Enable Bluetooth Headphone on Ubuntu 16.04

Take Bose QuietComfort 35 II as an example:

1. Plug in USB Bluetooth adapter

2.Install Blueman (Bluetooth Manager)

sudo apt-get install blueman

3.Install PulseAudio

sudo apt-get install --reinstall pulseaudio

4.Power on your headphone and connect in Ubuntu Settings->Bluetooth

  • It will be easier for the system to connect to the headphone if the device name doesn’t start with “LE-“.

5.Configure in Blueman:

  • In Blueman, right click on the headphone and select ‘audio profile’ -> ‘High Fidelity Playback (A2DP Sink)’.
  • If the device is connected (the Bluetooth icon is on) but still not able to hear anything, right click on the device in Blueman, “Connect To” serial port, it will fail and connect back to audio sink/headset/hands-free. Repeat until it succeeds.

6.Go to Sound settings in the system, and choose your headphone as the audio output. You can test the sound there, whether left and right works.

7.Start playing music.