How to add Bluetooth to a TV that doesn’t have it
This is a how-to guide explaining ways to add Bluetooth connectivity to a television that lacks it built in, useful for anyone wanting wireless audio without buying a new TV. It notes that most TVs bought in the last decade already support Bluetooth via their settings menu, but for older sets, two main workarounds exist: using a streaming device or a dedicated Bluetooth transmitter.
Streaming devices such as the Apple TV, Roku or Fire TV Stick include Bluetooth as standard, letting users pair headphones or a keyboard, though this only works while that device's input is selected (the Roku Streaming Stick HD costs around $30). Alternatively, a dedicated Bluetooth transmitter plugs into the TV's audio output (optical, 3.5mm or RCA) and a power source, converting the TV's sound into a Bluetooth signal for wireless headphones regardless of input source, with basic models costing around $25; the guide recommends choosing ones with codecs like aptX Low Latency to minimise audio-visual delay.
- Most TVs from the last decade already have built-in Bluetooth support.
- Streaming devices like Roku or Apple TV add Bluetooth but only per input.
- Bluetooth transmitters (~$25) offer a universal, input-independent wireless audio fix.
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Bluetooth wasn't originally a standard feature on most televisions, so anyone with an older set often finds there's no built-in way to connect wireless headphones or speakers. TVs made in roughly the last ten years usually do include Bluetooth, accessible through the settings menu, but plenty of households still use older models without it.
For those older TVs, there are two common workarounds. One is a streaming device, such as an Apple TV, Roku or Fire TV Stick, which comes with Bluetooth built in and can pair with headphones, though only while that device is the selected input. The other is a separate Bluetooth transmitter, a small gadget that plugs into the TV's audio output and converts the sound into a wireless signal, working regardless of which input is in use.
This matters mainly for anyone wanting the convenience of wireless audio, such as watching TV at night without disturbing others, without having to replace a television that otherwise still works fine.