Xbox Wireless works with a higher radio frequency than most other devices. This allows gamers to experience better audio quality and reduced latency. At the same time, it makes it more difficult to connect many Bluetooth headsets to the Xbox Series S or Series X console. Thankfully, there are solutions.
Xbox wireless headsets connect to Series X/S consoles without a dongle using Xbox Wireless radio, not Bluetooth. To use regular Bluetooth headphones, you will have to use a Bluetooth transmitter, cable, or a base station. These are inexpensive options for any headset to work with ease.
This article will cover how you can connect your Bluetooth headset to the Xbox Series X/S and some of the most popular recommendations for Xbox-supported headphones.
Does the Xbox Series X/S Have Bluetooth?
Most Bluetooth headsets cannot be connected to an Xbox Series X or Series S wirelessly unless you use an adapter of some sort because they can’t transmit audio via Bluetooth. The one exception is the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset (on Amazon), which doesn’t require any additional pieces (but isn’t using Bluetooth).
Thankfully, you do not have to purchase the adapter separately when buying any other Xbox-compatible headset. The manufacturers of these devices include the necessary USB dongle and their Bluetooth headphones.
As a result, all you need to do is connect the dongle to the console or controller. Once you do that and you’ve turned on your headset, the audio device will automatically pair wirelessly to the console.
You can also use the headphone’s microphone for voice chats while gaming.
How to Connect Supported Headsets to Xbox X/S
Although the process is relatively simple, skipping over any steps can lead to confusion and frustration.
Follow the below steps when connecting a support wireless headset to an Xbox Series X or Series S:
- Prepare the Devices: Turn on the console and the headset and connect the USB adapter (if there is one) to the console.
- Put the Headset in Pairing Mode: Find the pairing button on the headset, usually located at the back of the device’s left earpiece. Press this button for about 4 seconds. Once you hear a repeated pairing tone, check the power light.
It should be flashing by now. This indicates that the headset is in pairing mode. - Put the Console in Pairing Mode: You will find a pairing mode button on the console. This is the same button used for pairing the wireless controller. After you press this button, the console’s power light should also start flashing.
- Verify the Connection: The connection will happen automatically when both devices are in pairing mode. Once the headphones are connected to the console, the power lights on both devices should stop flashing.
How to Connect Any Bluetooth Headphones to an Xbox Series X/S
Because the Xbox Series X and Series S don’t support most Bluetooth headphones, you’ll need a few additional devices or tools to connect to the console. There are various methods for doing this, depending on your setup.
Method 1: Use a USB Bluetooth Transmitter
This is, in most cases, going to be the easiest and most common solution for connecting any set of Bluetooth Headphones to an Xbox Series X/S.
Step 1: Purchase Your Bluetooth Transmitter
Overall, the best performing transmitter was the Avantree Bluetooth Transmitter (on Amazon). This particular Bluetooth transmitter can work with just about any device you can plug it into. Most importantly for your case, for the Xbox Series X/S.
Other USB Bluetooth options may give you mixed results with your Xbox actually recognizing them.
If you decide to go with another product instead of the recommended one, just be sure that it is not a USB Bluetooth Reciever. After all, a receiver is designed to receive audio, and we are trying to send audio from the Xbox Series X/S to the Headset.
In some cases, you can find some adapters that can work as either a receiver or a transmitter by flipping a switch on the device. Often this switch is labeled TX (transmitting) or RX (receiving).
One of these will be much more versatile for other uses, but if you solely want one for connecting your headset to the Xbox Series X/S then it’ll save some money to just buy a transmitter.
Step 2: Connect Your USB Bluetooth Transmitter to the Xbox Series X/S
Next you’ll need to connect the transmitter to one of the Xbox Series X/S USB ports.
To maintain the sleek look of the Xbox, be sure to connect it to the back of the device if you don’t like look of it connected to the front.
If you have the Xbox inside an entertainment center, this could cause some connection issues so as a last resort, move the dongle to the front of the device.
This will help resolve any connection issues you previously had.
Step 3: Pair the Transmitter with the Headphones
Depending on the adapter you choose to use, the setup will vary.
Most Bluetooth Transmitters will have an LED light that will indicate when it’s ready to connect and connected. In my case, I needed to press the pairing button on the dongle and the headphones at the same time.
The light on the Transmitter began blinking rapidly and once it paired the light was steady.
