How to Connect Beats to iPhone

Posted By: technowifi

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Pair Beats With W1, H1, or H2 Chip

Most Beats released after 2016 have an Apple wireless chip (W1, H1, or H2) that makes pairing with iPhone almost instant. This applies to Beats Solo 4, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds+, Powerbeats Pro 2, and several older models.

  1. Make sure Bluetooth is on (Settings, then Bluetooth).
  2. Hold your Beats near your iPhone (within a few inches).
  3. Turn on the Beats and put them in pairing mode. For headphones, press and hold the power button for about a second. For earbuds, open the charging case lid near your iPhone.
  4. A pairing card pops up on your iPhone screen showing the Beats model and a “Connect” button.
  5. Tap “Connect.”
  6. Your Beats are paired. They also pair automatically with every other Apple device signed into the same Apple ID – your iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

This one-tap pairing only works with iPhones running iOS 10 or later. If the popup doesn’t appear, use the standard Bluetooth pairing method below.

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Pair Beats via Standard Bluetooth

This method works for all Beats models, including older ones without an Apple chip.

  1. On your iPhone, go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and make sure Bluetooth is on.
  2. Put your Beats into pairing mode:
Beats Model How to Enter Pairing Mode
Solo 4 / Solo 3 / Solo Pro Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds until the LED flashes
Studio Pro / Studio 3 Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds until the LED flashes
Beats Fit Pro Place earbuds in case, open lid, press and hold the case button until the LED flashes white
Studio Buds / Studio Buds+ Place earbuds in case, open lid, press and hold the case button until the LED flashes
Powerbeats Pro 2 / Powerbeats Pro Place earbuds in case, open lid, press and hold the case button until the LED flashes white
Powerbeats / Powerbeats 3 Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds until the LED flashes
Beats Flex Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds until the LED flashes
  1. Your Beats appear in the “Other Devices” section of the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the name of your Beats to connect.
  3. The status changes to “Connected.”

Switch Beats Between Apple Devices

Beats with an Apple chip (W1/H1/H2) automatically appear in the audio output menu of any Apple device signed into the same Apple ID. You don’t need to pair them separately with each device.

On iPhone/iPad: Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner), long-press the audio playback card, and tap the AirPlay icon. Select your Beats from the list.

On Mac: Click the Sound icon in the menu bar and select your Beats.

Beats with the H1 or H2 chip also support automatic switching. When you start playing audio on a different Apple device, the Beats automatically switch to that device without any manual action. If this gets annoying, you can turn off automatic switching in Settings, then Bluetooth, tap the info icon next to your Beats, and set “Connect to This iPhone” to “When Last Connected to This iPhone.”

Check Beats Battery on iPhone

When your Beats are connected, check the battery level in several ways:

Batteries widget: Add the Batteries widget to your iPhone home screen. It shows the battery percentage for all connected devices including your Beats (and the charging case for earbuds).

Control Center: The battery percentage appears on the audio playback card when your Beats are the active output.

Beats app: The Beats app for iOS shows detailed battery info, firmware version, and lets you customize settings like noise cancellation and EQ.

Customize Beats Settings on iPhone

Go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and tap the info icon (i) next to your connected Beats. Available options vary by model but typically include:

Noise Control: Switch between Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off. Beats Studio Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Solo Pro, and Studio Buds+ support ANC.

Press and Hold: Choose what happens when you press and hold the button or squeeze the stem. Options usually include noise control toggle, Siri activation, or volume adjustment.

Audio Sharing: Share audio with a second pair of Beats or AirPods. Bring the second pair close to your iPhone and tap “Share Audio” in the Bluetooth settings.

Troubleshooting

Beats won’t show up in Bluetooth settings. Make sure the Beats are in pairing mode (LED flashing). Reset the Beats by pressing and holding the power button for 10 seconds (headphones) or pressing and holding the case button for 15 seconds (earbuds) until the LED flashes. Move closer to the iPhone and try again.

Audio is choppy or cutting out. Bluetooth has a range of about 30 feet. Move closer to your iPhone. Remove any obstructions between the two devices. If the problem persists, forget the Beats in Bluetooth settings and re-pair them. Also check that the Beats firmware is up to date through the Beats app or Settings.

One earbud not working. Place both earbuds in the charging case, close the lid, and wait 15 seconds. Open the lid and take both earbuds out. If one earbud still doesn’t work, it may need charging individually – check that both earbuds are making contact with the charging pins in the case.

Beats connected but no sound. Check that the Beats are selected as the audio output. Go to Control Center, long-press the audio card, tap the AirPlay icon, and make sure your Beats are selected (not “iPhone” or another speaker). Also check the volume – it may have been turned down separately on the Beats.

Can I connect Beats to iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time?

Not simultaneously. Beats can only play audio from one device at a time. However, with the H1 or H2 chip, switching between iPhone and Apple Watch is fast – start playing audio on the other device and the Beats switch over within a second or two.

Do Beats work with “Find My”?

Yes. Beats with the H1 or H2 chip show up in the Find My app on your iPhone. You can see their last known location, play a sound to find them nearby, and get notifications if you leave them behind. Beats Fit Pro, Studio Pro, and Powerbeats Pro 2 also support Precision Finding on iPhones with Ultra Wideband (iPhone 11 and later).

Can I use Beats with Siri?

Yes. Beats with the H1 or H2 chip support “Hey Siri” hands-free activation. Just say “Hey Siri” while wearing them. Older Beats with the W1 chip require you to press a button to activate Siri. You can also assign Siri to a button press or hold gesture in the Beats settings.

See also: How to Connect AirPods to Laptop, How to Connect AirPods to iPhone, How to Activate Siri

Sources

Apple – Set Up Beats | Apple – Reset Beats