How to Set up and Use Bose Frames

Headphones aren’t appropriate for all situations, which is why the new Bose Frames sunglasses headphones are so intriguing. The Frames pack speakers into the stems of standard looking sunglasses and direct sound into a person’s ears—silent to others around.

The sunglasses with speakers connect to a phone over Bluetooth and use the Bose music app to control the settings on the Bose glasses.

What You Need to Know About Bose Frames

If the concept of sunglasses with speakers is still a little foreign, don’t worry. They function like standard Bluetooth headphones and will connect in a similar fashion to Android and iOS devices. They can even take calls.

There are two different sizes and styles of the Bose Frames. The more classic looking sunglasses called Rondo are the larger of the two, while the Alto has the smaller fit; both are unisex.

Each of the styles comes with a proprietary charging cable and a semi-hardshell case to protect the glasses.

The sunglasses are rated to have a battery capable of 3.5 hours of streaming music playback. In testing, the battery is long enough for most activities.

Setting up Bose Audio Sunglasses

Out of the box, the Bose Frames should come with some battery life remaining, but it's recommended to charge them prior to use and setup.

Beyond that, there's really no set up. The instructions in the box contain only two steps: Download the Bose Connect app and then push the only button on the glasses.

Setting up the Bose Connect app

The Frames connect through the Bose Connect app in the same way any of its speakers or headphones do.

Download the Bose Connect app from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store.
Turn on your Frames by pressing the single button on the right stem.
Keep the Frames close to your mobile device with the Bose Connect app open and you should see them appear on the screen shortly.
Once displayed, you’ll likely need to download the latest firmware as the first step. Having the latest firmware will make sure the glasses are able to full take advantage of all app capabilities.

If you don’t see the Frames appear, Bose recommends closing the Bose Connect app on other devices.

Using Bose Frames

Once you’ve set up your Frames and connected them to the Bose Connect app, you’ll be able to control their settings and take advantage of their augmented reality capabilities through other third-party apps.

While Bose AR is mentioned in the Connect app, all the functionality of AR through the Frames takes place in the third-party apps.

There are also options to see battery life, and change settings associated with the frames, but once the glasses are updated, you won’t need to use the app to perform normal headphone functions.

The Bose glasses, despite the unique appearance, are really just headphones. They work with the same music streaming apps as any other listening device. Now, instead of carrying both sunglasses and headphones, you just need one.