From there on, I was connected and ready to go.
In some cases you may be required to repete this process a couple of times in order to get the headset paired correctly to the Bluetooth Transmitter.
Step 4: Set the Xbox Series X/S Audio Output Settings
GO THROUGH SETTINGS FOR XBOX
Method 2: Connect the Bluetooth Headphones to the TV (no adapter)
This is not usually the go-to option but can actually present some extra benefits that you did not have previously. If you are interested in using a pair of headphones for more than your Xbox then this option is ideal.
This way you can use your headphones for as many devices that’ll plug into the TV. Such as an Xbox, PS5, Fire TV, Roku, Blu-ray player, etc.
This will unfortunately only be an option for TVs that have Bluetooth connectivity built-in. If your TV does not have this feature, go ahead and skip down to Method 3.
To connect your headphones to your TV without an adapter, you’ll want to follow these quick steps to do so:
- Open the TV’s Bluetooth Settings.
- Put the Bluetooth Headphones into Pairing Mode.
- Select the Bluetooth Headphones in the list of available Bluetooth devices.
- Make sure the TV’s audio output is set to Bluetooth.
The biggest downside to choosing this method is when you want to switch between your headphones and the TV’s speakers. Each time you want to switch between the two, you’ll have to go into the settings and change the audio output settings.
Method 3: Connect the Bluetooth Headphones to the TV with an Adapter
If your TV does not have Bluetooth built-in, you can get a Bluetooth transmitter that has a 3.5mm AUX.
Typically, you can’t use a USB Bluetooth Transmitter on a TV due to the TVs USB port not being compatible as an audio output option.
Step 1: Purchase a Transmitter with 3.5mm AUX
We recommend either the Aisidra V5.0 Bluetooth Adapter (on Amazon) or the 1Mii Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter/Receiver (on Amazon).
Both of these Bluetooth Adapters worked perfectly with our TV, didn’t have any noticeable lag or audio delay, and are reasonably priced.
Step 2: Connect the Bluetooth Transmitter to the TV
If the Bluetooth adapter you purchased has a switch for either TX or RX, make sure it is set to TX for Transmitting.
Connect an AUX cable from the adapter to the TV’s AUX output. This port may be labeled as AUX out, Headphones Out, Line Out, or even just Audio Out. But it should accept a 3.5mm connection.
These types of Bluetooth adapters will likely require a USB port for power. Simply connect one end of the provided USB cable to the adapter and the other end to one of the TV’s USB ports.
Also, older TVs may not have an AUX out, but have RCA out (red and white connectors) instead. If this is the case, you can purchase an AUX to RCA cable (on Amazon) to make this work.
If the TV also doesn’t have any USB ports available, then you can connect the USB cable to the PS5 for power or use a USB power adapter and plug it into a wall outlet.
Step 3: Pair the Bluetooth Transmitter with the Bluetooth Headphones
Again, this process will vary depending on the USB Bluetooth adapter you use.
Press and hold the pairing button on both the Bluetooth adapter and headphones at the same time. Make sure they are very close together so they can pair correctly.
Once paired, the LED lights on both should go from flashing to solid.
Step 4: Set the TV’s Audio Output Correctly
Press the setting’s button on your TV’s remote control and navigate to the sound or audio settings.
Look for “Sound Output” or “Audio Output”. Then select the port that you connected the Bluetooth adapter to.
Again, this should be labeled as AUX out, Headphones out, Line out, Audio out, etc.
Once you’ve set the audio output and both the Bluetooth headphones and adapter are paired correctly, you should be able to hear all audio coming through the headphones.
Method 4: Connect the Headphones with AUX to the Xbox Controller
Another popular option that isn’t completely wireless but still allows you to move around freely, is to connect the headphones to the wireless Xbox controller.
You can do so by using a 3.5mm audio cable instead of a Bluetooth adapter.
Connect one end of the cable to your headset and the other end to your controller’s 3.5mm port. In this case, you will need to adjust the settings for the audio manually:
- Press the square button on the Xbox for the guide
- Locate the Audio & Music icon from the guide menu
- Open the Audio & Music screen. Here, you can adjust the various settings on your headphone, such as volume, mic monitoring, etc.
EXTRA INFORMATION
Use an Adapter with a 3.5mm Audio Jack
If you don’t have a compatible headset for the Xbox Series S/X, you can buy an additional Bluetooth adapter (on Amazon) to connect your headphones to the console. Make sure that the device is compatible with a 3.5mm audio jack.
