Bose speakers are known for their sound quality, compact size and portability, wide product range, and ease of use. But, sometimes the speaker won’t turn on or charge. So, how to fix it?
To fix Bose speakers that won’t turn on or charge, clean the charging cradle, change the charger, hard reset the speaker, disable Battery Protection Mode (BPM), force-start, replace the battery, or contact Bose support.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips:
- Charge the speaker for about 3 hours and try again.
- Change both the USB-C cable and wall charger with new ones.
- Reset the speaker.
- Change the power outlet.
- Charge directly (don’t use the cradle).
- Disable Battery Protection Mode.
You will find tips on how to do these things below.
How To Fix Bose Speakers That Won’t Turn On or Charge?
To fix Bose headphones that won’t turn on or charge, do the following things.
1. Clean the Charging Cradle
A faulty, dirty, or damaged charging cradle won’t charge the Bose speakers. The Bose Charging Cradle is a device designed specifically to provide a convenient and dedicated charging solution for Bose Speakers. It provides a dedicated and organized solution for charging the speaker when not in use, ensuring that it is always ready for portable use.
A few online reports have stated that the Bose charging cradle isn’t charging speakers properly. To know if the charging cradle is faulty, use the USB-C charger (that’s plugged into the charging cradle) and charge the speaker directly. If the speaker starts to charge, the charging cradle is faulty or dirty.
Clean the bottom of the Bose speaker (the part that contacts the charging cradle) and the three charging points of the cradle. Ensure there’s no dirt, debris, or anything coming in between these two devices.
If the speaker doesn’t start to charge after using the USB directly, then it’s the speakers, USB, or the cradle’s fault.
2. Change the USB-C Charger
A bad or faulty charger won’t charge your Bose speakers and therefore they won’t turn on. To troubleshoot a bad charger, change the USB-C charger while using the same wall charger. The USB-C charger is faulty if the speaker chargers with a different USB-C charger but with the same wall charger.
If the speaker doesn’t charge, change the wall charger while using the old USB-C charger. The wall charger was faulty if the speaker chargers after you change it.
It’s recommended to use the original USB-C charger that came with the Bose speakers. If you use a different charger, ensure it has the recommended power output to charge Bose speakers.
3. Hard Reset the Speaker
The Bose speakers won’t turn on if there’s a software bug or glitch preventing them to do so. To fix a software bug, reset the speakers or upgrade their firmware version. A hard reset will restore the original factory settings of the speaker, clear the internal memory, and remove any known devices.
You can only reset the speaker when they are powered on, but if you press the resetting button (Play/Pause) for 10 seconds, the speaker can turn on and reset. This only work if there’s a software bug or glitch preventing the speaker from turning on.
To reset Bose Speakers, do the following things.
- Hold the Play/Pause button for 10 seconds.
- The ring light will blink white and the speaker will reboot.
- When the right light stops, try turning on the speaker.
4. Disable Battery Protection Mode
The Bose Battery Protection Mode (BPM) is designed to prevent the battery from fully discharging, which can potentially lead to reduced battery capacity or other issues over time. This feature is activated if the speaker is not in use for an extended period (14 days) or when the battery charge is low.
The BPM will prevent the speaker from turning on, especially if the battery is low. You must exit or disable the battery protection mode, charge the speaker fully, and turn it on.
To exit battery protection mode, do the following things.
- Plug the AC power connector and the USB charger into the speaker.
- Wait a few minutes.
- Press the power button.
The battery protection mode will disable automatically once you connect the speaker if the battery is already full. But, if the battery is low you must complete a charging cycle before turning the speaker on.
5. Force Start (SoundLink)
You can force-start the Bose SoundLink speaker if it doesn’t turn on. The force start will disable the Battery protection mode or any other modes that are preventing the speaker from turning on. For this method, you need a USB charger (without the wall charger) and a PC.
To force start Bose SoundLink, do the following things.
- Plug the charger into the speaker.
- Plug the other end of the charger into a PC, MAC, or Laptop.
- Press and hold the three dots (multifunction) button for 15 seconds.
- While pressing the button, remove the charger from the PC.
- Release the buttons.
- Plug the charger into the PC again, and power on the speaker.
6. Replace The Battery
A faulty, damaged, or old battery will prevent the Bose speaker from turning on or charging. You must replace the battery by sending the speaker to an authorized repair shop to fix this issue.
Bose speakers use lithium-ion batteries that have a certain number of charging cycles, 300-500. A charging cycle is completed when the battery goes from 100-0% and you change it back to 0-100%.
Once a lithium-ion battery completes its charging cycles, its performance will reduce, it will have a higher self-discharge rate, it will keep less charge while taking longer to dry, and its internal resistance will increase. The lithium-ion battery doesn’t abruptly stop working or become unusable after completing its charging cycles, but if you keep charging it, the battery will become unusable after a while.
Lithium-ion batteries will also get damaged if you expose the speaker to high temperatures or if they are physically damaged.
7. Update the Firmware
An outdated firmware version can have multiple software bugs or glitches that will prevent the Bose speaker from turning on. To fix or remove software glitches, upgrade the firmware version.
A new firmware version will offer several benefits, such as enhanced features and functionality, performance improvements, and compatibility with new technologies.
To upgrade the firmware version of Bose speakers, do the following things.
- Download the Bose Connect app (iOS or Android).
- Pair the speaker with your phone.
- Open the app and add your Bose speaker to the list.
- A notification on the top of the application will let you know if there’s an update available.
- Tap Update.
- Follow the steps until its firmware version is updated.
8. Contact Bose Support
A faulty internal hardware part (e.g. charging port or power supply) will prevent the speaker from charging or turning on. If you have an active warranty, contact Bose support, explain the issue, and they will fix it for you.
If the speakers’ warranty has expired, send the speakers to a local electronic repair shop and get them fixed.