How to Connect Wireless Bluetooth Headphones?
Switching from wired to wireless headphones offers so many benefits that it's hard for many of us to think of moving back to using headphones with a cable.
The freedom to enjoy music, calls and content without the restriction of a cable makes everyday life just that little bit easier.
Whether it be a smartphone, television, PC, or gaming console, wireless headphones can connect to a number of different devices; most devices now use Bluetooth technology to connect to each other wirelessly over short distances using radio transmissions. Wireless models with Bluetooth, such as the Panasonic S500W true wireless earbuds, generally let you connect to multiple devices simultaneously, although you can only play sound from one source at a time.
While the process of connecting your wireless Bluetooth headphones is relatively simple, it can vary between devices and manufacturers. To help you make the most of your headphones, we’ve put together a simple, all-purpose guide summarising how to pair wireless Bluetooth headphones to the most common devices.
How to connect wireless headphones to a TV
Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth on your TV
The first step is to ensure that your TV supports Bluetooth – if it doesn’t, a Bluetooth audio transmitter can be used, which can be connected to the headphone jack of the TV using a 3.5mm jack plug. Most Panasonic TVs, such as the TX-65HZ1000B Ultra HD OLED TV, support Bluetooth.
To initiate pairing, press the menu button on the remote control to select the "Setup" function and then ‘Bluetooth Setup’. In the following menu, select ‘Devices’.
Step 2: Enable pairing mode of the headphones
For the Bluetooth headphones to be detected by the TV, pairing mode must be enabled. To do this, all you need to generally do is hold down the headphone’s power button for a few seconds. Remember to always ensure that the headphones and TV are in close proximity, as Bluetooth signals cannot usually bridge distances that exceed 9 meters.
Step 3: Initiate pairing
Select the name of the headphones, which should now appear in the TV's device list, and confirm by clicking ‘OK’. After successful pairing, the device list and the name of the headphones with the status "Connected" are displayed.
Most Panasonic TVs also offer the ability to transfer the sound to multiple devices at the same time. For this purpose, the ‘Audio Output’ button should be selected from the ‘Setup’ – ‘Bluetooth Setup’ and ‘Bluetooth Audio Settings’ menus. In the menu, you can now select whether the sound should run in parallel via the TV boxes or an external sound system in addition to the Bluetooth headphones. If these options are selected, the volume of the Bluetooth headphones can no longer be changed by the TV, but only by the volume controls of the headphones.
How to connect wireless headphones to a computer or laptop
Step 1: Enable Bluetooth on your computer or laptop
As a first step, Bluetooth should be enabled on your PC or laptop. This may vary slightly depending on which operating system and version you are running. However generally speaking, on newer laptops and PCs it’s a simple case of typing ‘add Bluetooth device’ in the search bar on the bottom left hand side of your screen and then click on the ‘Bluetooth and other devices’ result. In the menu, the ‘Bluetooth’ button must be set to ‘On’.
Step 2: Enable pairing mode of the headphones
As a second step, the headphones must be put into pairing mode. For most models, it is enough to hold down the power button for a few seconds. After the headphones have been put into pairing mode, make sure you keep the headphones and PC or laptop in close proximity.
Step 3: Initiate pairing
Above the ‘Bluetooth’ button is another button labelled ‘Add Bluetooth or other device’ that should be clicked. This shows 3 options: ‘Bluetooth’, ‘Wireless Display or Docking Station’ and ‘Everything else’. ‘Bluetooth’ should be selected here. A selection of all activated Bluetooth devices appears in the vicinity. Select the name of your headphones. Pairing should be completed after a few seconds and the headphones can be used. When the headphones are disconnected from the PC or laptop, they automatically reconnect to the device as soon as they are turned on and within range.
How to connect wireless headphones to an Android smartphone
Step 1: Initiate pairing mode on your smartphone
Activation of Bluetooth may vary depending on Android version and manufacturer. In most cases, you can access the Bluetooth menu via ‘Settings’ – ‘Connected Devices’ and ‘Connection Settings’. Here Bluetooth should be activated and then ‘pairing’ should be pressed.
Step 2: Enable pairing mode of the headphones
The smartphone now scans the surrounding area for Bluetooth devices. In order to be located, the headphones must be put into pairing mode. For most models, all you need to do is hold down the power button for a few seconds to enter pair mode. Additionally, remember to always keep the headphones and smartphone in close proximity to ensure the devices can connect.
Step 3: Initiate pairing
The final step is to select the name of your headphones that should now have appeared in the list. Once the pairing process is successfully completed, the name of the headphones will be found in the Bluetooth menu.
How to connect wireless headphones to an iOS smartphone
Step 1: Initiate pairing mode on your smartphone
Activation of Bluetooth may vary depending on the iOS version. In most cases, you can access the Bluetooth menu via ‘Settings’ and ‘Privacy’. Here, Bluetooth should be activated and then ‘pairing’ should be pressed, whereby the smartphone scans the surrounding area for Bluetooth devices.
Step 2: Enable pairing mode of the headphones
In order for the smartphone to recognise the headphones, they must be put into pairing mode. For most models, it's enough to just hold down the power button for a few seconds. Remember to keep the smartphone and headphones in close proximity.
Step 3: Initiate pairing
Now the name of the headphones should appear in the list to select. Once the pairing process is successfully completed, the name of the headphones will be found in the Bluetooth menu.
There you have it, our simple guide to connecting headphones. If you want to keep your headphones in top condition and make the most of them for years to come, visit our guide on how to care for your earphones.
