When you want to watch your Vizio TV without disturbing others, keeping the sounds to yourself via Bluetooth earphones is an ingenious solution. But the million-dollar question is, do Vizio TVs have Bluetooth?
You may be disappointed that not all Vizio smart TVs are Bluetooth-compatible. But fear not, as in this post, we’ll help you figure out if your unit has the feature; plus, we’ll give you workarounds should your Vizio not support one.
Do Vizio TVs have a Bluetooth feature?
Vizio TVs have Bluetooth connectivity features, but most are limited to the low-energy variant. It means your Vizio TV may only connect with devices that support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, such as its remote control.
Believe it or not, BLE is the less popular version of regular Bluetooth technology due to low power consumption being its primary focus. Its usage is limited to low-energy gadgets like IoT devices since they can function with a lesser power requirement.
Therefore, you must ensure that your Bluetooth devices support BLE to connect them to your Vizio TV. Otherwise, you’ll need to rely on workarounds to connect your Vizio TV with regular Bluetooth devices, taken up in the later sections of this guide.
Select Vizio TV models have the regular Bluetooth connectivity feature (classic Bluetooth), especially the latest releases. With these Vizio TVs, you won’t have problems connecting most Bluetooth devices, such as headphones and sound bars.
Since your Vizio TV’s Bluetooth feature depends on its model, you must ensure you have the correct device that best fits your needs. It’s a good thing we’ve included some tips and tricks for checking your Vizio TV’s Bluetooth feature below.
How to Know If Your Vizio TV Can Use Bluetooth
Since all Vizio TVs have Bluetooth technology, what you want to look into is your device’s variant of this technology. Doing so will help you understand what Bluetooth devices can connect and are compatible with your Vizio TV.
You can use this information to decide which Bluetooth devices and accessories you can buy to upgrade your Vizio TV experience. This will help save you from wasting money on useless Bluetooth devices that may not work on your Vizio TV.
As such, we suggest going through the tips and tricks we’ve curated below so you can figure out what Bluetooth technology your Vizio TV uses. These tips should help you understand which Bluetooth devices will or won’t work on your Vizio TV.
1. Check your Vizio TV’s settings menu
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 2 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Vizio smart TVA Vizio TV remote control |
The quickest and easiest way to check if your Vizio TV has Bluetooth capabilities is to look into its settings menu. You only need a working Vizio TV remote to perform this check, which you can do with one button click.
On your Vizio TV settings menu or panel, you only need to locate the option for Bluetooth Headphones. This option should be enough to prove that your Vizio TV is compatible and can connect with regular Bluetooth audio devices.
If you don’t find the Bluetooth Headphones option, your Vizio TV only supports BLE technology. With your Vizio TV, you can’t pair it with regular Bluetooth devices and listen to its audio via wireless headphones or earbuds.
Most older Vizio TV models only support BLE technology, so it’s likely the case if you bought yours several years ago. After all, only the newer models, such as the M-Series Vizio smart TVs, have classic Bluetooth capabilities.
Step 1: Press the remote control’s Settings button to display the Vizio TV settings panel. |
Step 2: Look for a settings option called “Bluetooth Headphones.” Note: This settings option indicates that your Vizio TV has the classic Bluetooth feature. Without this option, your Vizio TV can only use “Bluetooth Low Energy” technology. |
You may not gain access to the settings menu using your Vizio TV’s built-in physical button if you don’t have a working remote control. To address this, you must use the Vizio SmartCast app as an alternative control option to open the TV settings menu.
2. Check your Vizio TV’s user manual
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Vizio smart TVA Vizio TV user manualA smartphone or PCA working internet connection |
Another is to check out the user manual that came with your Vizio TV for information about its features and specifications. Since user manuals detail a product’s capabilities and functions, it should list if your Vizio TV has a Bluetooth feature.
The fastest way to scan through your Vizio TV’s user manual is to check the table of contents for a page with Bluetooth in its name. You don’t have to scramble by reading through every page of the user manual for only one section about Bluetooth.
