How to reset Bluetooth earbuds when they stop connecting
When you need a reset
A reset takes the earbuds back to their factory state: they forget every phone they were paired with and rebuild the link between the two buds. It helps in three common cases: only one bud works, the buds no longer show in the phone's Bluetooth list, or they show but will not connect.
Before resetting, try the simpler steps below. Often the problem is the phone, not the earbuds, and no reset is needed. If you do reset, you will have to pair the buds again with every device you use.
First steps, before a reset
Put both buds in the case, close the lid and wait a few seconds. Check that they charge: contacts dirty with wax or dust can stop one bud charging, and a flat bud looks broken. Wipe the contacts with a dry cloth.
Turn Bluetooth off on the phone and on again. If other devices are nearby, a laptop or a tablet, switch their Bluetooth off for now: sometimes the buds connect by themselves to an old device and the phone seems unable to find them. Restarting the phone also clears many hang-ups.
Forget the earbuds on the phone
The step that fixes most problems is removing the earbuds from the phone's list. On iPhone: Settings, Bluetooth, tap the i next to the earbuds' name and choose "Forget This Device". On Android: Settings, Connections or Connected devices, Bluetooth, tap the gear next to the earbuds and choose "Unpair" or "Remove". The exact names differ a little from phone to phone.
Once forgotten, put the buds back into pairing mode and look for them as a new device.
The reset itself
On most true wireless earbuds, a reset is done with the buds in the case and the lid open, by holding a button on the case or the buds' touch area for a few seconds until the light blinks in a set pattern. The exact sequence differs from model to model, so follow the instructions in the box or on the product page. Do not hold buttons at random: some combinations change other settings.
After the reset, close the lid, open it again and pair the buds with the phone as on first use. The Buds4, for example, go into pairing mode by themselves when you open the case.
If only one bud works
When only one bud plays, usually the two buds have lost the link between them or one has not charged. Put both in the case for at least 15 minutes, then take them out together, not one after the other. If still only one plays, forget the buds on the phone and reset them: the reset rebuilds the link between the two.
Check the phone's sound settings too: if the left-right balance is moved to one side or mono audio is on, one bud seems quieter or silent. On iPhone you find them under Accessibility, Audio and Visual; on Android, under Accessibility.
When nothing helps
If after a reset the buds still will not connect to any phone, try them with another phone or a laptop. If they work there, the problem is your phone: update its operating system or clear the Bluetooth cache in the advanced settings, if the phone offers it.
If they work nowhere and have charged properly, write to us with the model and what you have already tried. For sound that cuts out, rather than connecting, we have a separate guide on earbuds that disconnect.
So you do not end up here again
Most hang-ups happen when the buds are paired with many devices and try to connect to all of them. If you no longer use an old phone or tablet, remove the buds from its list. Keep the case charged: buds left flat for days lose the link between them more easily.
When you change phones, pair the buds with the new one and remove them from the old one before passing it on. Phone system updates often fix Bluetooth problems, so they are worth installing. And if you lend your buds to someone, they may connect to that person's phone first when they come back: pick them from your list and all is normal again.
Every model is in the shop, under true wireless earbuds.