Skullcandy Indy earbuds have been around for a while and have been steadily increasing in popularity. The earbuds are equipped with standard features that make them a considerable choice for anyone that wishes to use wireless earphones. For that reason, I got my favorite niece the Skullcandy Indy Fuel earbuds as a going-away gift since she will be attending college in a different state.
She particularly loved what she described as their funky appearance, but we had a few problems pairing them to her phone. Therefore, I went further to read the user manual to teach her how to utilize them adequately. This article has everything I learned, and its main aim is to help other Skullcandy Indy earbud users have an easy time using their earbuds.
Key Takeaways
- Ensure the earbuds have enough power before powering them on and connecting them to other devices.
- Power on the earbuds by taking them out of the charging case.
- You can manually power off Indy earbuds by touching the touchpad on both earbuds simultaneously for six seconds.
- You can manually power them back on by touching and holding the touchpad for four seconds simultaneously on both buds.
- The buds will pair with each other automatically when you power them on. Both earbuds’ LEDs will flash blue to show they are pairing.
- Once paired, the buds will play an audio prompt, and the left LED will start flashing red and blue.
- The buds will also play a ‘connected’ audio prompt once they successfully connect to a source device.
- The Indy wireless earbuds use the right earbud as the primary bud, while any bud (left or right) can be the primary bud in other Indy models.
- Therefore, note that the operating procedures for the Indy Wireless earbuds significantly differ from the other models.
- The earbuds will appear with their model names on the source device’s list of available Bluetooth devices. E.g., Indy Evo.
Skullcandy Indy Earbuds
Get the Earbuds in Pairing Mode
To successfully pair your Indy earbuds to a source device, you must first get them into pairing mode.
The steps to get Indy earbuds in pairing mode are slightly different because there are different models under the Skullcandy Indy umbrella. Below is a comprehensive breakdown.
Indy Evo and Indy Fuel
Indy Evo and Indy Fuel earbuds follow similar control procedures. The difference is that the Skullcandy Indy Fuel earbuds can recharge wirelessly, while the Indy Evo earbuds do not have a charging case that supports wireless charging.
These earbuds automatically turn on when removed from the case and automatically turn off when properly put in the charging case.
Alternatively, you can manually turn them on by touching the touchpad area for four seconds while the earbuds are out of the case. You can turn them off manually by touching the touchpad area on each earbud for six seconds.
To turn Indy Evo/Fuel earbuds on manually, press the touch areas on both buds for 4 seconds
To get the earbuds in pairing mode, take both buds out of the charging case for two to three seconds, then put them back but do not close the charging case.
Ensure that the LEDs on both earbuds light solid red to show that they have correctly been put in the case and are charging.
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Next, take both earbuds out of the charging case. They will automatically turn on and go into pairing mode. But first, the earbuds need to pair with each other before you can connect them to a source device.
Therefore, wait and confirm that both earbuds are flashing blue. This indicates they are pairing with each other.
Both earbuds flashing blue indicates that the earbuds are syncing with each other
You will know they have successfully synched with each other when the buds play a tone, and only the left bud is flashing red and blue.
At this point, the earbuds are in pairing mode, and you can proceed to complete the pairing process on the source device.
One earbud flashing red and blue indicates the earbuds are in pairing mode
Note that the earbuds will automatically pair to the last device they paired to if it is in range and has Bluetooth active. So, ensure you turn off the Bluetooth for all other devices around you and leave only the device you want paired with the earbuds.
Alternatively, you can manually get the earbuds in pairing mode by following the steps below:
- Place both buds in the charging case and ensure the LEDs on the buds are solid red.
- Take both buds out of the case, then touch and hold the touchpad area on one of the earbuds for four seconds.
- Only the left earbud should be flashing red and blue to show that the buds are in pairing mode.
The earbuds will play a ‘pairing’ audio prompt once they start connecting to a source device and a ‘connected’ audio prompt once the pairing process is successful.
Indy Evo and Fuel Earbuds – Pairing Instructions
Indy ANC and Indy ANC Fuel
Indy ANC
These earbuds will automatically turn on when you take them out of the charging case and turn off when you put them back in the case.
You can also manually turn them off outside the charging case by pressing and holding the touchpad on both earbuds for six seconds.
Press and hold the touchpad area on both buds for four seconds to turn them on manually.
Once the buds are powered on, they will pair with each other, which will be shown by flashing blue LEDs on both earbuds.
Once the pairing is successful, only the left earbud will flash red and blue to show both are in pairing mode. Both buds will also play a ‘Noise canceling on’ audio prompt to show the successful pairing.
You can complete the pairing on the source device from this point.
