How to pair Bluetooth on Android and iPhone

Want to use a Bluetooth accessory, such as headphones, a speaker or a fitness band, with an Android phone or an iPhone? Pair it, unpair it later, and learn what to try if it does not appear.

What you need

• The phone, with its Bluetooth switched on.
• The accessory, charged and within a few feet of the phone. Keeping it close helps pairing work.
• The way to start pairing mode (also called discovery mode): check the accessory's manual or the maker's support page. Often you hold the power or Bluetooth button until a light blinks. For the idea behind it, see how Bluetooth pairing works.

Pair on an Android phone

Menu names vary by maker (Google Pixel, Samsung and others) and by Android version. If you cannot find an item, open Settings and type Bluetooth in the search box at the top.

1. Put the accessory in pairing mode and check that its light is blinking.
2. Swipe down from the top of the screen. Touch and hold the Bluetooth icon. This opens the Bluetooth settings.
3. Tap Pair new device. If you do not see it, look under Available devices, or tap More and then Refresh.
4. Tap the accessory's name in the list.
5. Follow any prompt on the screen. If you are asked for a passcode and you do not have one, check the accessory's manual. Google's help page suggests 0000 or 1234 as common codes on older devices.

Another route on many phones is Settings then Connected devices then Pair new device. On Samsung and some other phones the item may have a different name, for example under Connections, so use the search box in Settings. The accessory then appears under your saved or connected devices.

Pair on an iPhone

1. Put the accessory in pairing (discovery) mode.
2. Open Settings then Bluetooth, and make sure Bluetooth is on.
3. Look under My Devices for the accessory. Tap its name when it appears.
4. If you are asked for a PIN or passcode, enter it. The accessory's manual lists it.
5. Check the list. The accessory is shown as Connected.

If you pair several Bluetooth devices, you can choose which one plays audio from the audio controls on the phone.

Check that it worked

• Play a song or video and listen on the accessory.
• Make sure you hear sound only from the accessory, not from the phone's speaker.
• For a watch or band, open its app and check that it shows as connected.

After pairing once, the phone remembers the device. Switch the accessory on, and it should reconnect by itself.

Unpair (forget) a device

Android

1. Open Settings, tap Connected devices, then tap Saved devices. If you do not see Saved devices, tap Bluetooth instead.
2. Next to the device name, tap the gear icon, then tap Forget, then Forget device. Disconnect only ends the current connection, and the device stays paired.

iPhone

1. Open Settings then Bluetooth.
2. Tap the More Info (i) button next to the device.
3. Tap Forget This Device. Apple says this also removes the device from other devices signed in to your Apple Account. You can pair it again later.

If it does not appear or will not connect

1. Check the accessory is charged, and switch it off and on. Put it in pairing mode again.
2. Move it closer to the phone. Walls and your body can weaken the signal.
3. If it was used with another phone or computer, turn Bluetooth off there, or unpair it there.
4. If it worked before, forget it on the phone, put it in pairing mode, and pair it again.
5. Restart the phone and try once more.

If it still fails, see Bluetooth won't pair or connect. To pair with a car, see how to connect your phone to a car.

Frequently asked questions