I used to have those “What’d they say?” moments while watching…
Not until I discovered I could connect my headphones to my Insignia TV.
What a game changer, I’d say.
And now that you’re here…
I can show you how to do what I’ve done.
Keep reading to learn:
- How to link your wired headphones to your Insignia TV.
- 5 quick steps to connect your Bluetooth headphones to your Insignia TV.
- 7 reasons why your headphones won’t connect to your Insignia TV (and how to fix them).
- And much, much more…
How to connect headphones to Insignia TV – 5 steps
Just a disclaimer before we dive into the steps…
This section will be about connecting your Bluetooth headphones to your Insignia TV.
Moreover, I’ll provide 2 sets of steps. 1 is for Insignia Roku TVs, and the other is Insignia Fire TVs.
Now, let’s start with the…
5 steps to connect Bluetooth headphones to Insignia Roku TV
#1: Turn ON your Bluetooth headphones
First of all, get your Bluetooth headphones and turn them ON.
And the way to do so differs from 1 device to another.
But it’ll always involve the power button…
Whether you need to simply press it or also hold the button after.
Also, ensure that they’re in pairing mode. That means your headphones shouldn’t be connected to another device.
If they are, proceed to this section’s fix #2:
“Why are my headphones not connecting to Insignia TV?”
You might also be wondering: Are Headphones Computers? 3 Surprising Facts
#2: Turn your TV ON and go to Home
Now, it’s time to focus on your TV, which you need to turn ON.
Ensure that you’re in the Home menu.
And if not, grab your Insignia Roku TV remote and press the house icon.
#3: Go to Settings
In the Home of your TV, click the gear icon at the top right corner of the screen.
Doing so brings you to the Settings menu.
#4: Select Bluetooth Settings
Use the down arrows in your remote to navigate the Settings menu…
And under “]Network and Accessories, you’ll find what you need to click:
Bluetooth Settings.
#5: Choose your Bluetooth headphones in the list of devices
First, ensure that the Bluetooth setting is toggled ON.
If not, the list of Bluetooth devices available for pairing won’t appear.
And once that’s all set…
Since you’ve also turned ON your Bluetooth headphones…
You should see their name appear on the list.
With that, you just have to click it. Then, wait for the pairing and connection to finish up.
“Well, I don’t see mine at all on the list, so I can’t proceed…
What should I do?”
No need to be alarmed…
Because on that very same screen, there’s a button that says, “Add device.”
So, just press it using your remote. Then, follow the prompts that’ll show…
After that, your TV will scan for available devices. And your headphones should pop up.
Once they do, select its name on the list.
All that’s left to do is follow the on-screen prompts.
5 Steps to connect Bluetooth headphones to Insignia Fire TV
#1: Turn ON your Bluetooth headphones
#2: Turn your TV ON and go to the Settings menu
Get your Insignia Fire TV remote and turn the TV ON.
Doing so should automatically take you to the Fire TV Home screen.
And if not, just select the house icon on the remote.
Then, go to the Settings menu.
#3: Proceed to Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
Using your remote’s left and right arrows, scroll through the Settings.
That’s until you come across the icon that looks like a remote control.
It’s the Controllers and Bluetooth Devices menu, and you should click it.
#4: Click Other Bluetooth Devices
On this menu, you must select the last option, which is Other Bluetooth Devices.
#5: Choose your Bluetooth headphones on the devices that’ll appear
Again, you’ll be on the menu called Other Bluetooth Devices…
And that’s where your Bluetooth headphones’ name should appear.
Once you see it, select the name. Then, just follow the on-screen prompts to pair your TV and headphones.
But if it doesn’t show on the list…
I suggest you do fix #2 from this section:
“Why are my headphones not connecting to Insignia TV?”
Can you connect wired headphones to Insignia TV?
You can connect wired headphones to your Insignia TV. However, you’ll need 1 with a long cord. That ensures you’ll be comfortably watching despite the wired connection.
For that, I recommend these Panasonic Headphones with a 6.5-feet (2 meters) cord.
Now, most headphones have a male 3.5mm plug…
Which you need to plug into a 3.5mm output on your TV.
And if your Insignia TV doesn’t have that port…
You can always get yourself a double female RCA splitter. You’ll connect that to the RCA ports on your Insignia TV.
Note: Ensure that you connect the ports to the plugs accordingly. The same color corresponds to each other.
For further reading: Are Wired Headphones Louder Than Wireless? 5 Facts Revealed
Why are my headphones not connecting to Insignia TV?
#1: Your Insignia TV doesn’t have a built-in Bluetooth option
I put this first, so you won’t have to waste your time on the other fixes…
That’s because some Insignia TVs don’t have any Bluetooth options.
So, no matter how much effort you put into connecting your Bluetooth headphones to it…
You won’t really pair the 2…
But this doesn’t mean that it’s over…
There are some workarounds for that.
For one, there are Bluetooth transmitters.
And that’s an exciting piece of technology…
Because you can connect it to non-Bluetooth devices like your TV…
Then,, it’s no longer a non-Bluetooth gadget.
So take the crowd-favorite Avantree Oasis Plus Bluetooth Transmitter…
You just need to connect it to your TV’s audio output…
Whether that be the headphone jack (3.5mm port)…
Or use the 1 I mentioned before, the double female RCA splitter, to connect the transmitter.
