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How to connect Bluetooth headphones to an Xbox Series X

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Xbox Series X sitting against a wall.
Microsoft / Microsoft

You can always count on your console making the best Xbox Series X games look their best, but sound quality is another story. If you don't have an expensive speaker system, your next best bet is to invest in a high-quality headset for that full soundscape while gaming. This is especially important in multiplayer games where hearing your enemy's footsteps can save your life. Most of us already own earbuds and headphones, but if they use Bluetooth then you won't be able to connect automatically. Here's how you can get around this limitation so you can hear all the upcoming Series X games crystal clear.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • Bluetooth transmitter

Gamer playing Xbox One with headset on.
Shutterstock / AlessandroBiascioli / Xbox

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to Series X

To connect your Bluetooth headphones to the Xbox Series X, you will need to get a Bluetooth transmitter compatible with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Once you insert the Bluetooth transmitter into your Xbox Series X controller, follow these steps to pair your headphones to your console.

Step 1: Turn your transmitter on after connecting it to the controller and place it in the pairing mode. Check the instruction manual, as each transmitter can vary with this process.

Step 2: Power on your Bluetooth headphones and place them in pairing mode. A flashing light typically indicates pairing mode on your headphones or a sound queue.

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Step 3: Since there is no visual queue of the headphones connecting, watch the lights on both devices or wear the headphones to see if you are getting any audio. You may have to follow this procedure after each session since this is not done on the Xbox Series X natively.

The same steps can be used to pair your headset to your TV if it has Bluetooth support, but you won't need the extra adapter.

Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over five years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
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