How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones and Listen to Music on Apple Watch - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones and Listen to Music on Apple Watch

by

Apple Watch includes storage space for adding content like apps, photos, and music, with up to some of that space dedicated to storing songs. When you add a playlist, you can listen to music on it, even when your iPhone is not in range. While the process is fairly self-explanatory, there are a few steps you don't want to forget in order to play music from Apple Watch to your Bluetooth connected headphones

Adding Music to Apple Watch

In order to listen to music on Apple Watch without an iPhone in range, you must sync a playlist to it first.

  1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap My Watch.
  2. Select Music from the list.
  3. Tap "Synced Playlist" to access your iPhone's playlist.
  4. Select a playlist from the list (if there is no playlist visible in this list, you will need to create one on your iPhone).
  5. Place your Apple Watch on its charger to initiate the sync. This step is important. Apple Watch will not sync a playlist if it has not been connected to the charger.

addingmusicapplewatch
You can customize your playlist limit here. Switch between the amount of storage or number of songs to change the view. Select 100 MB, 500 MB, 1.0 GB, or 2.0 GB of storage (or 15, 50, 125 or 250 songs). When you reach your maximum playlist limit, you won't be able to add more music.

To remove all playlists from Apple Watch, select "None" at the bottom of the Playlist screen.

Pairing Bluetooth Headphones

applewatchbluetoothpairingYou may be able to listen to music directly from Apple Watch, but only through Bluetooth headphones. Without them, music will only play through the iPhone.

  1. Put your headphones in Discovery mode.
  2. Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
  3. Tap Bluetooth.
  4. Select the headphones you wish to pair.

Listening to Music on Apple Watch

There's one more important first step to listening to music directly on Apple Watch using Bluetooth headphones, and that involves changing the source for the music.

applewatchmusicsource

  1. Open the Music app on Apple Watch.
  2. Force press the display screen.
  3. Select "Source" from the options that appear.
  4. Choose Apple Watch as the music source to play from.
  5. Select a playlist and tap the Play button to begin listening to music.

You can also see how many songs are stored on your Apple Watch under the About section of the Settings app on the device.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

150 months ago
This is a less complete article than on Apple's website.

I would like to suggest a how to article on how to remove how to articles from my newsfeed.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
Tomorrow on MacRumors: How to Use Your Car's Sunroof
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MH01 Avatar
150 months ago
Tomorrow on MacRumors: How to Use Your Car's Sunroof

Too advanced. How to unlock your car door.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
myrtlebee Avatar
150 months ago
I think these how-to articles are great. Not eveyone wants to dig around Google and Apple's website to find things like this. These are great for MacRumors because they help keep people on MacRumors once they're here instead of going elsewhere for this info. And the information is presented in an aesthetically-pleasing way. I do agree, however, with the posters who suggest a setting to disable notification of how-to articles for those who are not interested.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MentalFloss Avatar
150 months ago
Okay I'm getting a little bored with the Apple Watch now. Please stop publishing stories about it. It's a gadget for the super rich, I get it.

Thanks! I love being called "super rich"!

My colleague just bought a car that cost a hundred times more than my Apple Watch, and he has to pay quite a lot of money each month to fill it up with the rather expensive remains of unreplaceable million-year-old biomass. Not to mention the fact that the moment he left the dealership with the car, it lost the eqivalent of five Apple Watches in value, and it continues to lose value quickly.

If I, as an Apple Watch owner, am considered "super rich", then what do people call someone who can urinate that much money down the drain within the blink of an eye?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
Its hard to imagine anyone buying an Apple watch not carrying an iPhone, so why even bother?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple watch series 3 design

Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch

Sunday November 1, 2026 3:34 am PST by
Apple has published a support document describing what to do if your Apple Watch continues to show time that's off by one hour after daylight savings time changes. "This incorrect time appears only on the Always On display when your wrist is down," says Apple. "When you activate the display by tapping it or raising your wrist, the time changes to the correct hour." To fix the issue, Apple says ...
siri recap live rewind

watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch

Tuesday November 3, 2026 10:35 am PST by
With the first beta of watchOS 27.3, Apple is introducing new Audio Intelligence features it previewed for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 earlier this year. Powered by the S11 chip, Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam Music Recognition. Sound Recognition and Shazam are already on the watch, but Live Rewind and Siri Recap are now available ...
apple watch series 3 design

Apple Watch Users in Europe Report Daylight Saving Glitch

Monday October 26, 2026 5:26 am PDT by
Some Apple Watch users running watchOS 27 are reporting a daylight saving glitch after clocks went back in the UK and Europe on Sunday. In a MacRumors forums thread, five users – several in the UK and central Europe – say their watch shows the correct time when activated, but the Always-On display keeps showing summer time, leaving it an hour fast. The problem has also been reported in...
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
56 minutes ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
11 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
13 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
1 day ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago