How to Connect a Speaker to Your iPhone with Bluetooth

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A beginner's guide to using a Bluetooth speaker with iPhone

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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Connecting via Bluetooth

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Troubleshooting

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

Want to play music from your iPhone to through an external Bluetooth speaker? Like other Bluetooth devices, you'll just need to pair it in your phone's settings. This guide will teach you how to connect a speaker to your iPhone with Bluetooth. We'll also show you what to do if your iPhone isn't connecting to your Bluetooth speaker.

Quick Steps

Put your speaker in Pairing Mode.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Bluetooth.
Toggle on Bluetooth.
Tap your speaker.
Wait for it to pair.

Section 1 of 2:

Connecting via Bluetooth

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1
Turn on your Bluetooth speaker. Make sure it's next to your iPhone. For Bluetooth technology to work properly, the two devices must be within range of each other.
- If your iPhone and speaker end up too far apart, you may have to reconnect them.
2
Turn on your speaker's "pairing" mode. This can usually be done by pressing a certain button. In most cases, you'll use the Bluetooth button.
- If you're unsure how to put your speaker into pairing mode, consult your speaker's manual.
- The speaker light may blink to indicate pairing mode.
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This grey app has gears on it; you'll likely find it on the Home Screen.
It's near the top of the "Settings" page.
5
Toggle on
"Bluetooth". A list of devices will load.
- If devices are already paired to your iPhone, you'll find them underneath My Devices. Otherwise, new devices will be found underneath Other Devices.
  - Your speaker will appear here. Their name will likely reflect the brand name, the model number, or a mixture of both.
6
Tap your speaker's name. Doing so will begin pairing your iPhone with your speaker. The pairing process may take up to a couple of minutes.
- Once connected, the speaker name will move up to the My Devices section and say Connected.
- If you don't see your speaker's name in the list of Bluetooth devices, disable and re-enable Bluetooth on your iPhone to reset the devices list.
- Some speakers come with a default password. If prompted to enter a password after pairing, consult the speaker's manual.
7
Play audio on your Bluetooth speaker. You can use any app with audio, such as Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.
- Any audio you listen to should play on your Bluetooth speaker, including phone calls.

Section 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting

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1
Make sure your iPhone isn't too old. iPhone 4S and more recent are equipped with Bluetooth technology; if you have an iPhone 4 (or older), it may not work.
- Likewise, attempting to use an old model of Bluetooth speaker with a newer iPhone may cause synchronization issues.
Make sure your iPhone is updated. If your iPhone isn't updated to the latest version of iOS, you may run into Bluetooth issues on newer Bluetooth speakers.
You may have turned on the speaker too late while your iPhone searched for available devices, or there might just be a bug in how they are working. Try restarting the speaker to see if this helps.
4
Restart your iPhone. Doing so may reset your phone's Bluetooth settings and make it possible to reconnect. To restart your phone:^{[1]
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- Press and hold the top volume button and Power button until you see Slide to power down.
- Slide the power icon at the top of the screen right.
- Wait for a minute.
- Press and hold the power button until you see the Apple icon.
5
Take the speaker back to the store for testing. If all else fails, bringing your iPhone and Bluetooth speaker into the store from which you purchased the speaker to have staff members look at it might fix your problem.
- If you bought your speaker online, you can usually still bring it into a retail store like Best Buy to have them take a look at it.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can the speaker play phone calls?

Community Answer

Yes, most do.

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Question

How do I disconnect an iPhone from Bluetooth speakers?

Community Answer

Go to the Bluetooth's settings and click on the "connected" device. It'll give you an option to "forget the device." Just click on that and the deed is done.

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Question

Mistakenly, I told my iPhone 6s to forget about a Bluetooth speaker. How do I get it to pair up with that speaker again?

Community Answer

You just have to put your Bluetooth speaker back in pairing mode for your phone to rediscover the speaker. Every speaker is different, so refer to the manual on how to start pairing mode.

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Tips

Be sure to buy speakers that are Bluetooth-compatible. If you are unsure, ask a store associate to help you determine whether the speakers are compatible.

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