How to Connect a Bluetooth Speaker or Headphones to Your TV

Updated on 6/21/2023 with new pairing information.

Are you looking to connect your Bluetooth speaker or headphones to your TV? Many manufacturers now offer Bluetooth in their TVs, but Bluetooth is far from a standard feature. You will want to check your user manual for Bluetooth and verify that it can connect with speakers and headphones. Some TVs will only connect with smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

Below, you will find information on Bluetooth availability on TVs by manufacturer and, for each manufacturer, instructions on how to pair a Bluetooth audio device to a TV. (If you run into trouble pairing, consult our guide to fixing Bluetooth pairing problems.)

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Samsung TV

If your TV came with a Smart Remote, it supports Bluetooth. If you are not sure, you can also check by going to Settings > Sound > Sound Output. There you will be the option for Bluetooth Speaker List if your TV supports Bluetooth. If your TV does not have this menu setup, check your user manual.

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your LG TV

LG has been offering Bluetooth on its TVs for a few years, so check your manual to see if your TV supports it (find your LG TV manual). With your TV powered on, select Settings > All Settings > Sound Out > Use Wireless Speaker. Choose your device from the list to pair and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices). After pairing your Bluetooth speaker, you'll need to switch the audio output to Bluetooth. Go to Settings > All Settings > Sound Out > Bluetooth Device.

If you don't see the menu options outlined above, you can try the following: With your TV powered on, select Settings > Advanced Settings > Sound > Sound Out. Then select LG Sound Sync Bluetooth from the list, then select Detect. Choose your device from the list to pair and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your TCL TV

If you have TCL TV running Android TV or Google TV, use your TV remote to press the Home button and select Settings > Remote & Accessories > Add Accessory, and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

If you have an old TCL TV, consult your user manual to see if your TCL TV has Bluetooth. If it does, go to Settings > Network & connection > Bluetooth and toggle it to the “On” position. Then select “Pair new device” and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Sony TV

Sony XBR series TVs, starting in 2017, support Bluetooth. Check the model support page to confirm whether your TV supports Bluetooth. If it does, use the TV remote to go to Settings > Remote & Accessories > Bluetooth settings > Pair access (or Add device). Select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

If you don't see these menu options, use the TV remote to go to Settings > Network & Accessories (or Remotes & Accessories) > Bluetooth. Select “Add device” and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Vizio TV

Currently, only select Vizio TVs have Bluetooth capable of pairing with a Bluetooth speaker. To check your TV manual, you can use Vizio's Find Your Manual Tool. Using your TV remote, go to TV Settings > Bluetooth Headphones and then select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices). If you don't see your speaker, you may need to select the "More Devices" option.

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Hisense TV

Not all HiSense TV have Bluetooth, so be sure to consult your TV’s manual (see the HiSense Support page). If your TV does have Bluetooth, use the remote and select Menu > Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth. Then Menu > Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Pair accessory and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices). To listen to your Bluetooth speaker, go to Settings > Display & Sound > Sound > Audio Output > Bluetooth.

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Fire TV

Most Fire TVs support Bluetooth. To pair a Bluetooth speaker, go to Home > Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth Devices > Other Bluetooth Devices. Select “Add Bluetooth Devices” and select the device you want to pair (your device needs to be in pairing mode for it to appear on the list of available devices).

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your Roku TV

At this time, you can only pair Roku Wireless Speakers with a standalone Roku TV. To pair Roku Wireless speakers, use your Roku remote to press the "Home" button, then the "Back" button (left-facing arrow), and then the "Home" button again. Then plug in your Roku Wireless speakers. Your Roku TV will automatically detect the speakers, and you can follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup.

How to connect a Bluetooth device to your TV if it doesn't have Bluetooth

If your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth, you can invest in a low-latency Bluetooth transmitter, which plugs into your TV’s audio-out jack (3.5mm headphone jack, RCA jacks, USB or optical). We like the Avantree Orbit ($99.99), which can connect up to two devices simultaneously and has a display so you can see the available devices before selecting them.

Using your Bluetooth device once it is paired with your TV

Once you’ve paired a Bluetooth speaker with your TV, the audio will default to the speaker unless the speaker is off. You can always go back in through the pairing process outlined above and select your speaker to disconnect it (and it will connect the next time you turn on your TV) or forget it (and you will have to repair the speaker to use it).

[Image credit: Boy watching TV with headphones via BigStockPhoto]

For the past 20+ years, Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Ten years ago, she founded Techlicious, which serves the role of that tech-savvy friend you can count on to share tips and tricks to get the most out of technology; whether that’s saving time in our hectic schedules, discovering new ways to enjoy our personal interests, or keeping up with the latest technology trends and styles. Before that, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where she hosted the radio show “Living with Technology." Previously, she served as Technology Editor for Popular Science Magazine. She has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.

Tips & How-Tos, Music and Video, TVs & Video Players, Home Audio, Speakers