Most speakers provide a convenient way of connecting various devices. For instance, Bluetooth speakers can be wirelessly connected to any device, provided that the device also has Bluetooth.
Bluetooth connectivity is among the most popular connection methods, and it is wireless, making it a go-to solution for people who do not want to clutter their space with wires.
Unfortunately, some speakers in the market do not have Bluetooth integrated yet. Playing audio on a non-Bluetooth speaker through your phone can be challenging.
But after careful analysis and trying different methods, I figured it out, and I want to help you connect a speaker to your phone even though the speaker does not support Bluetooth.
Key Takeaways
- Before connecting the speaker to your phone, figure out whether the speaker is active/powered or passive.
- Active speakers have a built-in amplifier and can be connected directly to your phone.
- These speakers usually have an aux port, so you can use a male-to-male aux cable to connect it to your phone.
- On the other hand, passive speakers do not have a built-in amplifier, and they need to be connected to an external one before they can output audio.
- You cannot connect passive speakers directly to your phone. The speaker needs to connect to an amplifier first.
- Then you can connect your phone to the amplifier through an aux cable or Bluetooth if the amplifier has Bluetooth.
- If the amp does not have Bluetooth or if the active speaker does not have Bluetooth, you can use a Bluetooth adapter to make the speaker Bluetooth-compatible.
Connecting a Phone to a Speaker Without Bluetooth
Various speakers are available in the market and connect to source devices using various methods. Bluetooth and aux connections are the most common since they are easy to establish.
Some speakers do not have Bluetooth connectivity, thus limiting ways you can connect to them, but that does not mean it is impossible.
Below are alternative ways you can connect your phone to a speaker that does not have Bluetooth.
Is the Speaker Active or Passive?
Before connecting your phone to a speaker, you must figure out whether the speaker is active or passive.
Active speakers have built-in amplifiers, meaning they can be directly connected to audio sources (like your phone). These speakers must be connected to a power source before being connected to a source device.
On the other hand, passive speakers do not have a built-in amplifier and thus require an external amplifier. The amplifier then supplies the speaker with power meaning the speakers do not need to be connected to a power source.
Passive Speaker and Active Speaker
When using a passive speaker, you would have to connect the speaker to the amplifier and your phone to the amplifier to hear your phone’s audio through the speaker.
Here is how to connect a phone to a speaker that does not have Bluetooth.
Using an AUX Cable
Most active speakers have an aux port to connect a 3.5mm aux cable (Amazon). If your phone also has the 3.5mm aux jack, you can get a male-to-male aux cable and insert one end of the cable into the speaker and the other end into your phone.
3.5mm AUX Cable (Male-to-Male)
Then power on the speaker and ensure it is in the aux input mode. Most speakers, especially portable ones, will automatically enter the aux input mode when they sense an aux connection.
At this point, any audio you play on the phone will be heard through the speaker.
However, if the phone does not have an aux port like many do, you can get a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter for Android devices (Amazon) or a Lightning-to-3.5mm (Amazon) adapter for iPhones. For iPhones with USB-C ports, you will need the official Apple USB-C to 3.5mm adapter (Amazon).
3.5mm Adapters
Then insert the adapter into the phone and connect one end of the AUX cable to the adapter’s 3.5mm port and the other to the speaker.
You can also use the 3.5mm aux cable if you have a passive speaker. Simply connect the speaker to an amplifier, then locate the amplifier’s aux port, as it most likely has one.
Then connect one end of the aux cable to your phone and the other to the amplifier.
If the amplifier does not have an aux port but only RCA ports, you can still get an aux to RCA (Amazon) cable that will work just like the aux cable.
Using a Bluetooth Adapter
Although the speaker does not have Bluetooth, that does not mean you cannot give it Bluetooth capabilities.
To do this, you must purchase a Bluetooth adapter/receiver (Amazon) and connect it to your speaker or amplifier.
There are various Bluetooth adapters available in the market, therefore, read the reviews and settle on an adapter that works for you.
BluDento Bluetooth 5.0 Audio Receiver
You can get an adapter that connects to the speaker’s aux port if your speaker has the port. If not, get an adapter with a connector compatible with your speaker’s ports.
Then connect the adapter to a power source or charge it if it is a rechargeable adapter.
Then power on the adapter and enable the Bluetooth settings on your phone.
If you have an iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the toggle switch to turn on Bluetooth. The switch will be highlighted to show Bluetooth is on.
Assuming the adapter is on its name and will appear on your phone under the ‘Other devices’ list, tap on the adapter and complete the pairing process.
If you have an Android, the steps might vary depending on the phone, but a general breakdown is as follows; go to Settings > Connected Devices > Bluetooth, tap the toggle switch to enable Bluetooth connectivity, and select the Pair new devices option.
The adapter’s name will appear on your phone screen, and you can select it to complete the pairing process.
Some adapters might prompt you to enter a PIN on your phone. Check the adapter’s manual for the correct PIN, and if you cannot find it try the most common PINs, i.e., 1234 or 0000.
Once paired, you can play audio on your phone and hear it on the speaker.
Audio Engine Bluetooth Receiver – Review
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: Can I connect a speaker directly to my phone?
- Answer: Yes, you can connect a speaker directly to your phone. The only pre-requisite is that the speaker and phone should have aux ports to connect the auxiliary cable.
- Alternatively, you can connect your phone directly to the speaker via Bluetooth if the phone and speaker have Bluetooth.
- Note that the above connections are possible if you have an active speaker.; If you have a passive speaker, you would have to connect the speaker to an amplifier and then connect your phone to the amplifier. This is because your phone cannot supply the passive speakers with enough power like an amplifier would.
- Question: How do I play my phone through aux?
- Answer: Connect the speaker to your phone using a 3.5mm male-to-male auxiliary cable to play audio on a speaker through an aux connection. Insert one end of the cable into the speaker’s aux port and the other end into the phone’s aux port. Power on the speaker and play audio on your phone, and you will hear it out of the speaker.
Conclusion
There are relatively limited ways of connecting to a speaker that does not have Bluetooth connectivity. Even if you opt for a smart speaker that can connect to your phone via Wi-Fi, most smart speakers still need Bluetooth.
If you cannot connect to the speaker using an aux cable or by attaching a Bluetooth adapter, consider purchasing a speaker with Bluetooth connectivity or an aux port.
