Your PS5 Doesn’t Support Bluetooth Headphones, but Here’s How to Connect Them Anyway
These days, most devices that play audio work seamlessly with Bluetooth headphones like AirPods. My computer, phone, and even my Nintendo Switch all support relatively seamless Bluetooth pairing, so I can take them out of their case and watch movies or play games. The only device I can think of that isn’t compatible with AirPods, or any wireless headphones for that matter, is my PS5.
Here’s how I discovered it: It was late and I wanted to play Astro Bot . I love the game, but I’ll admit, it’s loud . To avoid disturbing the rest of the family, I decided to play on my AirPods, so I followed the standard procedure: put the AirPods in pairing mode , turn on the PS5, and go to Settings > Accessories > General > Bluetooth Accessories. My AirPods showed up in the list, but when I tried to connect them, I got this message: “PS5 does not support Bluetooth audio accessories.”
Sorry, what? My $500 PlayStation 5, released in 2020, years after Bluetooth headphones became standard technology, doesn’t support Bluetooth audio accessories? That would only make sense if Sony, for example, sold its own line of wired and wireless headphones in the hopes that you’d buy them instead of using the ones you already own. Oh yeah: They do that . Okay, other companies are selling headphones designed specifically for the PS5, too, but come on . Even the original Switch now supports Bluetooth audio , a feature Nintendo added four years after the console’s launch. Sony could easily do the same.
My pesky comments aside, don’t worry: the solution isn’t to buy one of Sony’s proprietary “audio accessories.” Instead, there’s a simple, free fix — assuming your TV is compatible.
Connect Bluetooth Headphones Directly to Your TV
In desperation, I googled and came across this Reddit thread . The thread’s author, like me, was wondering why they couldn’t use Bluetooth audio devices with the PS5. While there’s no official explanation (but maybe see above), another Reddit user offered a simple but effective suggestion : just plug your headphones into your TV.
Can you do this? Why didn’t I think of this? Why didn’t I consider the fact that my TV is also a “modern” Bluetooth device? I don’t have answers, only solutions: Just connect your AirPods to your TV whenever you want to use them with your PS5.
This, of course, requires a TV that supports Bluetooth audio accessories. If you don’t have one, this trick won’t work. My TV, however, is a 2017 model, and it does support Bluetooth, so I’m guessing many, if not most, TVs bought in the last five years will support this option.
Check your settings
To do this, you may need to tinker with the audio outputs. You need to set up your PS5’s audio source to be your TV, and the audio output to be your TV’s built-in speakers. If you’re already using your TV’s speakers, you’ll likely already have these set up on both devices. However, if you’re using an external sound system, like a soundbar, double-check these settings. On the PS5, this can be found under Settings > Sound > Audio Output . On your TV, go to the Sound settings and make sure the output is set to your built-in speakers and not another device.
Connect headphones or earbuds
After that, you need to connect your Bluetooth headphones to your TV. Put them in pairing mode (this mode varies by device, so if you don’t know how to do this, check the brand of your headphones), then find the sound settings on your TV and look for the section on Bluetooth accessories or devices. If your TV has this menu, you’ll be able to find nearby devices, and your headphones should appear on the list. Select them, wait for them to pair, and voila: your AirPods or other wireless headphones will stream audio from your TV, and therefore from your PS5.
Or use a Bluetooth audio adapter
If your TV doesn’t support Bluetooth, you still don’t need to buy Sony’s headphones. Instead, you can buy something much cheaper: a Bluetooth audio adapter. These attachments let you connect a non-Bluetooth device to Bluetooth. You can connect it to your PS5 or TV, plug in your headphones, and stream music. There are plenty of options out there, but based on reviews , UGREEN’s USB-C Bluetooth adapter works well enough. Even HomeSpot , which was designed specifically for the Switch before Nintendo added support for Bluetooth devices, works on the PS5.
You can pick up one of these adapters for around $25, and while it’s a shame to spend money on a feature that should have been there to begin with, it’s better than buying a whole new headset just to play PS5 games without disturbing those around you.