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Clear a Bose Bluetooth Pairing List: Model-Specific Steps That Work

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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To clear a Bose pairing list, first identify the exact product. Many Bose headphones erase their internal Bluetooth memory when you hold the Power/Bluetooth control for 10 seconds until a voice prompt confirms the list was cleared. The SoundLink Plus speaker uses a different 15-second hold on its Bluetooth button. After clearing the Bose product, you must also forget its saved entries on every phone, tablet, or computer before pairing again.

Why clearing a Bose pairing list takes two steps

A Bluetooth connection involves two memories: the Bose product stores information about devices it has paired with, and each phone, tablet, or computer stores a saved entry for the Bose product. Clearing only one side can leave the old connection intact.

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  • Bose product memory: Stores previously paired source devices and may reconnect to one automatically.
  • Source-device memory: Stores the Bose headphones or speaker as a saved Bluetooth accessory.

For a genuinely clean pairing, clear the Bose product’s internal list, then use the source device’s Bluetooth settings to choose Forget, Unpair, Delete, or the equivalent command. Remove duplicate Bose entries as well. Pairing again without the forget step can preserve a stale profile, duplicate listing, or wrong-device behavior.

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Check your Bose model before pressing any button

Bose uses different controls and hold times across product families. The documented examples below are not interchangeable.

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Product Control Hold time Successful-clear confirmation Stored-device capacity stated by Bose
On-Ear Wireless Headphones Slide the control to Bluetooth, then hold it 10 seconds “Bluetooth device list cleared.” Not stated in the cited owner’s guide
QuietComfort 35 II Power/Bluetooth switch 10 seconds “Mobile device list cleared.” Up to eight paired Bluetooth devices
Other Bose headphones with the same documented control behavior Power/Bluetooth control Often 10 seconds in the applicable guide; verify your model Spoken confirmation varies by model Not stated unless your manual specifies it
SoundLink Plus portable speaker Bluetooth button 15 seconds Use the speaker’s audible or indicator confirmation Up to six devices

The 10-second headphone procedure and the 15-second SoundLink Plus procedure should not be treated as a universal Bose reset. If the product name is unclear, read the label inside the headband, on the speaker’s rear or base, in the Bose app, or in the Bluetooth device name before continuing.

Prepare for a clean reset

Preparation prevents the product from immediately reconnecting to the device you are trying to remove.

  1. Charge the Bose product enough to remain powered during the hold. A low battery can make a button press appear ineffective.
  2. Bring the intended phone, tablet, or computer within normal Bluetooth range.
  3. Temporarily turn off Bluetooth on other nearby devices that have used the Bose product. If they remain active, the Bose device may reconnect to one of them before you finish.
  4. Close audio apps so you can verify the final connection with a simple sound test.
  5. Keep the source device’s Bluetooth settings open, but do not start a new pairing until the Bose memory and the old source entry have both been removed.

Clear the internal list on Bose headphones

On-Ear Wireless Headphones

  1. Turn on the headphones.
  2. Slide the control to the Bluetooth position.
  3. Keep holding the control for 10 seconds. Do not release after the normal pairing tone; the longer hold is the list-clearing command.
  4. Listen for the spoken message, “Bluetooth device list cleared.” That message confirms that the headphones erased their stored Bluetooth devices.
  5. Release the control and leave the headphones powered on while you remove the old Bose entry from your phone, tablet, or computer.

QuietComfort 35 II

  1. Turn on the headphones.
  2. Move the Power/Bluetooth switch to the Bluetooth side and hold it for 10 seconds.
  3. Wait for the spoken confirmation, “Mobile device list cleared.”
  4. Release the switch only after the message plays. A shorter press normally starts pairing or reports the battery instead of clearing the list.
  5. Proceed to the source-device forget step before pairing again.

Other Bose headphone models

Several Bose headphone guides document a 10-second hold on the Power/Bluetooth control followed by a spoken confirmation. The control shape, wording, and required starting position can differ, so use the procedure for the exact model rather than assuming that every Bose headset responds identically. If your headphones do not announce that the list was cleared, stop and check the model-specific owner’s guide instead of repeating random hold times.

