To connect your phone to a Bose speaker, turn on the speaker and put it into pairing mode by holding its Bluetooth button until the light blinks blue. Then, open your phone’s Bluetooth settings and select the Bose speaker from the list; when the connection is complete, you will hear a confirmation tone and the Bluetooth light will stay solid blue.
How to connect your phone to a Bose speaker via Bluetooth: The universal method
This is the standard way to connect any phone to a Bose speaker, regardless of model. The process relies on your phone’s system settings and the speaker’s built-in Bluetooth.
- Turn on the Bose speaker.
- Put the speaker into pairing mode by pressing and holding its Bluetooth button until the light starts blinking blue.
- On your phone, open the Bluetooth settings and make sure Bluetooth is enabled.
- Select your Bose speaker from the list of available or previously paired devices.
- When the connection completes, the speaker will play a confirmation tone and the Bluetooth light will stop blinking and stay solid blue.
Connecting from an iPhone
iPhone users follow a specific path to reach the Bluetooth settings. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and ensure Bluetooth is toggled on.
Connecting from an Android phone
Android phones offer a couple of routes to the same Bluetooth menu. You can swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings and tap the Bluetooth icon, then select the speaker. Alternatively, navigate to Settings > Connections > Bluetooth or, on some models, Settings > Connected devices > Bluetooth. Tap the Bose speaker name in the device list to pair.
Using NFC to connect your phone and Bose speaker
Near Field Communication (NFC) offers a faster, tap-to-connect method, but it requires both your phone and Bose speaker to support it. Bose documents NFC on models such as the SoundLink Color II and SoundLink Revolve / Revolve Plus II. If your phone does not support Bluetooth pairing over NFC, use the standard Bluetooth method instead. Bose also notes that if the phone does not support Bluetooth pairing over NFC, you should use normal Bluetooth pairing instead. Bose's NFC instructions say to consult the phone's owner's guide if you are not sure whether the phone supports NFC.
- Power on the Bose speaker.
- On your phone, turn on both Bluetooth and NFC.
- Unlock your phone, most devices need to be unlocked for NFC to work.
- Tap your phone’s NFC touchpoint to the NFC touchpoint on the speaker. Depending on the model, this is on the top of the speaker or the top center / Bose logo area.
- Your phone may prompt you to accept the pairing; follow the on-screen instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do iPhones connect differently from Android phones?
Yes. Bose documents going to Settings > Bluetooth for iPhone, while Android steps include using Quick Settings > Bluetooth or Settings > Connections > Bluetooth. The underlying Bluetooth pairing process is the same, but the menu paths differ.
Do all Bose speakers support NFC?
No. NFC support is model-dependent on both the phone and the speaker. Bose only documents NFC on specific models like the SoundLink Color II and SoundLink Revolve / Revolve Plus II. Check your speaker’s documentation or the phone’s owner’s guide to confirm NFC capability.
Do I need the Bose app for a basic Bluetooth connection?
No. The Bose Connect app is available for iOS and Android devices, but the retrieved Bose page only states that it works with specific compatible Bose products; the full product list is not shown in the retrieved snippet. It is not required for basic Bluetooth pairing. You can connect directly through your phone’s system settings using the steps above.
Is there a way to connect using an audio cable?
For the models covered, the documented phone connection methods are Bluetooth and, on some models, NFC.
For the wider topic, see connecting Bluetooth to phones.
