Figuring out how to pair your new earbuds with your phone or laptop can be tricky. The procedures are similar for most earbuds, but there are always subtle differences. If you’re looking for pairing instructions for your brand-new Powerbeats 3, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading, and find out how to put Powerbeats 3 earbuds in pairing mode, how to pair them with your device, and what to do when your Powerbeats 3 won’t pair or keep disconnecting.
Key Takeaways
- When you turn on Powerbeats 3 for the first time, they go to pairing mode automatically. Also, after resetting, they should go to pairing mode when you turn them on.
- When in pairing mode, the LED on the left earbud (next to the POWER button) will flash white.
- Pressing the POWER button for a few seconds until the LED starts flashing white will put your Powerbeats in pairing mode.
- Like all Apple products, Powerbeats 3 buds are designed to work flawlessly with other devices from Apple’s ecosystem (iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, etc.). When you set them up with your first Apple device, they should automatically be set up with other devices signed in to your iCloud.
- Assuming the earbuds are in pairing mode and your iPhone’s Bluetooth is enabled, your Powerbeats 3 will be automatically recognized by your iPhone, and you will get a popup message asking you if you want to connect.
- When pairing with an Android device, the pairing procedure doesn’t include any popup messages. You have to pair them with your phone/tablet by going to Settings > Bluetooth. After enabling Bluetooth, you will find your Powerbeats 3 under Available Devices.
- To pair Powerbeats 3 with a Windows machine, put them in pairing mode first. Then, go to Settings > Bluetooth and Devices > Add Device > Bluetooth.
- To pair Powerbeats 3 with a MacBook, put them in pairing mode first. Then, go to System Settings > Bluetooth > and find them in the list of nearby devices. Click on Connect.
- If you experience pairing or connection issues with Powerbeats 3, try updating or resetting them.
- Powerbeats 3 are automatically updated when connected to an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. If you’re an Android user, you need to install the Beats app and use it to update the earbuds.
- To reset your Powerbeats 3, press and hold the POWER and VOL DOWN buttons until the LED starts flashing red. The LED will flash red a few times and should start flashing white after the reset is done.
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Powerbeats 3 Controls
Powerbeats 3 earbuds have a fairly simple control scheme. On the left earpiece, there’s the POWER button. The button is used to turn the earbuds on/off and to put them in pairing mode. When pressed simultaneously with the VOL DOWN button, It’s also used to reset the earbuds.
Powerbeats 3 also have inline controls with three buttons – VOL UP, VOL DOWN, and PLAY/PAUSE. The PLAY/PAUSE button is also used when you want to play the previous song (press twice) or the next song (press 3x). Finally, the middle button is also used for call management.
Powerbeats 3 Controls
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with an iPhone
If your Powerbeats 3 are brand-new or reset, they will go to pairing mode when you turn them on. If they don’t, press the POWER button until the LED starts flashing white. The earbuds are now in pairing mode.
Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone. If it is, keep your iPhone close to your Powerebeats, and you should quickly see a popup message saying Connect.
When you put the earbuds in pairing mode, this popup message will appear on your iPhone.
When you tap on Connect, the earbuds will pair with your iPhone. A new popup message will appear saying Done. You will also see your earbuds’ current battery level.
You should see this message when Powerbeats 3 pair with your iPhone.
If your earbuds don’t go to pairing mode or if they don’t appear in the list of available devices, try holding the POWER button a bit longer.
To be more specific, keep holding it until the LED turns off shortly. Release the button and survey the LED behavior. The LED should blink red and white alternately for about 2-3 seconds. The LED will then turn off once again, and it will start blinking white after that.
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with an iPhone (Manual Pairing Mode) – VIDEO TUTORIAL
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with an Android Phone
Put Powerbeats 3 in pairing mode by pressing the POWER button for about 1-2 seconds. The LED should start flashing white.
LED flashing white indicates the Powerbeats 3 are in pairing mode.
Unlike on iPhone, the popup message will not appear on your Android phone. Instead, you have to pair the headphones the old way. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, and enable Bluetooth.
The phone will search for available devices, and hopefully, your earbuds will appear under Available Devices.
If the earbuds don’t appear, press and hold the POWER button for about 5 seconds. Observe the LED. After it turns off, release the button. The LED should flash red and white a few times. Then, it will turn off. After a second, it will start flashing white again.
Pairing with an Android Phone – Step-by-Step Instructions
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with an Android Phone – VIDEO TUTORIAL
Powerbeats3 – iPhone VS Android Pairing Test
Powerbeats 3 – Beats App for Android Phones
While the pairing process with Android devices is not as convenient as with iOS devices, using the earbuds when connected to Android devices doesn’t have to be much different from iOS devices. You can still get some features and customization options if you download and install the Beats app from the Google Play Store.
The Beats app will allow you to rename your earbuds, check the battery, find them if they get lost, and update the Powerbeats 3 firmware.
While you don’t need the Beats app to pair or use your Powerbeats 3 with an Android device, the app will improve your experience. It will bring new features and customization options.
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with a Windows PC
Putting your Powerbeats 3 in pairing mode is the first step. Turn them on. If they don’t go to pairing mode or if they connect to some other device, press the POWER button until the LED starts flashing white.
If that doesn’t make them discoverable by your PC, press and hold the POWER button for about 5 seconds.
Now, on your Windows PC, go to your Bluetooth settings. On Windows 11, open Settings, and go to Bluetooth and Devices.