But what if you can’t find your Vizio TV’s user manual or have already lost it? Is there an alternative method to determine if your Vizio TV has Bluetooth capabilities if you don’t have access to its user manual?
Fortunately, you can download a PDF file of your TV’s user manual using Vizio’s user manual search page. With this, you can secure a digital copy of your Vizio TV’s user manual you can safely keep and access using a smartphone or PC.
Step 1: Go to the official Vizio Find Your User Manual page. Note: Disable your browser’s pop-up blocker if you’re having trouble viewing or downloading their web page’s content. |
Step 2: Enter your Vizio TV’s model number in the search field and click the Search button. Note: You can find the model number on the side of your Vizio TV box or the sticker label on its back panel. |
Step 3: Select your Vizio TV from the results tab. |
Step 4: Click the Download User Manual option to download its PDF file to your smartphone or PC. |
Step 5: Open your Vizio TV’s user manual and scroll to the Table of Contents section to check if there’s a page for “Pairing Bluetooth headphones.” |
Step 6: Go to its designated page number to double-check if the “Pairing Bluetooth headphones” page is there. |
Please note you may not find a user manual for some specific Vizio TV models on the official web page. In such cases, you can check out the user manual of other Vizio TVs belonging to your device’s product series or lineup.
It might be intentional on Vizio’s part since the TVs from the same series or lineup share identical features and capabilities. After all, these Vizio TVs only differ in some specifications, like the screen size, image quality, audio quality, or WiFi version.
Regarding Bluetooth connectivity, Vizio TVs from the same series or lineup often use similar versions across the board. Therefore, Vizio doesn’t need to prepare separate user manuals for these TV models.
3. Look up your Vizio TV’s specifications
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 5 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | A smartphone or PCA working internet connection |
Lastly, you can visit the official Vizio web page to look up the specifications of your TV. This action will inform you about all your Vizio TV’s features and functions, including its capacity for Bluetooth connectivity.
This method is the most accessible way to confirm your Vizio TV’s Bluetooth capabilities, as it doesn’t require access to the device. If you can browse the internet, visit Vizio’s web page and enter your TV model number to view its specifications.
You won’t have problems looking up this information from any mobile device with internet access. With this, you don’t have to worry about keeping the information safe somewhere since it’s always available on the Vizio TV product page.
It’s much more forgiving than keeping track of a user manual that you can easily lose at any given time. Thus, considering this as the most accessible method to check if your Vizio TV is Bluetooth-capable is a no-brainer.
Step 1: Go to the official Vizio web page. |
Step 2: Use the web page’s search function. |
Step 3: Enter and search for your Vizio TV model number.  Note: You can find the model number on the side of your Vizio TV box or the sticker label on its back panel. |
Step 4: Select your Vizio TV from the search results. |
Step 5: Check if the product page lists your Vizio TV as “Bluetooth Capable.” |
The specifications in the image sample above are only part of a shortlist. You must scroll down to the bottom of the product page to view your Vizio TV’s specifications, user guide, user manual, energy guide, video setup tutorial, and warranty policy.
How to Enable the Bluetooth Feature on Your Vizio TV
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 40 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Vizio smart TVA Vizio remote controlA pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds |
Once you’ve determined that your Vizio TV has Bluetooth capabilities, you can pair it with your wireless audio devices. With this, you can connect Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to your Vizio TV and listen to its audio wirelessly.
If you’re familiar with the Bluetooth pairing process on smartphones, doing it on your Vizio TV should be a breeze. Furthermore, you can complete it with a few ticks and clicks of the Vizio TV remote control and your Bluetooth audio device.
