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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To change how much outside sound you hear, open the Bose app, connect your QuietComfort headphones, and choose a mode on the Modes screen. Select Quiet for full noise cancellation or Aware to hear your surroundings. The available modes and headphone-button controls depend on the exact QuietComfort model.
What Quiet and Aware modes do
| Mode | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet | Uses full noise cancellation to reduce outside sound. | When you want fewer environmental sounds reaching you. |
| Aware | Uses external microphones to let environmental sound reach you. | When you want to hear more of your surroundings. |
| Immersion | Combines full cancellation with immersive audio on models that offer it. | When you want cancellation and an immersive listening experience. |
| Custom | Lets you adjust noise control and, on supported models, immersive-audio settings. | When you want a saved setup tailored to a particular situation. |
Some models also offer Cinema, a movie-oriented immersive setting. Aware is not the same as turning noise cancellation off in every sense: outside sound is deliberately fed into the headphones, and supported models can use ActiveSense to apply cancellation temporarily to sudden or loud sounds.
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Adjust modes in the Bose app
- Connect your headphones in the Bose app. If prompted, allow Bluetooth or location permissions so the app can detect and control the product. See Bose’s pairing instructions.
- Open Modes.
- Select Quiet, Aware, or a custom mode available for your model. App labels and options can vary by model and software version.
- To change which modes are available from the headphone control, manage the favorites in the app. On models with adjustable settings, open the relevant mode to configure it.
Steps for each QuietComfort model
QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)
Bose says Quiet, Aware, and Immersion are favorites by default; you can add or remove other modes in the app. To switch modes without opening the app, press and hold the Multi-function button. Listen to the voice prompts and release the button when the headphones announce the mode you want. Bose documents up to seven custom modes for this model. Its available modes can also include Cinema and Custom. To use ActiveSense, select Aware and enable ActiveSense in the Aware mode settings in the Bose app. See Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) mode instructions.
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QuietComfort Headphones
Open Modes in the Bose app and select Quiet, Aware, or a custom mode. Bose’s owner guide documents up to two custom modes for this model. The headphones start in Quiet by default; the app also offers an option to start in the last-used mode. For a physical-button shortcut, check the guide for your exact model rather than assuming the 2nd Gen control works the same way. See the QuietComfort Headphones owner’s guide.
#1 Best Overall
- NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES: Effortlessly combines noise cancellation technology with passive features so you can shut off the outside world, quiet distractions, and take music beyond the beat
- COMFORTABLE HEADPHONES: Plush over-ear cushions softly hug your ears, while a secure and comfortable padded band gently keeps your studio headphones in place for those extra-long listening sessions
- 2 LISTENING MODES: These wireless Bluetooth headphones feature Quiet and Aware Modes that let you toggle between full noise cancelling or full awareness of your surroundings for seamless sound control
- HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO/EQ CONTROL: Supercharge your favorite tracks with high-fidelity audio and Adjustable EQ that puts you in control of the bass, mid-range, and treble for unmatched bold sound
- ALL DAY BATTERY LIFE: Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones provide up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge, plus a 15-minute charge via USB-C gives you up to 2.5 hours of additional play time
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Use the Bose app’s Modes screen to select or configure Quiet, Aware, Immersion, or Custom. Bose’s owner guide documents up to seven custom modes. ActiveSense is an Aware-mode feature that you enable through the app. See Bose’s Using Modes instructions and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones owner’s guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix common mode and noise-cancellation problems
You hear more outside sound than expected
Check that the headphones are in Quiet rather than Aware. In Aware, external microphones feed environmental sound into the headphones by design.
Rank #2
- NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES: Effortlessly combines noise cancellation technology with passive features so you can shut off the outside world, quiet distractions, and take music beyond the beat
- COMFORTABLE HEADPHONES: Plush over-ear cushions softly hug your ears, while a secure and comfortable padded band gently keeps your studio headphones in place for those extra-long listening sessions
- 2 LISTENING MODES: These wireless Bluetooth headphones feature Quiet and Aware Modes that let you toggle between full noise cancelling or full awareness of your surroundings for seamless sound control
- HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO/EQ CONTROL: Supercharge your favorite tracks with high-fidelity audio and Adjustable EQ that puts you in control of the bass, mid-range, and treble for unmatched bold sound
- ALL DAY BATTERY LIFE: Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones provide up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge, plus a 15-minute charge via USB-C gives you up to 2.5 hours of additional play time
ActiveSense is missing
Confirm the exact headphone model and select Aware. ActiveSense is not documented across every QuietComfort model, so its absence may reflect model support rather than a fault.
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Bose says intense outside noise can overwhelm the noise-cancelling microphones briefly and cause crackling or distortion. That symptom alone does not necessarily mean the headphones are damaged. See Bose’s noise-cancellation troubleshooting guidance.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES: Effortlessly combines noise cancellation technology with passive features so you can shut off the outside world, quiet distractions, and take music beyond the beat
- COMFORTABLE HEADPHONES: Plush earcup cushions softly hug your ears, while a secure and comfortable padded band gently keeps your over ear headphones in place for those extra-long listening sessions
- 2 LISTENING MODES: These wireless Bluetooth headphones feature Quiet and Aware Modes that let you toggle between full noise cancelling or full awareness of your surroundings for seamless sound control
- HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO/EQ CONTROL: Supercharge your favorite tracks with high-fidelity audio and Adjustable EQ that puts you in control of the bass, mid-range, and treble for unmatched bold sound
- ALL DAY BATTERY LIFE: Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones provide up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge, plus a 15-minute charge gives you up to 2.5 hours of additional play time
Rank #4
- LEGENDARY NOISE CANCELLATION: Effortlessly combines noise cancelling headphones technology with passive features so you can shut off the outside world, quiet distractions, and take music beyond the beat
- PREMIUM COMFORT: Plush earcup cushions softly hug your ears, while a secure and comfortable padded band gently keeps your over ear headphones in place for those extra-long listening sessions
- 2 LISTENING MODES: These wireless Bluetooth headphones feature Quiet and Aware Modes that let you toggle between full noise cancelling or full awareness of your surroundings for seamless sound control
- HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO/EQ CONTROL: Supercharge your favorite tracks with high-fidelity audio and Adjustable EQ that puts you in control of the bass, mid-range, and treble for unmatched bold sound
- ALL DAY BATTERY LIFE: Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones provide up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge, plus a 15-minute charge gives you up to 2.5 hours of additional play time
Rank #3
- NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES: Effortlessly combines noise cancellation technology with passive features so you can shut off the outside world, quiet distractions, and take music beyond the beat
- COMFORTABLE HEADPHONES: Plush over-ear cushions softly hug your ears, while a secure and comfortable padded band gently keeps your studio headphones in place for those extra-long listening sessions
- 2 LISTENING MODES: These wireless Bluetooth headphones feature Quiet and Aware Modes that let you toggle between full noise cancelling or full awareness of your surroundings for seamless sound control
- HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO/EQ CONTROL: Supercharge your favorite tracks with high-fidelity audio and Adjustable EQ that puts you in control of the bass, mid-range, and treble for unmatched bold sound
- ALL DAY BATTERY LIFE: Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones provide up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge, plus a 15-minute charge via USB-C gives you up to 2.5 hours of additional play time
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