My brother just bought me a cool new Logitech wireless speaker and I’m eager to try it with my MacBook Pro, but it’s not Airplay, it’s a bluetooth speaker. I think my MacBook has bluetooth, but how do I pair the speaker and use it with my Mac OS X laptop?
I know the wireless speaker you’re talking about, actually, as we have one too, the Logitech Z515 wireless speaker (they need cooler names for their products, I think!). It’s nice, portable, sounds good for the size and works as an audio device for any Bluetooth compatible source, including iPhones and, yes, MacBooks and MacBook Pro computers. It’ll also work with PCs that support Bluetooth, of course: it’s platform agnostic. 🙂
Getting Bluetooth up and running on any computer can be a bit tricky because it’s not a commonly used service, so it tends to be tucked away in the dusty corners of the operating system. On the Mac you can have a Bluetooth icon on your menu bar, but it’s not enabled by default so you’re still going to have to delve a bit into the system preferences to turn things on and get them running. There are two steps required too: first you have to “pair” the bluetooth speaker with your computer, then once that’s done you can select the new device as an audio output device and use it. It’s easier the second time.
Ready?
Start by launching your “System Preferences…” from the Apple menu:
Once launched, you’ll see a lot of icons representing different areas of your system. Look for the Bluetooth icon, as highlighted below:
Click on Bluetooth and you’ll see a list of previously paired Bluetooth devices — if any — along with a few minimally labelled control buttons:
This is where it’s confusing the first time you use it because I always expect either for the Bluetooth device to magically show up or a button labeled “Add new Bluetooth Device”. Instead, click on the small “+” button on the lower left. Now the Bluetooth Setup Assistant will launch and it will see your new speaker after a few moments:
Tip: If it doesn’t see the speaker, make sure that you have the device in “pairing” mode. On the particular Logitech speaker you’re talking about, that’s done by pushing both the “+” and “-” speaker volume buttons simultaneously for about ten seconds. On other devices, there are similar techniques for moving into bluetooth pairing mode: check with the instructions that came with the device. It also can take a few seconds sometimes for the device to be “seen” by the computer.
Once it is, however, you can click on the “Continue” button on the lower right…
Hopefully no more than five seconds will pass and the MacBook Pro will be able to successfully pair with the new speaker:
Looks good, but you’re not done, as is obvious if you look closely at the new speaker in the Bluetooth panel: it’s not “connected” yet:
To use the speaker as an external audio device on your Mac OS X system, select the speaker, then click on the “gear” menu on the lower left and select “Use as Audio Device”:
It can take 5-10 seconds to properly switch, but after a short period, the device should be listed as connected:
Done. Now just crank iTunes and you’ll find the audio comes out of the external bluetooth speaker. Nice!
My JBL Reflect Response Headphones don’t work properly.
When I am using any Osx audio application or Logic Pro project, the music track will restart or rewind for a few seconds and cut some parts, unable to hear the full track.
I’ve reinstalled and paired several times and the problem still happens.
Could someone help me with the problem?
TKS
FL
My 2012 Macbook Pro pairs with the device, but when trying to play youtube videos the sound cuts in and out sporadically and then loses connection. ( 5′ from the speaker.) My 2003 Sony Vaio with Windows XP works better.
Worked perfectly, Thank you
This did not help. The screen that you and others display to “pair” the device does not pop up. There is nothing that says “pair” or “accept” for me to click on. I use to have it in the sound list before I upgraded my mac. But after that I lost my printers now my JBL charge 2.
Thank you! Exactly what I needed and worked perfectly.
Hi Dave,
i have connected my speakers to my Envent 4.1 Speakers via bluetooth . I am not able to hear any of the videos being played on youtube. Allthough it is from my Android phone. Please help me and give me a way out to do so . Await your reply sir.
Cheers,
Shrirang
Thanks so very much!!! That was very helpful!!
Thanks so much!!
Thank you, this helped. I had to push the pair on the Bluetooth receiver. I did not have to do this for my iPhone. Like you said it is buried in the MacBook for some reason.
Thank you man! this really helped me a lot!
Hi! Great site and advices!
Is there a way to listen to the music, both from the bluetooth speakers and the mac’s speakers simultlaneously? (they are in different rooms, that’s why I need that!)
Thank you!
You can push audio out to multiple devices through AirPlay, but not through Bluetooth. One or the other.
Thank you Dave, this was very helpful, especially the button “use as audio device”!
Legend Dave, thanks so much.
Theres a million forums out there saying Macbook itunes WONT work with Monster clarity. Everyone pairs but they don’t Use as Audio Device.
For anyone else out there searching like i was:
Macbook Itunes with bluetooth Monster iClarity / clarity
🙂
Hi Dave, thanks for the article. Does this only work with iTunes or can I stream music from say grooveshark or youtube using Safari ?
Once you have your system paired via Bluetooth, any audio that would come out of your computer or mobile device should instead come out of the speaker automatically…
my youtube won’t play through, but iTunes will?
HI Dave!
The answer to connecting a bluetooth speaker to my macbook pro was very helpful. However, when it recognizes the “JBL Flip” I have, the type says “headset” and then it says it has failed to connect. So it can find the device but can’t connect. Any ideas?
Andrew
All the steps worked except the last part. When pairing my JBL charge to my MacBook Pro, I had to select the JBL device (not connected), press & hold the power button while in pairing mode and you will hear a two beep confirmation. Once you hear the two-beep confirmation, you notice it says connected.
Thanks mate, very helpful!!
Thank you!!! This worked famously.
Cheers,
g
Thank you very much 🙂
I just got new mbp, wanted to connect with awesome bluetooth twist speakers from iSound.
Great tutorial – worked perfectly and there was no way I could have figured this out. Thanks!
Hmmm… have you previously paired the speaker with something else? That might still be “holding on to” the connection, which the Mac only sees when it tries to actually *use* the device for audio output?
Hi Dave, I’m going nuts. I have the logitech x 100 and i’ve done all the steps, except it keeps switching from Logitech headphones (there’s also a logitech headset option) to boom device, there’s a beeping in between it switching. While it’s switched over to boom device, it plays zero sound. How can i keep it connected to the “headphones” option on the output in sound?
Thanks for the instructions! They worked perfectly until I clicked on the gear button and selected “use as audio device.” The error message reads “Bluetooth audio failed. There was an error connecting to your headset. Make sure it is turned on and in range. The audio portion of the program you were using may have to be restarted.” I turned on and off both my speaker and Itunes. It still didn’t work – any idea what I might need to do?
Thanks!
This was extremely helpful – thank you!
Hi Dave,, thank you.. its been very helpful.,