The important thing to remember is that your Bluetooth audio device must already be in pairing mode and close to your Vizio TV. Plus, you must avoid placing the wireless audio device near any object that can block the Bluetooth signal to prevent issues.
| Step 1: Press the remote control’s Settings button to display the Vizio TV settings panel. |
| Step 2: Scroll down to the BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES option. |
Step 3: Press the remote control’s right directional button to select Pair Headphones under the BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES option. |
Step 4: Put your headphones or earbuds into pairing mode and move them close to your Vizio TV. |
Step 5: Select your headphones or earbuds under the Other Devices section and initiate pairing. |
Step 6: Wait until you see your headphones or earbuds under the Paired Devices section with a checkmark beside their device name. Note: After pairing the headphones or earbuds with your Vizio TV, you can use them immediately. |
If your Bluetooth audio device has trouble pairing with your Vizio TV, you must ensure it has enough battery to function correctly. You must double-check if it’s in pairing mode and ensure it’s close enough to be detected by your Vizio TV.
Sometimes, you may need to troubleshoot your Vizio TV and wireless audio device if the Bluetooth pairing fails repeatedly. We also recommend pairing another Bluetooth audio device with your Vizio TV to identify the root cause of the issue better.
Workarounds to Enable the Bluetooth Feature on a Vizio smart TV
Here are some proven and tested workarounds to enable the Bluetooth feature on your Vizio smart TV. These workarounds are recommended for Vizio TVs with only BLE technology and cannot connect to regular Bluetooth devices.
If the previous methods revealed that your Vizio TV has Bluetooth capabilities, you could skip trying these workarounds. After all, performing these tricks is unnecessary on a Vizio TV with native Bluetooth support.
1. Use a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Vizio smart TVA Bluetooth transmitter and receiverA pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds |
One of the workarounds for BLE Vizio TVs is an external Bluetooth transmitter and receiver. We recommend this device for all older TVs with limited features and functionality, as it can provide them with Bluetooth connectivity.
You can use this Bluetooth transmitter and receiver on any device with an Audio Out port, which all TVs have, regardless of the brand or model. Therefore, you shouldn’t have any problem using this workaround on any Vizio TV.
Of course, you must purchase the Bluetooth transmitter and receiver beforehand since it’s a separate device plugging into your Vizio TV. This device isn’t difficult to find, so you can easily buy one from online shops on Amazon or your local electronics store.
As its name suggests, this device can transmit and receive Bluetooth signals from wireless audio devices and send them to your Vizio TV. With this, your Vizio TV can indirectly communicate with nearby Bluetooth audio devices.
Step 1: Plug the Bluetooth transmitter and receiver’s audio jack into your Vizio TV’s Audio Out port. |
Step 2: Plug the Bluetooth transmitter and receiver’s USB connector into your Vizio TV’s USB port. Note: If your Vizio TV doesn’t have an available USB port, you can connect the USB connector to a power adapter and plug it into a nearby wall outlet. |
| Step 3: Pair your wireless headphones or earbuds with the Bluetooth transmitter and receiver. |
Please note that a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver may have an RCA connector instead of a headphone jack. As such, you must choose the Bluetooth transmitter and receiver with a connector that can plug into your Vizio TV.
Observe due diligence when browsing for Bluetooth transmitters and receivers online so you don’t receive an incompatible item. Hence, shopping at your local electronics store is often advantageous since you can check and test the device in person before paying.
2. Use your Vizio TV’s Audio Out port
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 to 10 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Vizio smart TVA pair of Bluetooth headphones with an audio jack |
The previous workaround deals with a Bluetooth transmitter that you can plug into your Vizio TV’s Audio Out port. We suggest plugging your Bluetooth headphones directly into the Audio Out port instead of connecting it wirelessly.
Unfortunately, this only works on specific Bluetooth headphones with an auxiliary port for an audio jack. Since most Bluetooth headphone developers focus on the device’s wireless aspect, finding a niche product like this might be difficult for some.
However, once you get your hands on Bluetooth headphones with audio jack support, your options become more flexible. You can use a wired or wireless connection based on what works best on the system.
Some Bluetooth headphones will use a cable with audio jacks on both ends, while some may have red and white analog connectors on one end. As such, you need to consider the available ports on your Vizio TV when deciding what Bluetooth headphones to buy.
You don’t want to pay for incompatible Bluetooth headphones that can’t plug into your Vizio TV.
