A few days back, I decided to binge-watch Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 on my TCL TV.
Just when I was about to start the first episode, I realized that my brother was working from home.
The sound from my TV would cause a disturbance during his online meetings.
I still didn’t want to miss out on the show and thought of connecting my Bluetooth headphones with the TCL TV so I could enjoy the show without bothering him.
Unable to find the TV manual, I started looking for ways to pair my Bluetooth headphones with TCL TV online.
After an hour of googling, I finally got my headphones working with the TV and enjoyed watching the show.
Here’s what got my Bluetooth headphones connected:
To connect Bluetooth headphones to your TCL TV, put them in pairing mode by holding the power button. Now go to “Settings” and select “Remote and Accessories” on the TV. Navigate to “Add accessory” and select your headphones from the available device list.
Connect Bluetooth Headphones to TCL Smart TV
TCL TVs allow users to connect any type of Bluetooth device including speakers, headphones, wireless keyboard, mouse, etc.
It’s important to note that TCL TVs are based on Roku, Android, and the latest Google TV platform.
Read the TV manual or search the specifications of your TV model online to verify if your TV is running on Roku, Android, or Google TV platforms.
Based on these platforms, the process of connecting Bluetooth devices such as headphones or speakers may vary on your TV.
I’ll cover the procedure of connecting Bluetooth devices on both TCL Android and Google TV as well as TCL Roku TV.
TCL Android and Google TV
If you own a TCL TV based on Android or Google TV platform, follow these steps to connect your Bluetooth headphones to it:
- Press the Home Button on your Smart TV remote
- Search and click on the Settings option
- Scroll down till you find the Remote and Accessories option and press OK on the TV remote
- Now click and select the Add Accessories option. Your TV will start looking for new Bluetooth devices
- Switch on your Bluetooth headphones and put them into the pairing mode (Pressing and holding the power button of headphones should work)
- Wait for a few seconds for the Bluetooth device name to appear on the TV screen
- Click and select the device you want to connect
- You may receive a code or pairing request based on your TV model or Bluetooth device.
- Click OK using the TV remote and the Bluetooth headphones should be connected to your TV now
TCL Roku TV
For Bluetooth pairing, the TCL Roku TVs only support Roku Wireless Speakers and Roku Smart Soundbar.
Thus, It’s most likely that you won’t be able to connect your Bluetooth headphones directly to your TV.
However, you can still give it a try if the Roku TV is compatible with your Bluetooth headphones:
- Press the Home Button on your Roku TV remote to open several TV options
- Scroll down to find Settings and click on it
- Now go to Remote and Devices
- Try turning on your Bluetooth headphones and put them on pairing mode
- Let the TV search for your device and wait for it to appear on the screen
- If it does, click on it to connect. A “(Connected)” message should appear beside your device name if the connection is successful.
If your Bluetooth headphones (such as Apple AirPods) didn’t appear on the TV screen, then they may not be compatible with your TV.
Though you may not be able to connect your Bluetooth headphones directly to the Roku TV, you can still use these two alternatives– Connect Bluetooth headphones using the Roku App or via Roku TV Remote.
Using the Roku App:
To connect your Bluetooth headphones using the Roku app, you need to turn on the Private Listening feature in the app.
Here’s how to do it:
- Connect and pair the Bluetooth headphones on your android device or iPhone
- Download and install the Roku app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store
- Open the Roku app and select Devices
- If you can’t find your Roku TV on the app, check and confirm if your phone and Roku TV are connected on the same network connection
- Search and select your Roku device from the list
- Now press the Remote option available in the Device section
- Tap on the Private Listening (headphones icon) below the remote
- Check if the headphones icon appears on the right-hand corner of your TV screen
- Try playing a movie or any audio on your Roku TV to check if the headphones are working properly
Using Roku TV Remote:
In case your Bluetooth headphones have a 3.5mm jack, you can also connect it to your Roku Voice Remote Pro.
Follow these steps to get your headphones working with the TV:
- Find a headphone jack on the opposite side of your remote’s volume buttons.
- Plug your headphones into the jack.
- Check for the headphones icon on your Roku TV Screen.
- This ensures that the Private Listening mode is activated.
- Your TV’s audio should be transferred to your headphones now.
Note that not every Roku device or TV comes with a Roku premium remote.
Only the high-end Roku devices including Roku Ultra, Roku Streambar, Roku Streambar Pro, etc. are shipped with a Roku Voice Remote.
If your TV didn’t come with a Roku Voice Remote Pro, you can buy one online on Amazon or eBay at an affordable price.
Bonus Tip: Connect Headphones Using a Bluetooth Transmitter
As we’ve discussed the limitations of Roku TV when it comes to Bluetooth connectivity, it’s worth going for a Bluetooth transmitter.
At a minimal extra cost, a transmitter will enable Bluetooth on your TCL Roku TV even if it doesn’t come with standard Bluetooth support.
A Bluetooth transmitter can connect to your TV via optical audio input, AUX, or RCA audio jacks.
A TCL Roku TV has both optical audio and AUX ports, so I’d recommend buying the 1Mii B06 Plus Bluetooth Receiver for long-range connectivity with Bluetooth 5.0 chip.
Simply connect the Bluetooth transmitter to your TV and pair it with your wireless headphones to use them with your TV.
Enjoy Streaming, All Alone!
Connecting Bluetooth headphones to your TCL TV is easy if your TV is running on Android or Google TV platforms.
You can directly pair the headphones on your TV by navigating to the Remote and Accessory menu and clicking on Add accessory.
If you own a TCL Roku TV, your Bluetooth headphones may not be supported by the TV.
In this case, you need to use the Private Listening feature available on the Roku app.
Pair the headphones on your mobile and connect the Roku TV with the app.
Ensure that both your phone and Roku TV are connected to the same WiFi network.
Alternatively, you can also use wired headphones by connecting them to the 3.5mm jack on the Roku TV remote.
This will automatically turn the Private Listening feature on and pair your headphones with Roku TV.
If you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars, buy a new Bluetooth transmitter for your TCL Roku TV.
The transmitter will enable Bluetooth connectivity for your TV and allow it to easily pair with Bluetooth speakers, headphones, wireless keyboard, and mouse, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my TCL TV support Bluetooth headphones?
Most TCL TVs running on the latest Android or Google TV platforms have WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.
However, TCL Roku TVs may not support Bluetooth headphones such as Apple AirPods.
In that case, you may need to connect your headphones using the Roku mobile app or Roku Voice Remote.
How to get audio from my TCL TV to headphones?
There are several ways in which you can connect your headphones to the TCL TV.
For Android or Google-based TCL TVs, you can go to the Add Accessory menu to pair your Bluetooth headphones with the TV.
If you have wired headphones, find a 3.5mm jack on your TV to connect directly.
In case you have a TCL Roku TV, use the Roku mobile app or Roku Voice Remote to turn on the Private Listening feature and connect your headphones to the TV.
The Roku Voice Remote allows wired headphones connection while the Roku Mobile app connects with the TV via WiFi and allows Bluetooth headphones pairing.
Is audio output available on TCL TVs?
All TCL TVs come with an ANALOG AUDIO OUTPUT (3.5mm jack).
This output allows the TV to send analog audio to several devices including wired headphones, speakers, home theatre systems, etc.
Do all Roku devices have a Private Listening feature?
The Private Listening Feature is available on all Roku devices and allows connecting Bluetooth or Wired Headphones or speakers to the Roku TV or Roku Streaming devices.
Using the Private Listening feature, you can watch your favorite TV shows or movies on Roku devices without disturbing neighbors or family members, especially during late nights.
