How to connect Bluetooth headphones to Laptop?

Solution 1:

First install all updates

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Reboot

If you have already paired the device, I would do in terminal

wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/pylover/d68be364adac5f946887b85e6ed6e7ae/raw/d698974910bbb7d016ec0ad08c1bf41b4b524364/a2dp.py
alias headphones="a2dp.py 04:52:C7:0D:C5:69"

Then whenever you want to use the headphones in A2DP audio, in terminal enter

headphones

There is a bug in either Bluez or Pulseaudio that makes it difficult to switch audio profiles from HSP/HFP to A2DP without switching the audio profile to off, then disconnect, reconnect and then switch to A2DP. The a2dp.py script automates this process

Solution 2:

  1. You may be trying to connect to the wrong headphones. Make sure yours are set into pairing mode. For the August EP 650, this is done by pressing the volume buttons + and - for three seconds.
  2. If you now enter bluetoothctl, you should see a new device:

    [NEW] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 EP650
    
  3. Pair with the device:

    [bluetooth]# pair 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5
    Attempting to pair with 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 Connected: yes
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 00001108-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 0000110b-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 0000110c-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 0000110e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 0000111e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 UUIDs: 00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 Paired: yes
    Pairing successful
    

    Your device may have a pairing key.

  4. Connect the device

    [bluetooth]# connect 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5
    Attempting to connect to 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5
    [CHG] Device 00:12:D0:01:F4:E5 Connected: yes
    Connection successful
    
  5. Check sound options to see if you are using the correct output device. If your experience a garbled audio mess, make sure you have Hihg Fidelity Playback (A2DP Sink) enabled.

Sound settings to enable output device and playback profile a2dp

Solution 3:

To enable a Bluetooth audio device it needs to be paired with your comuter first. To do so you enter the headset into pairing mode:

Turn the device on then press and hold the - and + buttons for 3 seconds to enter pairing mode. In pairing mode, the LED flashes red and blue.

After that you can proceed with the discovery and pairing of a new device:

  • How do I connect to my Bluetooth headset?

In case a device was paired in the past but does not work as expected we may have to remove it first, then re-pair it.