Switch
To begin, I looked at the phone’s mute button on the side. I once turned it over by accident and it didn’t make any noise all day. This time, I made sure it wasn’t on, but luckily that wasn’t the problem.
(Storytime: I almost missed an important message because my phone went silent during a meeting because I hit the mute button.) - Adjust the Volume
Next, I looked at the volume. I set it to the lowest level by accident sometimes. When I pressed the volume buttons, I saw that it wasn’t all the way up, so I lowered it to a level that I liked.
(Storytime: I tried to listen to music on the bus but saw that the volume was too low. I thought my headphones were broken!) - Restart Your iPhone
When things go wrong, sometimes all you need to do is restart your iPhone. I pressed and held the power button on my phone, turned it back on, and crossed my fingers.
(Storytime: One time, my phone got frozen, and until I restarted it, nothing would work. Fixed the issue!) - Disconnect Bluetooth Devices
I looked to see if any Bluetooth devices were linked. I forgot to turn off my Bluetooth headphones one time, and my phone’s speaker didn’t work. I turned off Bluetooth this time, but there was still no sound.
(Storytime: I was watching TV at home when my phone rang. The sound went to my Bluetooth headphones, though. I missed some of the show!) - Clean the Speaker
I used a soft brush to gently clean the speaker. Dust can sometimes get in the way of the speaker and make it hard to hear. It didn’t work after I cleaned it.
(Storytime: After a day at the beach, sand got into my speaker, and it took a long time to clean it out.) - Update iOS
I went to Settings and looked for iOS updates. Updates can sometimes fix problems with compatibility. My system is up to date, but there is still no sound.
(Storytime: There was a time when my phone wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi. An update fixed the problem.) - Reset All Settings
I chose to clear all settings in Settings. It doesn’t delete any data, but it does return to the original settings. Maybe I changed something by accident? I reset it, but there is still no sound.
(Storytime: The brightness control on my phone stopped working once, but resetting the settings fixed it.) - Try Headphones
I put headphones in to see if the problem was with the speaker or the sound coming out of the phone. Since the headphones worked, the speaker was broken.
(Storytime: When I was in the library, my speaker didn’t work, so I had to use headphones.) - If Everything Else Fails
It’s possible that the hardware is broken, and I’d need help from a professional. I let out a sigh and chose to go to a repair shop the next day.
(Storytime: I dropped my phone once, and the screen broke. That thing had to be fixed at a shop.)
I had to put my iPhone in pairing mode for it to show up with my Bose speaker. It’s easy; just turn on Bluetooth in Settings. This is how I linked to a friend’s Bluetooth speaker one time.
Why did my iPhone stop recognizing my Bose speaker all of a sudden? I looked it up and found that I needed to delete all devices that were connected before, even ones that were marked as LE (Low Energy), and then reconnect them. That’s how I fixed it before; let’s hope it works now.
How to Make Bluetooth Devices Discoverable
Finally, I did these things to make sure that other devices could find my Bluetooth devices:
- To get to Control Center, swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Tap the Bluetooth icon for a long time.
- Click on “Pair New Device.”
- If you see a list of devices, tap the name of the one you want to pair.
- To finish pairing, follow the steps shown on the screen.
(Storytime: These are the steps I used to connect my Bluetooth headphones to my new phone. It was really simple!)
In the end, fixing tech problems can be annoying, but most of them can be fixed with time and the right steps. Try these tips if you’re having trouble!
