Can You Connect Two Bluetooth Headphones To An iPhone At The Same Time?

iPhone users might want to share audio with friends, but is it possible to connect two Bluetooth speakers or headphones at the same time?

Modern iPhones offer many audio features, but can users connect two Bluetooth headphones to the same iPhone simultaneously for a synchronized listening or viewing experience? Friends may want to listen to the same song or watch the same video clip together from the same smartphone, but doing this while sharing earbuds is inconvenient. A better way to do this is to connect two sets of earbuds or headphones to the same phone.

Fortunately, modern iPhones let users connect to multiple Bluetooth speakers or headphones simultaneously via AirPlay. The feature, called 'Share Audio,' was rolled out in 2019 with iOS 13.1, allowing iPhone users to share one audio stream between two pairs of earbuds or headphones. Prior to the rollout of the new feature, iPhones supported only one Bluetooth audio device at a time, meaning users had to share a single pair of earphones or earbuds if they wanted to listen to a song or watch a video together on an iPhone.

Related: Can AirPods Be Connected To Two Devices At The Same Time?

Before getting started on the details, it is important to note that Share Audio is only compatible with select iPhone models and wireless headsets. According to Apple, the compatible devices include iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd-generation) and later, iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Air (3rd-generation) and later, iPad mini (5th-generation) and later, iPad (5th-generation) and later, and iPod touch (7th-generation). Compatible headphone models include only Apple's in-house earbuds and headphones, including all AirPods models, as well as a number of Beats and Powerbeats devices.

To start sharing audio between two devices, connect a compatible pair of earphones to an iPhone, and tap the AirPlay button in the Control Center or the streaming app. Now select 'Share Audio' and then hold the second pair of AirPods or Beats headphones close to the iPhone. If they're AirPods, make sure to keep them in their case, while for Beats headphones, put them in pairing mode. The iPhone will now automatically detect the device and display its name on the screen. Simply tap 'Share Audio' to start sharing.

Once both the devices are connected to the iPhone, users can control various audio settings for the two pairs of devices, either together or individually. For example, to control the audio, users can hit the play, pause, or stop buttons with controls on the Lock Screen or in the Control Center. To increase or decrease volume, drag the volume slider for either set of headphones, or the unified volume slider that will affect the audio level of both. To stop sharing, press the AirPlay button in Control Center, the Lock Screen, or the current app, and then tap the checkmark next to the headphones that need to be disconnected from the iPhone.

Source: Apple

Kishalaya has almost a decade's worth of experience in tech journalism, having written thousands of news, guides, features, and reviews for multiple American, Canadian, and Indian blogs. As a senior writer at ScreenRant, he covers everything from consumer electronics to artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies to virtual reality, and electric vehicles to space. Entertainment to him means 90s sitcoms, such as Fresh Prince, Home Improvement, Seinfeld, Friends, That 70s Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc. He loves dogs, sports, and pizza (in that order) and can listen to The Doors, Def Leppard, Metallica, and Guns N' Roses all day long. He also loves watching cheesy 90s sci-fi/disaster movies like Independence Day, Armageddon, Twister, Volcano, Dante's Peak, etc.