The most common reason Beats won't connect is that they're paired to a different device
Bluetooth can only connect one device at a time. If your Beats are currently paired to your Mac, iPad, or another phone, they won't respond to your iPhone even if it's in the room. The Beats will try to reconnect to whichever device they last paired with, not automatically switch to a new one.
The second most common reason is that Bluetooth on your iPhone is off, or the Beats are in pairing mode but your iPhone isn't looking for them. These are quick fixes — but you need to know which one you have before you start troubleshooting.
Key Takeaways
- Beats paired to another device will ignore your iPhone until you unpair them from that device or put the Beats into pairing mode.
- Turning Bluetooth off and back on on your iPhone often fixes connection problems without needing to re-pair.
- Holding the power button on your Beats for 10 seconds puts them into pairing mode, which makes them visible to any nearby device.
- If your Beats still won't show up, forget them in your iPhone's Bluetooth settings and pair them fresh.
- A factory reset on the Beats themselves is the last step — hold the power button for 15 seconds until the light flashes red and white.
Check whether your Beats are already paired to something else
Open your Beats app on your iPhone. If it shows a different device name under "Connected to", your Beats are paired to that device right now. You have two options: unpair them from that device, or put your Beats into pairing mode so they'll connect to your iPhone instead.
If you don't have the Beats app installed, you can still see what your Beats are connected to by going to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone. Look for your Beats in the list. If they show "Connected" next to a different device name, that's your answer.
Turn Bluetooth off and back on on your iPhone
Open Settings > Bluetooth. Toggle it off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle it back on. This resets the Bluetooth connection without erasing any pairing information. Many connection problems stop here.
While Bluetooth is back on, look at the list of devices. Your Beats should appear within 30 seconds. If they do, tap them to connect. If they don't appear at all, move to the next step.
Put your Beats into pairing mode
Hold the power button on your Beats for 10 seconds. You'll see the light on the Beats flash — usually white at first, then red and white alternating. This means they're in pairing mode and will accept a connection from any device nearby.
Now go back to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone. Your Beats should appear in the list of available devices within 10 seconds. Tap them to connect. Once connected, they'll remember your iPhone and connect automatically the next time you turn them on (as long as they're not paired to something else).
Forget your Beats and pair them fresh
If your Beats still don't show up in the available devices list, they may be stuck trying to connect to an old device. Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone, find your Beats in the list, tap the i icon next to them, and select "Forget This Device".
Now put your Beats back into pairing mode by holding the power button for 10 seconds. Go back to Settings > Bluetooth and tap your Beats when they appear. This pairs them fresh to your iPhone with no old connection data in the way.
Reset your Beats to factory settings
If pairing fresh didn't work, your Beats may have a software problem. Hold the power button for 15 seconds. The light will flash red and white rapidly, then turn off. This is a factory reset — it erases all pairing information and restarts the Beats.
After the reset, put your Beats into pairing mode again (hold power for 10 seconds until the light flashes white and red). Then pair them to your iPhone through Settings > Bluetooth as if they were brand new.
Check for software updates on your iPhone
Outdated iOS can cause Bluetooth problems. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available update. Restart your iPhone after the update finishes.
You can also check the Beats app for firmware updates. Open the Beats app, go to Settings, and look for a firmware update option. If one is available, install it while your Beats are connected to your iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Beats connect to my Mac but not my iPhone?
Bluetooth connects to one device at a time. Your Beats are currently paired to your Mac and trying to reconnect to it. Put your Beats into pairing mode by holding the power button for 10 seconds, then pair them to your iPhone through Settings > Bluetooth. They'll now prefer your iPhone, though you can switch them back to your Mac later by putting them in pairing mode again.
My Beats show up in Bluetooth settings but won't actually connect when I tap them
Forget the Beats from your iPhone's Bluetooth list, put them into pairing mode again, and try pairing fresh. If that doesn't work, factory reset your Beats by holding the power button for 15 seconds until the light flashes red and white, then pair them to your iPhone again.
Do I have to unpair my Beats from my other devices to use them with my iPhone?
No. You can keep them paired to multiple devices — they'll just connect to whichever one they last connected to. If you want them to connect to your iPhone instead, put them in pairing mode and pair them to your iPhone. They'll then prefer your iPhone until you pair them to something else.
My Beats won't even turn on
Charge them for at least 15 minutes using the included USB cable. If they still won't turn on after charging, try a factory reset by holding the power button for 15 seconds. If the light doesn't flash, the battery may be completely dead — charge for another 30 minutes and try again.
I factory reset my Beats but they still won't connect
Try pairing them to a different device first — a friend's iPhone, a computer, or a tablet. If they pair to something else, the problem is specific to your iPhone. Forget your Beats from your iPhone's Bluetooth settings, restart your iPhone, and try pairing again. If they won't pair to any device, contact Beats support.