Easily Pair Bluetooth Headphones with a Fire TV for Private Listening

Since the debut of Amazon's Fire TV players in 2014, I've been an avid user. Among the features I'm a fan of was the introduction of Bluetooth headphone compatibility with its flagship Fire TV box in 2016. Now, this feature is a staple across all current Fire TV models, which makes using Bluetooth headphones for TV listening a breeze for Fire TV owners.

Pairing Bluetooth headphones with any Fire TV player is straightforward. If you own an Alexa Voice Remote, the process becomes even smoother with Alexa’s assistance. And for those with the Alexa Voice Remote Pro, you'll find a dedicated headphone button that simplifies access further.

Let's dive into how you can effortlessly connect your Bluetooth headphones to your Fire TV player.

Pairing Bluetooth Headphones with Fire TV

Connecting to your Fire TV

1. From your Fire TV home screen, navigate to the Settings menu.
2. Choose Controllers and Bluetooth Devices, then select Other Devices.
3. Click on Add Bluetooth Devices (if you have previously paired other headphones or Bluetooth speakers, you’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the list to find the Add Device option). This puts your Fire TV in discovery mode, where it can find other Bluetooth devices.
4. Now, put your Bluetooth headphones in pairing mode. Refer to your headphones manual if you don’t know how.
5. Once your headphones appear on the Fire TV screen, select them to complete the pairing process.

For Alexa Voice Remote Pro or Voice Remote owners

1. Press the headphone button on your Voice Remote Pro or press the Alexa button on your Voice Remote and say, “Pair Bluetooth headphones.”
2. Click on Add Device (if you have previously paired other headphones or Bluetooth speakers, you’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the list to find the Add Device option). This puts your Fire TV in discovery mode, where it can find other Bluetooth devices.
3. Now, put your Bluetooth headphones in pairing mode. Refer to your headphone's manual if you're unsure how to do this.
4. Once your headphones appear on the Fire TV screen, select them to complete the pairing process.

After the initial pairing, your Fire TV should automatically connect to your headphones when turned on and in range. If you have multiple Bluetooth devices, Fire TV will try to connect to the most recently used device. If your headphones don’t automatically connect, you can reconnect manually by following the instructions below.

Reconnecting Bluetooth headphones

1. From your Fire TV home screen, navigate to the Settings menu.
2. Choose Controllers and Bluetooth Devices, then select Other Devices.
3. Select your headphones from the list.

For Alexa Voice Remote Pro owners

1. Press the headphone button on your remote or press the Alexa button on your Voice Remote and say, “Pair Bluetooth headphones.”.
2. Select your headphones from the list.

Troubleshooting common Bluetooth connection issues

It’s not uncommon to run into issues when pairing Bluetooth headphones. Here are a few tips to solve common problems.

Headphones won’t pair

1. Restart your Fire TV player: A simple reboot can sometimes resolve pairing issues.
2. Re-pair your Bluetooth headphones: Turn off your headphones, then go through the pairing instructions above. When you see your headphones, select them and choose to forget them. Put your headphones back in pair mode and follow the pairing instructions above.
3. Reset your Bluetooth headphones: If that re-pairing doesn't work, consult your headphone's user manual to reset them. Resetting will clear all connections on your headphones, so try re-paring first.

Lip sync or audio lag

1. Restart both devices: This often helps to resynchronize the audio.
2. Check for obstructions: Ensure no physical barriers exist between your Fire TV device and the headphones.
3. Check for Fire TV firmware updates: Updating could solve the problem if your Fire TV’s firmware is outdated.

Final Thoughts

Pairing Bluetooth headphones with your Fire TV is a simple process. By following these steps and tips, you can enjoy your favorite content in a new way – privately, comfortably, and with superb sound quality.

[Image credit: Suzanne Kantra/Techlicious]

For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.

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