How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Apple TV

This article explains how to connect Bluetooth headphones to an Apple TV. The tips apply to Apple TV models with tvOS 9 or up and virtually all Bluetooth headphones.

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Apple TV

To connect any other type of Bluetooth headphones to Apple TV, follow these steps:

1. Turn on your Bluetooth headphones and put them in pairing mode.

   How you enter pairing mode may differ based on your headphones. Check the manual. Also make sure that your headphones have a good amount of battery life.

2. On the Apple TV, click the Settings app.

   

3. Click Remotes and Devices.

   

4. Click Bluetooth.

   

5. The Apple TV will search for wireless headphones. After a few seconds, it will list all of the ones it finds.

6. Click the headphones you want to connect to Apple TV.

   

   If your headphones require a PIN for pairing, enter that PIN now.

Why Use Apple TV With Bluetooth Headphones

Using the Apple TV with a home surround sound system is great, but sometimes you need to use your Apple TV without making noise. You may prefer to use wireless headphones with your Apple TV if you want to:

• Watch TV without disturbing others (think staying up late to watch a movie or sporting event).
• Have a more intense gaming experience that brings the game audio closer to you.
• Use an app that supports voice input and you need a microphone to speak into (this assumes your Bluetooth headphones have a mic, of course).

How to Connect AirPods to Apple TV

While they offer some really cool advanced features, technically Apple's AirPods are basically just Bluetooth headphones. That means you can connect AirPods and AirPods Pro to the Apple TV, too.

How to Unpair Bluetooth Headphones from Apple TV

Need to unpair your Bluetooth headphones from Apple TV? It's pretty simple:

1. Go to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.

2. Click the headphones you want to unpair.

   

3. Click Unpair Device.

   

   You can also choose to Disconnect Device if you want to send audio to a different speaker or headphone, but leave these headphones set up with your Apple TV.

4. On the confirmation screen, click Unpair Device again.

   

How to Quickly Switch Apple TV Audio to Bluetooth Headphones

After you've paired your wireless headphones to Apple TV, you don't want to have to go through the Settings app every time you want to switch the audio output. That's a lot of steps. Luckily, you don't have to!

Instead, go to the homescreen and press the Play/Pause button on the Siri Remote. After a few seconds, a screen pops up that lets you select the audio output. Click your wireless headphones and the Apple TV will send audio to them.