Do you have a new Bluetooth device like wireless headphones or a soundbar that you want to connect to your Vizio TV? If so, you’ll need to put your Vizio TV into pairing mode first before those devices can discover and connect to it.
Putting your Vizio TV into pairing mode is quick and easy to do once you know the steps. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the complete process of enabling pairing mode on any modern Vizio smart TV model.
What is Pairing Mode on a Vizio TV?
Pairing mode is a temporary state that makes your Vizio TV discoverable and connectable to new external Bluetooth accessories.
When your Vizio TV is in pairing mode, it continuously broadcasts a wireless Bluetooth signal that other devices can detect. Once detected, those devices can send a connection request to pair and link up with your TV.
So pairing mode essentially opens up and enables Bluetooth connectivity temporarily so new wireless devices can connect to your Vizio smart TV.
Why Put Your Vizio TV in Pairing Mode?
You’ll want to put your Vizio TV into pairing mode any time you get a new Bluetooth audio device that you wish to use with it. This includes Bluetooth headphones, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, home theater systems and more.
Pairing mode allows those accessory devices to locate, connect and pair up with your Vizio TV’s Bluetooth receiver. Once paired, the TV and device will remain connected automatically in the future without needing to manually re-pair again.
The only times you’ll need to purposefully enable pairing mode are when adding an entirely new Bluetooth device to your Vizio TV. So that initial first-time pairing process requires your TV be set discoverable so the devices can find each other.
How Long Does Pairing Mode Last on a Vizio TV?
Vizio TVs will only stay in pairing mode for a limited time – usually two minutes. This prevents your TV’s Bluetooth receiver from remaining openly discoverable indefinitely.
So once you activate pairing mode, you have a short two minute window for your Bluetooth accessory to locate and connect to the Vizio TV. This ensures security and privacy.
If the pairing process exceeds two minutes, your Vizio TV will exit pairing mode automatically. When this happens you’ll have to go back and re-enable it to keep trying to connect your device. There’s no way to make pairing mode last indefinitely.
Step-by-Step Guide to Put Your Vizio TV in Pairing Mode
Putting most modern Vizio TVs into pairing mode only takes seconds. Here’s an easy step-by-step walkthrough to activate pairing mode on any recent Vizio smart TV:
1. Turn on your Vizio TV first before anything else. Also make sure any Bluetooth devices you want to pair up are powered on too.
2. Grab the remote that came with your Vizio TV. Point it directly at the TV’s center.
3. Press the Menu button on the remote to bring up the on-screen menu display.
4. Using the arrow circle button on the remote, go to the option titled System and then press OK.
5. Next choose Reset & Admin. Select it and press OK again.
6. Within Reset & Admin locate the setting called Bluetooth with the remote and select it.
7. At this stage a Bluetooth setup menu should visibly pop up on your Vizio TV screen. Choose the option that says Pair Bluetooth Device.
8. A display alert now confirms your Vizio TV has entered pairing mode for two minutes. The countdown will commence on-screen.
9. Pick up the Bluetooth device you want to pair whether headphones, a speaker, etc. Initiate its own pairing mode so that it actively searches and discovers nearby Bluetooth TVs.
10. The device should quickly find the pairing signal broadcast by your powered-on Vizio TV. You’ll see it display your TV’s name confirmation.
11. Allow and accept the pairing connection request your Bluetooth accessory sends to your TV. Agree to any additional prompts about sharing data, contacts, messages, etc. as well.
12. Once pairing and linking is complete, your Vizio TV will confirm being connected to that Bluetooth device. Both it and the accessory should indicate connected status.
Following those quick steps will reliably put any modern Vizio smart TV into pairing mode. Then it’s just a matter of having your intended Bluetooth accessory initiate its own pairing process. As long as you complete the connection within two minutes your devices will pair up!
If for some reason it doesn’t work, simply start over or try resetting and power cycling both the Vizio TV and your Bluetooth device. This forces both to dump their existing connection history and re-initiate a fresh pairing session.
Troubleshooting Tips for Vizio TV Pairing Issues
Pairing problems might arise getting your Bluetooth device linked up during the steps above. Try these Vizio TV Bluetooth troubleshooting suggestions if that happens:
– Double check both your Vizio TV and Bluetooth gadget are powered on. Shut down and restart if unsure. Run through the above steps again.
– Ensure no obstacles block between the two devices while trying to pair. Large furnishings, walls and distances exceeding 30 feet (10 meters) can disrupt pairing.
– Verify your Vizio TV successfully entered pairing mode by displaying the on-screen confirmation. If not, press Menu and repeat the above steps again more carefully.
– Reset and un-pair the problematic Bluetooth device per its own menu instructions. Then refresh and relocate the Vizio TV available to pair with it again via Vizio’s pairing mode.
– Update the Vizio TV firmware and SmartCast OS to the newest software revisions via internet if possible. Also check your device manufacturer for app/firmware updates too. Latest updates help.
– As a last resort perform factory reset on BOTH the Vizio TV and Bluetooth device, wiping any faulty pairing connections clear. Then start fresh pairing them again after following rebooting.
While rare, some Vizio TVs and Bluetooth gadgets simply don’t played nicely together. Continued difficulty getting a reliable pairing might indicate unavoidable incompatibility problems. Consider switching to another brand of accessory instead if they persist.
Once the two devices successfully pair the first time, they will automatically reconnect again whenever powered on in the future without repeating the pairing process. Regular Bluetooth use won’t require re-pairing unless a major system update occurs or the pairing history gets deleted after a factory reset.
Revisit this Vizio TV pairing mode guide anytime you get new wireless Bluetooth headphones, speakers, sound devices or controllers to hook up to your home theater that need syncing the first time out the box.