- Connect your Bluetooth adapter to the Xbox controller’s 3.5mm audio port. Please press the button on the adapter to turn it on.
- Set the headset to the pairing mode. To do so, you must press and hold the headphones pair button for a couple of seconds.
- The adapter will automatically recognize the headset and connect it to the console.
- Turn on the volume and play a game on your Xbox to check if the connection was successful. You can also look for the stable green light on the headphone as well as the adapter.
Xbox-Compatible Bluetooth Headphones
To enjoy an immersive gaming experience, you should go for the Xbox-compatible Bluetooth headsets. These are very easy to connect, but they also offer excellent audio quality.
If you experience any chat issues or audio delays, it may be because you are using an OMTP headset. You can buy an adapter (on Amazon) to convert the headset to the CTIA standard to fix this problem.
Additionally, the supported Xbox headphones do not experience any issues during audio chats, which occur with incompatible devices.
Here are some of the best choices available for users who prefer a perfect combination of video and audio quality while gaming.
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset
This is one of the most affordable yet high-quality wireless Xbox headsets you’ll find.
This is the official Wireless Headset from Microsoft (on Amazon), designed especially for Xbox gamers, and though it doesn’t use BlueTooth, it will get you the functionality you want here.
As we mentioned earlier, the Microsoft headset does not require any additional adapter, dongle, or cable in order to connect with your device, which is a particularly desirable feature.
The headset is also fairly loud and offers great voice clarity. You can enjoy the surround sound the device creates using spatial sound technologies.
Although small in size, the headset is very comfortable to wear. However, if you have a larger head, you might find it uncomfortable. On the plus side, the device is convenient and easily fits into a small travel bag.
What’s most noticeable about this headset is its thoughtful design. Users can rotate the outside of the earpieces to adjust the volume. This makes managing the headset controls super simple.
Another thing to note is the placement of the headset’s mic. Not only is it small and precise, but one can also tuck the mic away when it’s not in use. All you need to do is turn it to the side of the earpiece.
Furthermore, the headset comes with an auto-mute and voice isolation feature. This helps to minimize background noise while also allowing users to engage in crystal-clear chatting.
Pros
- Clear audio and support for microphone
- Auto mute and voice isolation feature
- Surround sound
- Affordable
Cons
- Small size; less suitable for larger heads
Razer Kaira Pro
Designed to offer ease of use and high audio quality, the Razer Kaira Pro (on Amazon) offers the best value for the price. Flaunting the latest wireless and Bluetooth 5.0 connections, the headset is compatible with smartphones and the Xbox Series X and Series S.
With its Triforce titanium 50mm drivers, the Kaira Pro performs astonishingly in every sound range, high, mid, or low. The headphones also offer a wonderful and immersive surround sound experience.
The headphones utilize breathable memory foam ear cushions to improve comfort while playing for many hours. The controls are also easy to manage and carefully designed.
To navigate between the four EQ settings, tap twice. You can easily switch between Bass Mode, FPS mode, etc. To pair the headset to the console, hold the button once for a few seconds.
Pros
- Features pre-set profiles and equalizer modes
- A second hidden dedicated mic
- Provides high clarity of sound
Cons
- The microphone quality is not as impressive as expected.
SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless
The SteelSeries Arctis 7X wireless headphones (on Amazon), which come with soft padding for extended comfort, can outperform most of the competition with ease. The design flaunts an elasticated band across the crown to offer size adjustments.
Apart from its design, the device also excels in its performance. With 24 hours of battery life, the Bluetooth headset provides a consistent and reliable wireless signal. You can expect no dropouts while the device is connected to the console wirelessly.
Unlike the Razer with a 50mm driver, this headset features 40mm drivers that might lack the intense bass of the former. However, the SteelSeries powers itself with excellent quality sound across different bands as a trade-off.
Additionally, the SteelSeries mic is impressive and well-suited to multiplayer games. You can retract the microphone into the earpiece when it’s not used.
The accessible controls for volume and the game/chat balance complete this impressive package.
Pros
- Very comfortable to wear during longer gaming sessions
- Great sound quality across a variety of bands
- Convenient to manage
- Accessible controls
- Amazing mic
Cons
- Low frequency/bass sound isn’t the best
