One of the best features of the new Apple TV (4th generation) is not so obvious – you can pair a Bluetooth headset with it for a completely silent TV! But it’s not very intuitive, so we’ve put together a guide to show you how to connect Bluetooth headphones to your Apple TV.
Even wireless headphones that are clearly aimed at TV viewers have been around for a while. Popular with anyone who likes to watch TV at night when their kids or spouse are in bed, it’s always been a hard sell, mostly thanks to the discreet pairing of a transmitter (connected to your TV) and a receiver. (your headset).And even then, they only work if you have the right jack on the back of your TV. If you don’t, you’ll often have to be an expensive amp or receiver. That has changed with the latest generation of Apple TVs.
This Apple TV isn’t the first to let you listen to content through headphones – with the latest Rokus, PS4 and Xbox One, varying degrees of support for headphones have been introduced. But unlike these systems, the Apple TV will work with almost any wireless Bluetooth headset on the market.
It might be obvious, but you’ll need the latest Apple TV (4th generation – 2015 model) for this to work. The 32GB or 64GB model will work just fine. Additionally, you will need a pair of Bluetooth earphones, which can be earphones, on-ear, or on-ear devices.
Like any other iOS device (okay, technically this runs a special variant known as tvOS), the Apple TV has a Settings app. Using the touchpad on your ATV remote, navigate to the smart box’s Settings app. Press down to enter settings.
Once you’re in the Settings app, you’ll want to scroll down until you find Remotes and Devices. This menu is where you can customize your Apple TV’s remote settings, such as how fast swiping on the touchpad will send your focus across the screen. 
Once you are in the Remotes and Devices menu, you will have a new list of options. In addition to pairing the new remotes with your ATV, there will be a section that says Bluetooth – this is where you need to connect your Bluetooth headset to the Apple TV.
On the Bluetooth screen, there will be a list of devices you have previously paired with the Apple TV. If you haven’t paired anything yet, all you’ll see is a list of your ATV’s remote (it works via Bluetooth to control the Apple TV, not IR like previous generations).
The next step is to send your Bluetooth audio device (headphones, speakers, whatever you’re trying to connect) to pairing mode. This is a special “Hello! I want to connect!” of your headset! signal to any device in the room. Your Apple TV will hear this signal and your headset’s name (possibly make or model name) will appear in the list under “Other Devices.” Scroll down until it’s highlighted and press the touchpad to select it. 
That’s all you have to do to connect. If you only use your headphones for Apple TV, the headphones will automatically connect every time you turn them on in the future. But if you replace them and use them with other devices like your iPhone or laptop, they may not.
If this happens to you, simply repeat the steps above – except this time, you’ll see your headset’s name under “My Devices”. Just select and click and you will see this screen above where you can connect or erase (forget) your device (if you “forget” it, you can always re-pair it: nothing is permanent here).
By default, the Apple TV reads what kind of TV you’re connecting it to via the HDMI cable (there’s a limited amount of information traveling both ways along the video cables). It decides what codes to send to your remote, and within seconds of plugging it in, your ATV remote can turn on your TV and control various audio settings. 
However, when you plug in a Bluetooth headset, your remote’s volume buttons will control the volume on your headset instead of your television. Since you will no longer see your TV’s volume level, a small one will appear in the upper-right corner of the Apple TV screen so you know where you are in terms of volume.
And that’s it! Note: You can actually have several Bluetooth headphones, headsets, and speakers “paired” at the same time (listed under “My Devices”), but only one of them can be active – you can switch between them by following the steps above. One thing to watch out for is that you only have one Bluetooth controller and one Bluetooth audio device turned on and working at a time. Normally, the fourth-gen ATV can support two separate Bluetooth controllers (so you can play head-to-head in a game or something) – but if you need to use Bluetooth audio as well, you’ll only land on one.