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Clear the internal list on a SoundLink Plus speaker

  1. Turn on the SoundLink Plus speaker.
  2. Press and hold the speaker’s Bluetooth button for 15 seconds.
  3. Keep holding for the full interval; a normal short press only enters pairing mode or selects Bluetooth.
  4. Release the button after the speaker gives its clear-list confirmation through sound or status indicators.
  5. Open the Bose app, if you use it, and check the product settings. Bose provides a paired-device removal control there as an alternative way to remove devices.

SoundLink Plus can remember up to six paired devices. The 15-second Bluetooth-button hold is specific to this speaker procedure; do not substitute the 10-second headphone command.

Forget every Bose entry on the source device

Clearing the product does not remove saved records from your phone or computer. Delete every listing for the Bose product, including duplicates. If the list contains an entry beginning with LE- and Bose identifies it as a duplicate, remove that entry too.

iPhone or iPad

  1. Open Settings and choose Bluetooth.
  2. Find each Bose listing under My Devices.
  3. Tap the information button beside a listing and choose Forget This Device, then confirm.
  4. Repeat for duplicate Bose names. Leave Bluetooth on when you are ready to pair again.

Android phone or tablet

  1. Open Settings, then open Connected devices, Connections, or the device’s Bluetooth page.
  2. Open the saved or previously connected devices list.
  3. Tap the settings icon beside each Bose entry and choose Forget, Unpair, or Delete.
  4. Remove duplicate entries before starting a new scan.

Windows PC

  1. Open Settings and select Bluetooth & devices.
  2. Locate the Bose product under audio or other devices.
  3. Open its three-dot menu and select Remove device, then confirm.
  4. Remove any second Bose listing, including a duplicate low-energy entry if one appears.

Mac

  1. Open System Settings and choose Bluetooth.
  2. Find the Bose product in My Devices.
  3. Use the details button or context menu and select Forget This Device or Remove.
  4. Repeat for every Bose entry with the same product name.

Chromebook or another computer

  1. Open the device’s Bluetooth settings.
  2. Open the saved-device or previously connected-device list.
  3. Choose the Bose listing and select Forget, Unpair, or Remove.
  4. Delete duplicates before scanning again.

Menu names vary by operating-system version, but Bose’s instruction is consistent: remove the saved Bose record from the source device after clearing the product’s own list.

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Pair the Bose product as a new device

  1. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on only the source device you intend to use, or keep other previously paired devices out of range.
  2. Put the Bose headphones or speaker into its ordinary Bluetooth pairing mode. On many models, this means moving the Power/Bluetooth control or pressing the Bluetooth button briefly until the pairing prompt or indicator appears.
  3. Open the source device’s Bluetooth page and wait for a fresh scan.
  4. Select the normal Bose headphones or speaker name, not a duplicate LE- entry unless Bose’s model instructions explicitly require it.
  5. Accept the pairing request if one appears.
  6. Play a short audio clip and verify that the Bose product is selected as the output device.

If the product does not appear, turn Bluetooth off and back on once, exit and re-enter pairing mode, and scan again. Avoid repeatedly tapping the clear-list control; the clear operation and pairing operation are separate commands.

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Stop a Bose product from connecting to the wrong phone

The fastest fix is to prevent the unwanted source from answering the Bose connection attempt.

  1. On the unwanted phone, tablet, or computer, disconnect the Bose product or temporarily turn Bluetooth off.
  2. On the intended source, forget every Bose entry, including duplicates.
  3. Clear the Bose product’s internal list using the model-specific procedure above.
  4. Put the Bose product into pairing mode and pair only with the intended source.
  5. After the test succeeds, turn Bluetooth back on for the other devices and remove their old Bose records if you still do not want automatic reconnection.

If the wrong device still wins the connection, move it farther away or power it down during pairing. A device that remains nearby with Bluetooth enabled can answer first even after you have started a new scan.

