To use wireless earbuds, open the charging case and take them out: most turn on by themselves and reconnect to your phone. After that, taps on the earbuds play music, answer calls and wake your voice assistant. Got a new pair as a gift? Here’s everything a first-timer needs.
Turning on and off
- On: open the case lid or lift the earbuds out. A small light or a tone tells you they’re on.
- Off: put them back in the case and close the lid. That also starts charging.
- Earbuds with no auto-on (often cheaper pairs): press and hold the button or touch area for 2 to 3 seconds until a light flashes or you hear a tone. Holding much longer often puts them in pairing mode instead.
The very first time, they must be paired. Open the case near your phone, go to Bluetooth and tap their name. Step-by-step help: connect wireless earbuds to your phone. If they don’t show up, see how to put earbuds in pairing mode.
Touch and button controls
Controls differ by brand, but most follow this pattern:
| Action | Usually does |
|---|---|
| Tap once | Play or pause |
| Tap twice | Next track, or answer/end a call |
| Tap three times | Previous track |
| Touch and hold | Voice assistant, noise-cancelling mode or decline a call |
Check the leaflet in the box, or the brand’s app if there is one (Samsung, JBL, Soundcore and others have apps). Most apps let you change what each tap does, and some let you lock touch controls so adjusting the earbuds in your ear doesn’t pause the music.
Volume is often a long press on one side, or set in the app. If not, use the phone’s volume buttons.
Calls and voice assistant
- Answer: tap once or twice (depends on the model) when you hear the ringtone.
- End: the same tap again.
- Decline: usually touch and hold.
- Voice assistant: touch and hold (or triple tap) to wake Google Assistant, Gemini or Siri; ask it to call someone or read messages.
On a matatu or in a busy market, the person on the other end may hear background noise. Earbuds with ENC (call noise reduction) help; holding the phone closer doesn’t, since the earbud mic is doing the work.
Charging and battery habits
- Charge the case, not the earbuds: they top up whenever they’re in it. Most recent cases charge by USB-C; a good phone charger is fine.
- Keep them in the case when not in use. It protects them and keeps them charged.
- Avoid running the case completely flat regularly, and don’t charge in a hot car or in direct sun.
- Storing them for weeks? Leave them about half charged in a cool, dry place.
- During KPLC outages, a power bank charges the case just like a wall socket.
One earbud dead or silent? See only one earbud working.
Quick answers
Open the case or take them out; most switch on automatically. If not, press and hold the button or touch area for 2 to 3 seconds until a light or tone confirms it.
Tap once or twice on either earbud when the call rings; the same tap ends it. Touch and hold usually declines.