After that, your TV will now be able to receive and send Bluetooth signals.
Here, check out how the transmitter works and how you can use it:
#2: Your headphones are connected to another device
Remember my brief reminders earlier?
I said that turning ON your headphones isn’t enough to proceed…
You also have to ensure they’re not connected to another device.
That means your headphones should be available for pairing.
And there’ll be an indication of when they’re no longer accessible.
However, there’s no universal way to tell this for all Bluetooth headphones. Although the sign often involves light indications…
But to be sure what those mean, it’s best to check your headphones’ manual.
If that’s too much of a bother for now…
I recommend you just check the last device you connected to your headphones. See whether it’s automatically paired with your them.
And if it turns out another device is connected to your headphones…
Simply turn OFF its Bluetooth setting.
#3: The devices are too far from each other
Previous fixes didn’t work, huh…
Then, try this:
Move your headphones closer to your TV while connecting them.
Trust me on this one. Especially since the devices that are making a connection through Bluetooth need this:
No more than 30 feet (9 meters) distance between each other.
I’d even recommend standing in front of your TV while trying to pair the 2.
Reading tip: How To Stop Bluetooth Headphones From Beeping? 9 Fixes
#4: Physical obstacles are causing interference
Apart from the distance, you should also mind the things around your devices.
To explain:
Bluetooth signals are only short-ranged. And they’re easily affected by physical obstacles like:
- Water.
- Mirrors.
- Thick walls.
Moreover, the following can also affect Bluetooth signals’ transmission:
- Microwave.
- Baby monitors.
- Other wireless speakers.
So, if any of those are nearby…
Consider rearranging to prevent them from affecting Bluetooth signals.
#5: Minor glitches on your devices are causing it
It’s not a surprising fact:
Your headphones aren’t perfect.
And with that imperfection…
Comes the minor glitches that are bound to bug your device experience.
They’re causing your headphones not to connect to your TV.
Such issues are inevitable. But it’s not impossible to get rid of them. And 1 way to do so is to:
Power cycle your TV and headphones
This is almost the quick, go-to fix for every malfunctioning device…
So, if your TV has Bluetooth and your headphones aren’t connected somewhere else…
Or nothing at all is interfering with the possible connection…
Then, a power cycle will correct a device that’s acting up. And here’s how to do it:
On your TV
- Turn ON the TV.
- Unplug your TV from the power outlet.
- Wait for 30 seconds.
- Plug the TV back into the power outlet.
Note: Ensure that you wait for at least 30 seconds. Any less than that can affect the efficacy of this fix. That’s because it’s the time needed to drain all the charges on your TV.
On your headphones
For headphones, there’s no universal way to power cycle them.
Often, it can be through pressing and holding the power and volume buttons at the same time.
But to be sure, I highly suggest you look at your headphones’ manual.
Or, do a Google search with this format:
How to power cycle [Bluetooth device brand/name/model].
#6: Your Insignia TV is outdated
Whether the power cycle didn’t do it…
Or that you’ve tried it, but it only worked for a short time…
Then, your TV might need the latest firmware update.
And you must tend to this immediately.
If not, issues like this can arise. Along with other cases of malfunction like:
- Slow performance.
- Issues with the remote.
- Inability to connect to Wi-Fi.
- Blue vertical lines appearing.
So, don’t let those other things happen. Go on and…
Update your Insignia TV
Step 1: Prepare for the update
You’ll need the following:
- USB drive.
- Your personal computer (with a USB port).
- Adequate internet connection (enough to download the update).
Step 2: Find out your device’s current firmware
On your TV, follow these steps:
- Go to Help.
- Choose System Info.
- Note down your TV’s model and current firmware information.
Step 3: Note down your TV’s model number
There’s a label at the back of your Insignia TV that shows its model number.
Or, you can find out by accessing through your TV’s system:
- With the remote, click Menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Click System Info.
After that 3 easy steps, you can now see your TV model number.
Step 4: Get the current firmware on your computer
Now, on your PC, do the following:
- Go to www.insigniaproducts.com.
- Choose Support & Service.
- Find the box under Manual, Firmware, Drivers & Product Information.
- Enter this on that box: NS-19D220NA16 or NS-19D220MX16.
- Click the right arrow (▶).
- Follow the on-screen instructions called Firmware Installation Guide. That’ll download the firmware.
- After download, copy the downloaded file to the USB drive.
Step 5: Start the update on your TV
- Plug the USB drive into your Insignia TV.
- Turn your Insignia TV ON and press Menu.
- Go to Help > Update Firmware.
- Press Enter, then follow any on-screen prompts to start the update.
Note: Keep your TV ON the whole time that your TV is updating. If you turn it off, the update will lose its progress.
Continue reading: How Often Do Smart TVs Update Their Software? 5 Examples
#7: Hardware problems
And if the update didn’t work after all that…
Your headphones aren’t connecting to your Insignia TV due to a hardware problem. Which is best determined and fixed by a technician.
What’s more, Insignia’s support will also be glad to help you.
So, here’s their product support page. Or you can also contact them through:
- Sending a form.
- Dialing 1-877-467-4289 (for customers from the US and Canada).
Note: They’re reachable daily from 8 AM. to 9 PM CT.