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  • PERFECTLY PORTABLE, WITH BATTERY LIFE TO MATCH: This Bluetooth speaker is small enough to fit in your hand or clip onto a bag using the utility loop, plus it has up to 12 hours of battery life* so you can focus on the fun at the beach, hikes, or pool
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What the clear-list operation changes—and what it does not

  • It changes: The Bose product’s stored Bluetooth-device list.
  • It does not change: Saved Bose entries on phones, tablets, or computers. Those must be forgotten separately.
  • It does not necessarily change: Equalizer preferences, button customizations, firmware, language, or other app settings. A pairing-list clear is not automatically a complete factory reset.
  • It does not erase: Files, music, contacts, or data on the source device.

For the QuietComfort 35 guide, Bose states that the headphones can remember up to eight paired Bluetooth devices. SoundLink Plus is documented as remembering up to six. These capacities explain why an older device can remain in the rotation, but reaching the limit is not required before you clear the list.

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Troubleshooting when the list does not clear

No spoken confirmation

  • Confirm the model and use the correct control. The headphone examples require a Power/Bluetooth control; SoundLink Plus requires its Bluetooth button.
  • Hold for the full documented time: 10 seconds for the cited headphone procedures or 15 seconds for SoundLink Plus.
  • Start with the product powered on and in the position specified for its model.
  • Charge the product and try once more. A weak battery can interrupt the command.
  • If the same model still gives no confirmation, consult its owner’s guide rather than applying another model’s timing.

The Bose name remains in Bluetooth settings

That is expected if you cleared only the product. Return to the phone, tablet, or computer’s Bluetooth settings and use Forget, Unpair, Delete, or Remove. Delete all duplicate listings, including any Bose-designated LE- duplicate.

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The product reconnects immediately to an old device

Turn off Bluetooth on the old device or move it out of range while you clear and re-pair. Then remove the old Bose record from that device so it cannot reconnect automatically the next time Bluetooth is enabled.

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The product appears twice after pairing

Remove both old records first, then rescan with the Bose product in pairing mode. Select the ordinary headphones or speaker listing. A second entry prefixed with LE- may be a duplicate that Bose recommends removing.

Audio is still coming from the phone

Pairing and audio output selection are separate. After pairing, open the source device’s audio-output picker and select the Bose product. Also check that the Bose product is not connected to another nearby source.

A quick model-based decision guide

If your product is… Do this first Then do this
On-Ear Wireless Headphones Slide to Bluetooth and hold 10 seconds until “Bluetooth device list cleared.” Forget every Bose entry on the source device, then pair again.
QuietComfort 35 II Hold the Power/Bluetooth switch for 10 seconds until “Mobile device list cleared.” Forget every Bose entry on the source device, then pair again.
SoundLink Plus Hold the Bluetooth button for 15 seconds; use the Bose app’s device-removal control if needed. Forget every Bose entry on the source device, then pair again.
An unconfirmed Bose model Identify the model and locate its owner’s instructions before choosing a hold time. Do not assume the 10-second headphone or 15-second speaker procedure applies.

Final checklist

  • Exact Bose model identified.
  • Correct control and hold duration used.
  • Clear-list voice prompt or indicator confirmation received where the model provides one.
  • Every Bose entry removed from the intended source device.
  • Duplicate Bose and Bose-designated LE- entries removed.
  • Bluetooth disabled on unwanted nearby sources during pairing.
  • Bose product paired again in normal pairing mode.
  • Audio output tested on the intended source.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell whether the Bose pairing list was actually cleared?

Use the model’s confirmation: the documented On-Ear Wireless procedure says “Bluetooth device list cleared,” while QuietComfort 35 II says “Mobile device list cleared.” SoundLink Plus uses its 15-second Bluetooth-button procedure and an audible or indicator confirmation.

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Will clearing the list remove my Bose headphones from my phone?

No. The phone, tablet, or computer keeps its own saved Bluetooth entry. Use its Bluetooth settings to Forget, Unpair, Delete, or Remove the Bose listing.

Can I clear the Bose list without deleting every old device first?

You can clear the Bose product first, but a clean re-pair still requires removing the saved Bose entries from the source devices. Otherwise an old profile or duplicate can remain available.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

BluetoothBosePairingQuietComfort 35 IISoundLink PlusTroubleshooting

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