How to Fix Bose Speaker Not Connecting

There are several common reasons why your Bose speaker might not be connecting, including a low battery, Bluetooth issues, a bug or glitch, issues with the Bose Connect app, or problems with your audio source. 

My name is Donovan, and I’m a musician, producer, and all-around audio enthusiast. I’ve used many different types of speakers over the years and have plenty of experience troubleshooting issues with Bose models. 

This post will take a look at a number of reasons why your Bose speaker is not connecting. I’ll also provide a fix for each of these to help you get your speaker working correctly. The information will mainly apply to Bose wireless speakers. 

Let’s get after it. 

Key Takeaways

• It’s always a good idea to start with minor potential fixes, such as restarting your speaker or ensuring you have a Bluetooth connection, before assuming something is very wrong with your Bose speaker. 
• A common reason for a Bose speaker not to connect is that your audio source (phone, computer, etc.) is connected to another device via Bluetooth. You need to disconnect from that other device to enable your speaker to connect. 
• If you are using the Bose Connect app to connect your speaker, you might need to update the app or your phone to get things to work properly. 
• Always ensure you have enough battery charge for your Bose speaker to work properly. I might have issues connecting when the battery gets severely low. 

9 Reasons Why Bose Speaker Not Connecting 

I’ll give you a number of potential reasons why your Bose speaker is not connecting in this section. If you are experiencing this problem, you should run through the troubleshooting tips in numerical order to help speed up the process. 

I wrote the post this way to help you prevent my own mistakes I’ve made dealing with connection issues in the past. I once assumed that my speaker was completely broken when all I needed to do was reset it. 

I spent a half hour on hold with customer service and got very frustrated with the fact that my nearly brand-new speaker was faulty. And as soon as I talked to a rep, they told me to reset the speaker, and everything worked fine. I felt dumb. But at least the problem was solved. 

Keep that little story in mind if you are struggling with the same or a similar issue. Start with the small things before complaining to customer service. There’s a good chance you can get things fixed pretty quickly. 

Reason #1: Bug or Glitch with Speaker or Source Device

The first thing to always check for when you have connection issues with your Bose speaker is a bug or a glitch. Well, you can’t always exactly check for this, but you can rule out the possibility that this is the problem. 

Bugs and glitches happen with all of our electronic devices and can cause a range of issues, from major to minor. Sometimes they have an explanation – like if you need to update software. Other times, there’s not really an explanation at all. 

This can be a frustrating issue if you aren’t familiar with it because there is no obvious explanation of what’s going on. Luckily, the fix for this one is simple and will typically get your speaker up and running again in seconds. 

Remember that you can have a bug with your speaker and/or source device, like your phone, tablet, or computer. So even if you do the fix below for one, you still might need to do it for the other. 

How to Fix It: 

A quick reset of your Bose speaker and/or phone should iron out any bugs or glitches that are happening and causing connection issues. The exact resetting process will differ for various speakers and source device models. 

Many Bose wireless speakers can be reset by holding down the power button for about ten seconds until the speaker cycles through a reset and turns back on. Some other models require you to hold down the play and volume up buttons at the safe time until it’s reset. 

Refer to your user’s manual for specific instructions on resetting your speaker if neither of those methods works. 

Most smartphones can be reset similarly – by holding down one or several buttons simultaneously until it resets. A quick online search of your phone or tablet should give you exact reset instructions. 

Once the reset is completed, attempt to connect again. If that didn’t work, continue with the other reasons and fixes below. 

Reason #2: Bluetooth Connection Issues

Bluetooth connection issues are another likely culprit for having problems with your Bose speaker. There are a few possible ways to explore this problem, and they all have to do with how your speaker connects to your source device through Bluetooth. 

Your Bluetooth feature might be turned off on your phone, or you may not have pressed the pairing button on your speaker. That sounds simple, but it can be easy to overlook, and you won’t be able to connect. 

Your speaker or phone also might be connecting to another Bluetooth-enabled device, and you don’t realize it. If you’ve used a different phone or speaker, they might automatically connect when trying to set up your Bose speaker. 

How to Fix It: 

Start by ensuring you have Bluetooth turned on on your phone, tablet, computer, or other source device. Then make sure you press the pairing button on your Bose speaker to make it discoverable. 

If that doesn’t do the trick, look at the Bluetooth settings on your source device to see what it’s connected to. If you see another Bluetooth device connected, disconnect that one and attempt to connect with your Bose speaker. 

You can also turn off Bluetooth on other Bluetooth-enabled devices near your speaker to rule that out. Only leave Bluetooth on with the device you want to connect to your speaker.  

Reason #3: Low or Dead Battery

If your Bose speaker has a low or dead battery, it will also lead to connection issues. This is another obvious one, but it’s on the list because even if the battery is just super low and not completely dead, you might not be able to establish a connection. 

The same goes for your audio source device, like your phone or computer. If you are running on reserve battery or in low-power mode, your Bluetooth or wireless features might be turned off, which will lead to connection problems. 

How to Fix It: 

Plug in your speaker or source device to fix this issue. It might take a minute or two to charge up enough to establish a connection if it’s completely dead. Leave it plugged in while you troubleshoot.

Even if the battery isn’t the issue, you won’t be able to deal with other potential fixes if the speaker or your source device can’t power on. 

Reason #4: Speaker Out of Range

Wireless speakers have a limited range. This is easy to forget if you keep your phone in your pocket and walk outside or into another part of your house. And your speaker will likely cut in and out or stop working altogether when the two get too far away. 

This can also happen if you use a portable Bose speaker and move it to a different location while your source device stays put. It’s the same issue, just a separate order of operations. 

How to Fix It: 

This one has another straightforward and obvious fix – get your speaker and source device within range of one another. Most Bluetooth devices have an average range of about 30 meters, but that’s assuming there are no walls or furniture in the way. 