Enable Bluetooth on your Windows PC.
The next step, after enabling Bluetooth, is pairing your earbuds. Click on Add Device > Bluetooth, and wait for your PC to find your Powerbeats 3.
After you enable Bluetooth, click on Add a Device – Bluetooth.
When the earbuds appear, click on them. You should be connected in a few seconds.
Alternatively, you can access your PC’s Bluetooth settings using the taskbar shortcuts.
You can also pair your Powerbeats 3 with a Windows PC using the taskbar shortcuts.
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with a Windows 10 PC
Pairing Powerbeats 3 with a MacBook
The first step, again, is putting the earbuds in pairing mode. Just press the POWER button until the LED starts flashing white.
On your MacBook, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth. Ensure the Bluetooth is enabled.
Enable Bluetooth on your MacBook.
Now, you need to look for your Powerbeats 3 in the list of available devices. Scroll down until you find them. Then, click on Connect.
Select your Powerbeats 3 and click Connect.
Alternatively, you can use the Bluetooth shortcut in the Control Center to pair Powerbeats 3 with a MacBook.
Pairing Beats Bluetooth Earbuds with a MacBook
Troubleshooting Powerbeats 3 Pairing Issues
Occasionally, you may experience issues with your Powerbeats 3 earbuds. Pairing issues are particularly frustrating. Luckily, unlike some other issues and hardware failures, pairing issues are usually easy to fix.
The three most common fixes for pairing issues are restarting, updating the earbuds’ firmware, and resetting them.
So, if your earbuds won’t pair with your device or if they keep disconnecting, try these fixes.
Restarting the Earbuds
It’s pretty obvious what you need to do. Press the POWER button for about 1 second to turn off your earbuds. Turn them back on and wait for them to connect to your phone. If you are trying to pair them with your phone for the first time, put them in pairing mode and follow the pairing instructions given above.
Additionally, if the headphones have previously been paired with your phone, try restarting your connection. First, turn off your earbuds. Then, go to your phone’s Bluetooth settings and forget the earbuds from the list of paired devices. Then, pair the earbuds with your phone from scratch.
Forgetting the earbuds from your phone and pairing them afresh might fix some pairing issues.
Updating Powerbeats 3
Updating your Powerbeats 3 is automatic when the earbuds are connected to your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or any other Apple device. So, if you are having a pairing/connection issue with an Apple device, updating the earbuds is not the solution.
However, if the earbuds are connected to an Android phone, you need to update them using the Beats app.
Once you install the app, open it, and the app should recognize your earbuds. If it doesn’t, you can select your earbuds manually. After the earbuds are recognized by the app, you will get a notification if there are any updates available.
Resetting Powerbeats 3
Resetting Powerbeats 3 will remove all bugs from your earbuds’ firmware and restore them to their factory default settings. In the process, the reset will also erase all pairing information about previously connected devices.
To reset Powerbeats 3, press and hold the POWER and VOL DOWN buttons for approx. 10 seconds. Observe the LED. You can release the buttons when the LED turns red. The LED will blink red a few times. Then, the LED will turn to blinking white, indicating the earbuds are in pairing mode. You can try to pair them with your phone/laptop afresh.
Resetting Powerbeats 3 – VIDEO TUTORIAL
Frequently Asked Question
- Question: How do I put my Powerbeats 3 in pairing mode?
- Answer: To put Powerbeats 3 in pairing mode, press the POWER button on your left earbud until the LED starts flashing white. If that doesn’t make your Powerbeats 3 discoverable (if they don’t appear in the list of available devices), press and hold the POWER button for about 5 seconds.
- Question: Why are my Powerbeats 3 not pairing?
- Answer: Pairing issues are usually caused by firmware bugs that can be solved by restarting the earbuds (or Bluetooth connection), updating, or resetting them. Bluetooth pairing issues can also be caused by wireless interference, so you should keep them away from other devices emitting wireless signals (routers, microwave ovens, and other Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices).
- Question: How do I reset my Powerbeats 3 to factory default settings?
- Answer: Press and hold the POWER and VOL DOWN buttons simultaneously until the LED light turns red. The whole process should take approx. 10 seconds. The LED will blink red a few times. Then, it should start blinking white.
- Question: How do I update Powerbeats 3 firmware?
- Answer: If the Powerbeats 3 are connected to an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, MacBook), they will update automatically. When connected to an Android device, you need to update them via the Beats app.
- Question: Who can fix PowerBeats 3?
- Answer: You can fix some issues on your own, but only if they are caused by firmware bugs or wireless interference. If you are dealing with a hardware failure, you should contact Apple and ask them to fix your Beats earbuds.
- Question: Can Powerbeats 3 connect to Android?
- Answer: Yes, they can. The pairing process is not as convenient as with iPhones, but it’s still quick and hassle-free. After you put the earbuds in pairing mode, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Ensure that Bluetooth is enabled. Scroll down until you find your earbuds in the list of Available Devices, and tap on them.
In Conclusion
Powerbeats 3 are great sporty-looking earbuds with all the features you would expect from a pair of earbuds made for workouts and an active lifestyle. They are water-resistant, the battery life is pretty good, and the sound is amazing.
You just need to pair them with your phone and enjoy the tunes. I hope this guide helped you learn to pair your Powerbeats 3 with any device. If you experience pairing issues, try the troubleshooting tips explained above.
