How to connect bluetooth headphones to a roku tv

When you're watching TV with friends, your TV's speakers (or better yet, a soundbar) are ideal for broadcasting the sound to everyone. But when you're watching TV by yourself, you don't need to share that audio with your entire household. In fact, you probably don't want to disturb your significant other, roommates, kids, or neighbors if you're the only one watching TV late at night or if you're using your TV as a second monitor while you work from home. You can mute the speakers and rely on closed captions if you really want to be silent, but we have a better solution: Use headphones.

Headphones enable you to listen to anything you want without bothering anyone around you. You probably use them mostly for listening to music or podcasts, or even watching videos on your phone or computer, but they aren't limited to mobile devices or PCs. Below, we outline several ways to connect your favorite headphones and earphones to your TV to help you enjoy the combined benefits of private audio and a big screen.

Can I Listen to TV With Wired Headphones?

3.5mm cable (Credit: Amazon)

This is the most direct and obvious way to use your headphones with your TV. It's also the least convenient. If your TV has a 3.5mm headphone jack, just plug your wired headphones into it. If your TV doesn't have a 3.5mm jack but has RCA stereo outputs, get an RCA-to-3.5mm adapter and use your headphones that way.

The obvious problem here is that you need a really long wire to listen at a comfortable distance away from your TV. And even if you have that wire, you're then physically tethered to your TV. You also have to be careful not to pull the cable or trip over it. We don't recommend this method unless your TV is small and close by; and even then, this probably isn't the best method.

Amazon Fire TV: Bluetooth

Amazon Fire TV (Credit: Amazon)

If you have an Amazon Fire TV media streamer (such as the Fire TV Cube or Fire TV Stick 4K), or a TV that uses Amazon's Fire TV platform, you already have a built-in wireless option: Bluetooth. The Fire TV platform supports direct connections to Bluetooth devices such as game controllers, keyboards, and headphones. This means you can simply pair your favorite Bluetooth headphones (or a dedicated second pair, if you want to keep some TV-only headphones nearby) with your Fire TV device just like with a smartphone.

From the home screen, go into the Settings menu and select Controllers & Bluetooth Devices. Choose Other Devices, then Add New Device. Put your Bluetooth headphones into pairing mode and select them when they appear on the screen. Your Fire TV should begin to stream audio to your headphones once the connection completes.

Google TV: Bluetooth

Google TV (Credit: Google)

Just like with a Fire TV (which runs on Android), Google TV (and its predecessor, Android TV) devices can pair with Bluetooth devices, too. This means you can use your Bluetooth headphones with any Google TV-powered Hisense, Sony, or TCL model, or a Chromecast With Google TV.

The process is the same for both Android TV and Google TV. From the home screen, go to the Settings menu and select Remote & Accessories. Choose Add Accessory and put your Bluetooth headphones into pairing mode. Finally, select the headphones in the menu when they appear. That's it.

Roku: Voice Remote Pro or Smartphone App

Roku TV (Credit: Roku)

Roku media streamers and Roku TVs like the TCL 6-Series Roku TV don't have Bluetooth, but they still let you listen wirelessly to whatever you're watching. Roku's answer is called Private Listening, a feature that streams audio to a compatible Roku remote or the Roku app on a smartphone or tablet.

If your Roku remote has a headphone jack on the side, just plug your headphones into the jack and start listening. The connected TV automatically mutes and the sound starts to stream via the headphones. Few Roku TV models ship with such a remote, but the Roku Ultra, Streaming Stick+, and Streambar Pro all come with headphone-jack-equipped remotes. If your current Roku remote doesn't have a headphone jack, you can upgrade to the Roku Voice Remote Pro for $30, which provides said jack, along with a lost remote finder feature and hands-free voice control.

Alternatively, you can use your preferred mobile device with the Roku app (available for Android and iOS). Once you connect your phone or tablet to your Roku TV or media streamer via the app, you can connect headphones to automatically redirect audio directly through the mobile device's speakers or connected headphones. The app is a bit more finicky than the headphone jack on the remote, though, and some Roku TV inputs might not be able to stream through it.

What About Other Smart TV Platforms?

LG webOS (Credit: Will Greenwald)

Your TV might have Bluetooth even if it isn't one of the three most common platforms. LG's webOS(Opens in a new window) and Samsung's Tizen OS(Opens in a new window) both support Bluetooth headphones and headsets. Click on the links for instructions for each TV platform. You're most likely to get Bluetooth on higher-end TV models here; this connection standard might not be available on older or lower-end TVs.

Consider a Bluetooth Transmitter

Mee Audio Connect Bluetooth transmitter (Credit: Mee Audio)

If your TV or media streamer doesn't support Bluetooth or audio streaming through an app, you need to get some form of transmitter for wireless listening. Bluetooth transmitters are inexpensive (generally around $20 to $50) devices you plug into the back of your TV to wirelessly stream audio to a nearby paired Bluetooth audio device.

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There are many, many Bluetooth transmitters available on Amazon, but not all are suitable for TVs. Cheaper transmitters only connect through 3.5mm jacks, which are present on some TVs but aren't the best connection available. Look for a transmitter with an optical audio (TOSLink or SPDIF) input; optical outputs are the most common audio outputs on TVs and provide excellent, stable audio quality because of their digital connection.

Although we haven't tested many of these transmitters, they're very common to find online for a low price. The Mee Audio Connect(Opens in a new window) ($62.99) transmitter is one of the more well-reviewed devices of its category on Amazon, plus supports both 3.5mm and optical audio (though we can't directly comment on its quality because we haven't tested it).

How Can I Listen to My TV With Wireless Headphones?

Makemate BKM2000 (Credit: Makemate)

If you don't already have headphones to use for watching TV or don't want to deal with Bluetooth pairing, you can always opt for wireless headphones. You just need to make sure they aren't Bluetooth headphones.

The vast majority of wireless headphones rely on Bluetooth (which is fine for most users), but, if you intend to use a pair with your TV, you should get a pair with a dedicated transmitter. We haven't tested many of these headphones, but some of the most well-reviewed models on Amazon include the Avantree HT4189(Opens in a new window) ($99.99) and the Makemate BKM2000(Opens in a new window) ($75.99).

Of course, you won't be listening to your TV with headphones on all the time. So, when you put them down, check out our guide on how to set up your speakers to get the best sound for your home theater. And for the ultimate home theater experience, make sure to read up on our five simple tweaks to get the best picture for your TV. And if you are just getting started, here's how to build a home theater setup for around $1,000.

5 Simple Tweaks to Get the Best Picture Settings for Your TV

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