This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
Bose headphones are very popular for their amazing noise-cancellation feature. So, how do these wonderful headphones work? Do they need batteries to function? Find out the answer to these and more as you journey with me through this articleThis
So, Do Bose Headphones Need Batteries? Yes, they do. One of the biggest selling points for Bose headphones is the noise-cancelling feature.
This feature is designed to identify and cancel out background noise. The component powering this feature is a computer chip inside the headphone.
For this noise-cancelling chip to work, it needs a small amount of power. This power is provided by a removable battery that is found on the inside of the headphone.
Different Bose headphones have different batteries. For instance, while the QuietComfort 15 uses a AAA battery that can last for up to 35hours before it is replaced, the QuietComfort 3 has a built-in battery that you have to recharge every now and then.
Will my Bose Headphone work without a battery?
Yes, if your Bose headphone has a depleted battery or the battery is bad, you can still listen to audio. The only downside is that you will not enjoy the noise-cancelling feature because the chip powering the feature needs power from the battery to function.
How do I replace the battery of my Bose Headphones?
The steps involved in changing your Bose headphone batteries will depend on the type of headphones that you have. In this section, I will guide you on how to change the batteries of two Bose headphones; the QuietComfort 3 and the QuietComfort 11.
QuietComfort 3
- Step 1: Press the power switch to turn off the right headphone. You can recognise the right headphone from the symbol “R” inscribed on it on the headband.
- Step 2: Turn the headphone so that the headphone connector is turned away from the top of the headphone. Grip the top of the headphone and pull out; you will see the battery slide out.
- Step 3: Replace the old battery with the new one, or you can put back the old one after it has fully charged by reversing step 2, i.e. sliding it down into the battery compartment.
QuietComfort 15
- Step 1: Place the headphone in front of you so that the left ear cup is to your right and the right ear cup is to your right.
- Step 2: Turn the right earcup slightly so that the top of the ear cup is away from the support structure of the headband.
- Step 3: Pull up the small plastic flap on the front edge of the ear cup, just above where the headband joins to the earcup. When you turn the headphone over, the battery will fall out of the compartment hidden beneath the plastic flap.
- Step 4: Put the new AAA battery into the battery compartment. Take note of the battery terminal; the positive terminal should be facing down. Close the flap to secure the battery
What type of batteries do Bose headphones use?
For replacement, you can buy one AAA alkaline battery. You can also use rechargeable batteries such as NIMH, made from Nickel-metal hydride.
Trending Searches
- Can You Charge Bose SoundlInk Mini With USB?
- Are Bose Headphones Good For Mixing?
- Do Bose Speakers Need To Be Broken In?
How can I locate the battery in Bose Headphones?
- Turn the top of the right earcup inward so that you can access the battery compartment.
- Gently open the battery compartment door by lifting the tab facing the top end of the earcup.
- Place the positive terminal of the battery into the compartment.
How do I remove corroded batteries from my Bose Headphones?
You can remove corroded batteries using a Q-tip, baking soda and water. Moisten the Q-tip, dip it into the baking soda, and scrub the battery acid. This should take the rust away. Vinegar is also helpful in removing alkaline batteries.
What do I do if my Bose battery compartment is corroded?
You can use cotton swabs or toothbrushes dipped in lemon juice or vinegar. The acid from these two substances can help remove the corrosion stain by dissolving the rust from the devices. Scrub the corroded compartment with the toothbrush or swab to remove the corrosion. If residues are remaining, apply baking soda and some water to remove them.
Why do Bose Headphones not need batteries to work?
You can plug in your Bose headphones and other headphones to your sound source (Phone, tablet and laptops), and they will work. This is because the sound volume is so small that the power from the sound source is enough to power them; thus, they don’t need batteries to work.
How do I charge my Bose headphones Batteries?
You can charge your Bose headphone following these four simple steps:
- Locate the USB port on your headphone; this is usually found on the right earcup. If you are using a neckband-style headphone, it should be on the right side of the neckband. Most Bose headphones are usually a micro USB connector, except for the new Bose noise Canceling headphone 700, which uses a USB Type-C.
- Connect the end of the USB cable to the USB port on your headphone.
- Plug the other end into a USB charger, a power bank, a USB wall charger or the USB port.
- Leave the headphone to charge until the power indicator on the headphone starts showing a steady colour.
What do I do if my Bose headphones batteries discharge faster than expected?
If your Bose battery discharges faster than expected, try the following tips:
Check the auto-off setting and tune according to taste:
Bose Headphones have an auto-off setting that makes the device automatically turn off and go into standby mode if not in use for a certain period.
This setting is very useful, especially in conserving power, since it prevents the device from working and dissipating power when not in use. Ideally, the setting is usually set to “Never”. However, someone may mistakenly alter it or adjust the time from the Nose Music App.
To verify and adjust the auto-off settings, you can go to the Bose Music app and adjust the timer for the auto-off settings. To do this, follow the steps below:
- Open the Bose Music app and connect your headphones.
- Tap the settings icons
- Tap power
- Select a Timeframe.
Examine if the battery is charged
First, check the charge level on your Bose battery by checking the indicator lights or the Boss App. A solid white indicator light shows a middle to the fully charged battery, while a solid amber light shows a low battery.
You can check this on the Bose Music App. A solid white indicates full charge; solid amber indicates charging. You should also notice a blinking light when you start charging the device.
If the charge on the battery is low, you should charge the headphone by:
- Connect one end of the USB cable into the type -C port on the right earcup on the headphone.
- Connect the other end to the USB charger, power bank or computer.
- When the headphone starts charging, you should notice the lights blinking white for about ten seconds.
- When fully charged, the status light shows solid white.
- The headphone will not play while charging.
- It takes about 120 minutes to charge the Bose Headphone.
Power off the device when not in use.
One way you can improve your Bose headphone battery life is to turn them off when not in use.
Reset the Product
If, after doing all the above and the battery is still dissipating fast, I suggest you reset the headphone. A reset will clear all the configuration and settings on the device. There are two types of resets:
- Normal Reset: This clears some minor configurations on the device. Product settings are not cleared during this type of reset. To do this:
- Connect the small end of the type-C USB cable into the charging port on the right earcup of the headphone.
- While attaching the other end of the USB cable to a USB wall charger, slide the Power/Bluetooth switch to the right and hold it.
- Factory Reset: This restores the headphone to the default configuration and clears all custom settings. This should not be done anyhow except when advised by a Bose technician. To factory reset your Bose, do the following:
- Unpair your headphone from your Bluetooth device
- Remove the headphone from the Bose account using the Bose Music app.
- The Power/Bluetooth switch should be slid to the right and hold. Press and hold the Action button for 30 seconds at the same time. You will notice the following:
- The LED light blinks white.
- After about half a minute, the LED blinks red, showing that the factory setting has been restored.
- After the reset is complete, the LED will blink blue. The headphone is not returned as it was when it was bought.
Does Bose Headphone need Batteries – Conclusion
This article explained that Bose headphones do not need batteries to work. This means that you can plug your headphones into a sound source such as a phone, tablet or laptop, and they will work just fine.
However, Bose headphones do have batteries. Their batteries power the chip that controls the noise-cancelling feature of the headphone. This means that if the battery is dead, the noise-cancelling feature will not work.