If you always keep your speaker and source device in the same room, you shouldn’t need to worry about this issue. 

Reason #5: Bose Connect App Issues

Many of you reading this might use the Bose Connect or Bose Music app to manage your speaker and connect it to other devices. These apps can experience technical issues that can prevent your speaker from connecting. 

This can occur if you haven’t updated the app or phone in a while. And it can also happen when there’s a bug or glitch in the app itself. You might experience a stuck screen or poor performance within Bose Connect. 

How to Fix It: 

To start, close out of the app and open it again. This might iron out a bug or glitch within the app itself. You can also try restarting your phone or other device you have the app on for the same reason. 

After that, check for any available updates for the Bose Connect app and make sure you are running the most current version to avoid connection issues or anything else. 

Reason #6: Software Update Needed

Like running an outdated version of the Bose Connect or Music app, you might encounter connection issues if your audio source device isn’t up-to-date. This can happen on a phone, tablet, or computer, regardless of brand or model. 

How to Fix It:

Updating your software is the quick fix to this one. You can check if you need an update through the general settings on your phone or computer. Download and install the update if one is available. 

You can also set up automatic updates on many devices, so you don’t need to download and install them manually. Your phone or computer will automatically keep things updated when a new version becomes available.   

Reason #7: Bluetooth Device Saved Entries Issue

This reason isn’t very common, but it does occur. It’s worth checking out if you’ve made it this far and still don’t have your Bose speaker working properly. It’s an issue related to the saved Bluetooth entries on your phone or computer. 

If your phone or computer saves your Bose speaker multiple times, it sometimes gets confused and won’t connect to any of them. That might sound like a weird issue because electronics don’t actually get confused, but it generally describes what happens here. 

How to Fix It: 

Navigate to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and computer. You should see your Bose speaker listed as one of the available devices if it’s turned on and you are trying to connect. Even if it’s not on, it should show up if you’ve connected it before. 

If you see multiple saved entries of your speaker, you need to get rid of all the duplicates. Tap, select, or slide the duplicate entry and then choose the option to delete or forget the device. 

The exact method you follow for deleting the duplicate entry will depend on what type of source device you have. But it should be simple to figure out, regardless of what phone or computer you have. 

If that doesn’t work, forget the saved speaker altogether – meaning delete any of the Bose speaker devices you have saved. Then put your speaker back into pairing mode and try to reconnect to see if that fixes things. 

Reason #8: Bad Cable (If Using Wired Bose Speaker Only)

This reason only applies to anyone using a wired Bose speaker. If you use a wireless model, you don’t have any cords or cables to worry about. But the cord can get broken or damaged if you have a wired model. 

Sometimes you can visibly see the damage on the cable. If you notice any exposed wiring or see bent or broken components, it’s a good sign that you’re dealing with a bad cable. But you might not see anything to indicate this, and it will still be bad. 

How to Fix It: 

You’ll need to get a new cable to fix the issue. You can buy one online or at your local electronics store. Or, if you have a replacement cable sitting around the house, switch it out with the suspected bad one to see if that fixes the problem. 

Reason #9: Broken or Damaged Speaker

If you’ve made it to this section of the post and your speaker still isn’t connecting, I have some bad news. You might be dealing with a broken or damaged speaker. This is far from the most common reason, but it does happen from time to time. 

If you recently dropped your speaker or it got wet and wasn’t a waterproof model, it’s safe to suspect that serious damage has occurred. But sometimes speakers go bad without warning or reason as well. 

How to Fix It: 

There isn’t much you can do on your end to repair a broken speaker. Your best bet is to contact Bose customer service to see if your speaker is under warranty. You might be able to get a free replacement if it is. 

If you don’t have a warranty, you’ll need to purchase a new speaker if you want it replaced. If you have any small electronics repair experience, you can attempt to take the speaker apart to assess the problem. But know that will void any existing warranty. 

FAQs

Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to the reasons why a Bose speaker is not connecting. 

Why is my Bose speaker suddenly not working? 

The most common reasons for your Bose speaker to suddenly stop working is because the speaker lost its Bluetooth or wireless connection or the battery died. You might need to re-pair with your audio source or plug in your speaker to charge. 

Why is Bluetooth not connecting to Bose? 

If you are having issues with your Bluetooth connection on your Bose speaker, attempt to reset the speaker to see if that fixes things. You should also check the Bluetooth settings on your source device to ensure that it’s not connecting to other devices instead of your speaker. 

How do I reset my Bose speaker? 

Most Bose speakers can be reset by pressing and holding the power button for about ten seconds until the speaker cycles through a reset and comes back on. Some models require you to hold the power button and volume up simultaneously to reset. 

Are Bose speakers guaranteed for life? 

Bose speakers are not guaranteed for life. Most models come with a five-year limited warranty that covers many manufacturer’s issues and other problems you have. But if you damage the speaker or it’s older than that, you probably can’t get a replacement for free. 

Can my Bose speaker be fixed? 

If you are having issues with your Bose speaker, run through all the troubleshooting tips here to see if that helps. If it seems like your speaker is broken or damaged, you likely can’t fix it and will need a replacement. It might be under warranty if you’ve had it for less than five years. 

Final Thoughts

There is typically a simple solution when your Bose speaker is not connecting. Run through all the reasons and fixes on this list to see if you can figure things out quickly. There’s a good chance it’s something simple that can be fixed in minutes. 

A speaker can break or go bad without any warning. This doesn’t happen often, but if none of the fixes in this post helped, you might have a faulty product. Talk to Bose customer service before just getting rid of your speaker and buying a new one. 

Have you ever had connection issues with your Bose speaker? How did you fix it? Let me know in the comments below.