Technologies

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Your Smart TV

Connecting headphones to your smart TV can keep the peace in your household after hours.

Whether you’re a parent, a roommate, a spouse or all of the above, you’ve probably given up watching TV at some point to avoid disturbing the people around you. The good news? You don’t have to retreat to a tiny phone or tablet to catch your favorite shows and movies. You can still watch on your big TV without bothering anyone else.

Bluetooth is the key, and it’s everywhere, including the best TVs. Connecting your wireless headphones or earbuds to your TV is usually quick and easy. Here’s how to do it, what you can do with it and what to do if you encounter issues.

Initial prep

First, update the firmware on both your TV and your headphones/earbuds (you’ll do this via the companion app for your headphones on your phone). Next, put your headphones into pairing mode. If needed, check the manual for specific instructions, but it usually involves pressing and holding a button on the headphones or earbud case until a light starts flashing.

Connect

Go to your TV’s settings menu, usually represented by a gear icon. Locate the Bluetooth menu, which may be accessible separately or within the sound/audio output options, depending on your TV model.

Once you’re in the Bluetooth settings, select Add device (or the closest equivalent). Your headphones/earbuds should appear there. Select them, and the TV should indicate that the headphones are now connected.

If your TV’s Bluetooth settings are separate from the audio output settings, you’ll need to change the audio output to Bluetooth as well. You should also hear a brief connection tone from the headphones.

Once a set of headphones is paired with your TV, you generally just need to put them on, and they should automatically reconnect to the TV. Some TV models may require you to revisit the settings and manually select Bluetooth as the sound output. Some TVs support audio output through both Bluetooth and the built-in speakers simultaneously, which can be handy if you’re watching with multiple people and one of them likes the volume cranked way up.

Multipoint and dual audio

If your headphones support multipoint Bluetooth, you should be able to switch from your TV audio to a phone call without having to manually switch and reconnect devices.

If your TV supports dual audio, you can connect to two headsets and watch/listen together without waking the kids. Pair the second device you’d like to connect using the same procedure above, and then go to the audio output settings. You should be able to choose multiple devices for simultaneous synced output.

Troubleshooting Bluetooth and TV connections

Some HDMI connections to devices like soundbars can hog up the audio output and prevent you from switching to Bluetooth. For example, I encountered a specific combination of devices — an LG OLED TV and a Sonos Arc soundbar — where I selected Bluetooth, and the HDMI connection took over the audio within a couple of seconds. If this happens, you can try unplugging the soundbar cable.

If an issue or problem comes up, such as a Bluetooth connection error message, return to your TV’s Bluetooth settings, select the device and choose either Forget device or Delete device. Then repeat the pairing process.

If your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth, you’re not left out in the cold. Bluetooth transmitters are easy to connect to older TVs with an audio output (typically an optical connection) and usually support two headphone connections simultaneously. However, be sure to look for a transmitter model that includes the aptX low-latency codec and use it with headphones that also support the same codec. If not, you may experience distracting lag time between audio and video, aka lip-sync issues.

To pair the transmitter with your headphones, place both devices in pairing mode, and they should connect automatically. If another device hijacks the connection to your headphones, turn off that device’s Bluetooth.

Technologies

YouTubers Sue Amazon, Claim AI Tool Was Trained on Scraped Videos

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon bypassed YouTube protections to collect content for its generative AI video system.

A group of YouTube creators is suing Amazon, accusing the tech giant of secretly scraping their videos to train its AI video model without permission.

The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle, alleges Amazon used automated tools to download and extract data from millions of YouTube videos to build and improve its Nova Reel generative AI system — a model that can create short videos from text prompts and images.

At the center of the complaint is how that data was obtained. The plaintiffs claim that Amazon bypassed YouTube’s protections using virtual machines and rotating IP addresses to avoid detection, effectively sidestepping the platform’s safeguards against bulk downloading.

The lawsuit was brought by several creators, including Ted Entertainment (the company behind the H3 Podcast and h3h3 Productions), as well as individual YouTubers and channel operators. They argue that the alleged scraping violated copyright law and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and are seeking damages as well as an injunction to stop the practice.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

The case lands at a pivotal moment for generative AI, as courts weigh whether training on copyrighted material qualifies as fair use and how much control creators retain once their work is used to build these systems. The disputes have often centered on written material, which has been at the center of the AI revolution for several years, while AI video generators such as OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo have emerged more recently.

The lawsuit is one of dozens testing the boundaries of AI training practices, alongside high-profile cases from authors, artists and news organizations, including lawsuits against OpenAI and Meta, all circling the same unresolved question: Where does fair use end and infringement begin?

Technologies

The Galaxy Z TriFold Is Back. You Can Buy It From Samsung Soon

The $2,899 phone paused its sales in March after selling through its inventory, but Samsung is bringing it back to its online store.

Samsung’s $2,899 Galaxy Z TriFold is going back on sale on Friday, following a halt to its sales in March after the foldable phone sold through its inventory. Samsung has announced the TriFold’s return with a countdown clock on the phone’s online store page along with a Wednesday newsletter email sent to customers.

The initial pause, which Samsung said at the time was related to the TriFold being a «super-premium device in limited quantities,» happened after just three months of availability. The TriFold first went on sale in South Korea on Dec. 12 and then arrived in Samsung’s US store on Jan. 30. The TriFold sold out in the US within minutes of going on sale — which I know personally after joining my colleagues that morning in an attempt to buy it. Thankfully Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti succeeded, and then reviewed the TriFold.

It’s unclear whether the Galaxy Z TriFold is now permanently returning to Samsung’s online store or if it is again on sale until its stock sells through. Given that the phone is very expensive, and unfolds to reveal a large, 10-inch display, it wouldn’t be surprising if its stock will be in limited quantities. We’ve asked a Samsung representative to clarify and will update if we hear more.

The Galaxy Z TriFold’s return also comes ahead of the summer season when we expect a slew of other foldable phones: Samsung typically refreshes its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip line in July or August, and Motorola has announced its first book-style Razr Fold phone will also debut during the season. And Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold (or perhaps iPhone Ultra based on latest rumors) could also be teased later this year.

Technologies

Help Us Crown the Most Loved Headphones and Earbuds of 2026

Got a pair you swear by? Take our People’s Picks survey to help us find a winner.

CNET just launched People’s Picks, a series of surveys where actual humans like you vote for the products and services you use. Starting in April, we want you to weigh in on your favorite headphones and earbuds. We’ll pick a winner based on which ones you love the most.

Why we want to hear from you

Our writers and editors test hundreds of products each year, but your real-world experience with these devices is something we can’t replicate in our labs. You’ve used these headphones at the gym, on your commute to work and on long flights, and that perspective is invaluable. Your voice helps others know about the headphones or earbuds you love, too.

«I review a lot of headphones and earbuds for CNET, and there are plenty of great models from the top brands in this survey that I rate highly. I’m always curious about what models people ultimately choose and why, so I’m excited to get your feedback and learn the results of this survey,» says David Carnoy, CNET’s executive editor and headphones expert.

With our survey, we’ll collect answers from real-world users like you. The headphones and earbuds chosen through our 3-minute survey will be featured in our People’s Picks roundup of the top picks based on your recommendation.

Make your voice heard

Whether you swear by a pair of $25 earbuds or love a pair of high-end headphones, your pick counts. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and after we gather enough information, we’ll tally the results and publish the winners.

Not sure what to pick? Check out our Best Headphones to revisit your favorites before voting.