Resetting your Bose speaker can help resolve a variety of issues and restore it to factory default settings. A force reset may be necessary if your speaker is frozen, unresponsive, or experiencing other technical problems. Here are step-by-step instructions to force reset common Bose wireless speakers and soundbars.
Resetting Bose Portable Smart Speakers
Bose portable Bluetooth speakers like the SoundLink Color II, SoundLink Micro, and SoundLink Revolve can be reset by following these steps:
- Press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume down buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds until the speaker voice prompts indicate the reset has started.
- Wait for the reset process to complete. The LED light will flash white then return to its previous state.
- Your portable speaker should now be reset to factory default settings.
Resetting Bose Home Smart Speakers
Smart speakers like the Bose Home Speaker 500, Bose Home Speaker 300, and Bose Portable Home Speaker can be reset in a few quick steps:
- Press and hold the Action button located on the back of the speaker for 10 seconds until the light ring blinks amber.
- When you see the blinking amber light, release the Action button.
- Your Bose home speaker will restart and restore factory settings.
Resetting Bose Soundbars
Follow these instructions to force reset your Bose soundbar:
- Locate the reset button on your soundbar, usually on the back or bottom panel.
- Use a paperclip or pin to press and hold the reset button for 10-15 seconds.
- Some models will have voice prompts to confirm reset. Others will simply power cycle.
- Once the reset process finishes, your soundbar will be restored to factory defaults.
Resetting Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
To reset wireless Bose headphones like the QuietComfort and Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 lines:
- Power on the headphones if they are not already on.
- Press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds until the indicator light flashes white.
- On models with voice prompts, wait for the “Bluetooth device list cleared” voice notification.
- Your headphones will restart in pairing mode, reset to factory settings.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your Bose speaker or headphones don’t seem to reset properly, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you are pressing and holding the correct buttons simultaneously for the full 10-15 seconds.
- Check that the device has sufficient battery charge to complete the reset sequence.
- Try resetting while the device is disconnected from power sources and other devices.
- Some resets require the device to be powered on – if powered off, press the power button first.
- For stubborn reset issues, you may need to contact Bose support for further assistance.
Post-Reset Instructions
After force resetting your Bose product, follow these steps:
- Reconnect the speaker, headphones or soundbar to power if needed.
- Re-pair your mobile device or other Bluetooth source.
- If connected to WiFi previously, reconnect to your wireless network.
- Reload any firmware or software updates if available.
- Try using the device to confirm normal functioning has been restored.
When to Reset Your Bose Speaker or Headphones
A few common reasons you may want to reset your Bose device include:
- Experiencing technical issues or glitches
- Speaker or headphones seem frozen or unresponsive
- Having Bluetooth pairing problems
- Cannot connect device to app or WiFi
- Errors downloading software updates
- Distorted or low audio quality
- Before selling or gifting the device to restore factory settings
Resetting should resolve many minor software bugs and connectivity issues. It’s a handy basic troubleshooting step before seeking further product support or service.
Alternative Reset Options
Some Bose products may also have alternative reset options including:
- App reset – The Bose Connect app allows factory reset of connected speakers from within the app interface.
- Soft reset – Pressing the power button to reboot the device restarts the system but doesn’t restore factory defaults.
- Online reset – Bose account holders can use the Bose website to reset cloud-connected speakers remotely.
However, the manual button reset process outlined above will force a factory reset on any compatible Bose speaker or headphones even without app connectivity or an online account.
Conclusion
Force resetting your malfunctioning or problematic Bose speaker, headphones or soundbar is an easy troubleshooting fix to restore factory settings. Simply locate the right buttons for your model, press and hold for 10-15 seconds until the reset sequence begins, then wait for it to complete. Your Bose device will power cycle and reboot with original software and settings intact. Just be sure to re-pair and reconnect it after resetting. With this quick button reset tip, you can easily revive and troubleshoot common issues with your Bose wireless audio equipment.
