The most common reason Beats won't connect is that they're paired to a different device
Bluetooth can only connect to one device at a time. If your Beats are currently paired to your phone, your laptop, or another device, they won't respond to a new device trying to connect. The Beats themselves don't know which device you want — they just stay connected to whichever one they last paired with.
The second most common reason is that Bluetooth is turned off on the device you're trying to connect to, or the Beats are in pairing mode but your device isn't looking for them. These two things have to happen at the same moment for the connection to work.
Less often, the Beats have a software problem that a restart fixes, or they're too far away, or the battery is dead. This guide walks through each one in order, starting with the most likely.
Key Takeaways
- Beats stay connected to the last device they paired with, so you need to disconnect them from that device before connecting to a new one.
- Both your Beats and your new device must have Bluetooth turned on at the same time for pairing to work.
- Restarting your Beats by holding the power button for 10 seconds often fixes connection problems that aren't caused by pairing conflicts.
- If your Beats are more than 30 feet away from your device, or if the battery is below 5 percent, they may not connect even if everything else is correct.
- Forgetting the Beats from your device's Bluetooth settings and pairing them fresh usually solves problems that restart doesn't fix.
Check which device your Beats are currently paired to
Open the Bluetooth settings on the device you want to connect to. Look for your Beats in the list of available devices. If they don't appear, they're probably still connected to something else.
Go to the device you think they're paired to — your phone, laptop, or tablet. Open its Bluetooth settings and look for your Beats in the list of paired devices. If you see them there and they show as "connected," that's the problem. You need to disconnect them from that device first.
On an iPhone or iPad, tap the information icon next to your Beats' name and choose "Forget This Device." On an Android phone, long-press the Beats name and tap "Unpair" or "Forget." On a Mac, go to System Settings > Bluetooth, find your Beats, click the information icon, and choose "Remove." On Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices, find your Beats, click it, and choose "Remove device."
Turn Bluetooth on and put your Beats in pairing mode
Once you've disconnected your Beats from the old device, turn Bluetooth on on the new device. Then pick up your Beats and hold the power button for about 5 to 10 seconds until you see a light flash white and red alternately. This means they're in pairing mode and looking for a new device to connect to.
On your new device, open Bluetooth settings and wait a few seconds. Your Beats should appear in the list of available devices. Tap or click on them to connect. The light on the Beats should turn solid white or blue, which means the connection worked.
If your Beats don't appear in the list after 30 seconds, hold the power button again for another 10 seconds to make sure they're in pairing mode, then check your device's Bluetooth settings again.
Restart your Beats if they won't enter pairing mode
If the light on your Beats doesn't flash when you hold the power button, they may have a software glitch. Hold the power button for 15 seconds — longer than the normal pairing mode — until the light turns off completely. Wait 10 seconds, then press the power button once to turn them back on.
Once they restart, the light should flash white and red. Try pairing them to your device again using the steps above. A restart fixes most connection problems that aren't caused by the Beats being paired to a different device.
Check the distance and battery level
Bluetooth has a range of about 30 feet in open space. If you're trying to connect from farther away — or if there are walls, metal objects, or other electronics between your Beats and your device — the connection may fail. Move closer and try again.
If your Beats' battery is very low, below 5 percent, they may not have enough power to complete the pairing process. Plug them in to charge for at least 15 minutes, then try connecting again. You can usually see the battery level in your device's Bluetooth settings or in the Beats app.
Forget and re-pair if restarting doesn't work
If restarting your Beats didn't fix the problem, the pairing information on your device may be corrupted. Go back to your device's Bluetooth settings, find your Beats, and remove or forget them completely — the same way you did earlier. Then restart your Beats again by holding the power button for 15 seconds.
Once they restart, hold the power button for 5 to 10 seconds until the light flashes white and red. Go to your device's Bluetooth settings and look for your Beats in the available devices list. Tap or click to pair them fresh. This usually works even when a straightforward reconnection doesn't.
Update your Beats firmware if you keep having problems
If your Beats still won't connect after trying all the steps above, they may need a firmware update. read the Beats app on your phone or tablet, open it, and look for an update option. The app will tell you if a newer version is available and walk you through installing it.
Firmware updates fix bugs that can cause connection problems. Once the update is done, restart your Beats and try pairing them to your device again. If you don't have the Beats app installed, you can read it free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Beats connect to my old phone instead of my new one?
Beats remember the last device they paired with and automatically reconnect to it when Bluetooth is on. You need to forget them from your old phone's Bluetooth settings first, then put them in pairing mode and connect to your new phone. After that, they'll prefer your new phone.
Can I use my Beats with two devices at the same time?
No. Bluetooth only allows one connection at a time. You can pair your Beats to multiple devices, but they'll only be actively connected to one. To switch, you disconnect from the first device and reconnect to the second.
What does it mean when the light on my Beats blinks red?
A blinking red light usually means the battery is very low, below 10 percent. Charge your Beats for at least 30 minutes. If the light stays red even after charging, there may be a hardware problem and you should contact Beats support.
Why does my Beats connection keep dropping?
Frequent disconnections usually mean interference from other devices, the Beats are too far away, or the battery is low. Try moving closer to your device, turning off other Bluetooth devices nearby, and making sure your Beats are fully charged. If that doesn't help, restart your Beats and re-pair them.
Do I need the Beats app to connect my Beats?
No. You can pair and use your Beats with just Bluetooth settings on your device. The Beats app is optional and adds features like firmware updates, sound customization, and battery monitoring, but it's not required to connect.