These earbuds will automatically pair to the last device they successfully connected to if the device’s Bluetooth is active and within thirty feet or ten meters of the earbuds.
You can stop this by turning off Bluetooth connectivity on all other nearby devices and only leaving the device you want to connect to the earbuds.
Alternatively, you can force the earbuds to go into pairing mode by following the steps below:
- Power off both earbuds by pressing the touchpad for six seconds.
- Touch and hold the touchpad area on one of the buds for six seconds to power it on and get it in pairing mode.
- The LED on the earbud will start flashing red and blue to show it is in pairing mode.
- Complete the pairing process on the source device. Once pairing is successful, the earbud will play a ‘connected’ voice prompt.
- You can power on the second one by placing it in the case and ensuring the LED lights are red. Then take the bud out of the case, which should automatically connect to the other earbud.
How to Pair and Use Skullcandy Indy ANC Earbuds
Indy Wireless
Indy True Wireless Earbuds
Unlike the others, the right earbud is the primary earbud in this model.
To pair your Indy True Wireless earbuds to a source device, place both earbuds in the charging case and ensure the LEDs on both buds light solid red.
Next, close the case, open it, and remove both buds from the charging case. Wait as the earbuds attempt to pair.
You will know the buds have successfully paired when you hear a tone from the buds.
You can also manually enable pairing mode even if the earbuds are connected to a source device. Follow the steps below to achieve this;
- Remove both buds from the charging case.
- Power them down by touching and holding the touchpad on both earbuds for six seconds.
- Then, hold the touchpad area on the right earbud for four seconds.
Next, you will hear a ‘Pairing’ voice which indicates the buds are ready to pair to a source device.
How to Pair and Use Indy True Wireless Earbuds
Pair the Earbuds with a Source Device
After getting the earbuds in pairing mode, the next step is to complete the pairing process on the source device. Different devices use different operating systems; therefore, the steps you should follow vary, as shown below.
On Android Devices
- Open the Settings app on your phone.
- Go to ‘Connected devices’ and select ‘+ Pair new device.’
- Your phone will turn on Bluetooth and start scanning for available devices.
- Find the Indy earbuds on the list of available devices. The earbuds will appear with their model names, e.g., Indy Fuel.
- Select the earbuds and tap OK or accept any other subsequent Bluetooth pairing prompts.
Connecting Skullcandy Indy Earbuds to an Android Phone
On iOS Devices
- Open the Settings app, select Bluetooth, and turn it on if it is off.
- The slider button should be highlighted to show Bluetooth is on.
- The iPhone will scan for nearby Bluetooth devices and list them in the ‘Other devices’ list.
- Select your Indy earbuds and accept any further pairing prompts that may come up.
Connecting Skullcandy Indy Earbuds to an iPhone
On Windows
- Select the Start option on your Windows taskbar.
- Go to Settings and select Bluetooth & devices.
- Ensure Bluetooth is turned on and select Bluetooth & devices.
- Select Bluetooth on the pop-up window.
- The device will scan for available Bluetooth devices and should find the Indy earbuds.
- Select the earbuds and accept any pairing prompts that will pop up.
Connecting Indy Evo earbuds to a Windows 10 PC
On macOS
- Assuming you are using macOS Ventura 13, open the Apple menu.
- Go to System Settings > Bluetooth.
- Hover the mouse cursor on the Indy earbuds name and select Connect.
- Accept any further pairing prompts. You can also visit Apple Support if you encounter challenges.
Connecting Skullcandy Indy to a MacBook
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: How do you pair Skullcandy Indy fuel earbuds?
- Answer: Indy Fuel earbuds automatically go into pairing mode when you power them on. First, they will pair and then get into pairing mode.
- You can also manually enable pairing mode by taking both buds out of the case and then touching and holding the touchpad for four seconds.
- The left earbud will flash red/blue to show it is in pairing mode.
- Question: Why are my Skullcandy earbuds flashing blue and red?
- Answer: Skullcandy Indy earbuds flash blue and red to indicate that they are in pairing mode; thus, they are discoverable by other nearby Bluetooth devices. Often only the left earbud flashes red and blue while the right one remains off.
- Question: Why do my Skullcandy earbuds keep blinking blue?
- Answer: When the earbuds flash blue, it indicates that the buds are synching. They will stop once paired, and the left bud will start flashing red and blue to show they are in pairing mode.
Conclusion
Once you follow the instructions above, connecting any Indy earbuds to a source device will be easy. However, if you encounter any challenges, you can contact Skullcandy’s customer service or access your earbuds’ user manual from their website.
Remember to regularly charge the earbuds and take good care of them so they can serve you longer. Also, always check for firmware updates to ensure the buds have the latest features and work seamlessly.
