5 Bose headphone and earbuds settings you need to change right now for better sound and more features

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Straight out of the box, Bose headphones are great. Their ANC ranks amongst the very best noise canceling headphones available, blocking out more sound than just about anything else. But they can get even better thanks to some slight tweaks in their settings menu.

We can improve their sound quality with a quick dip into a sub-menu, extend their sound stage with an extra feature and even improve their useability. There's only one thing that you need (well, two, including the headphones): The Bose app. It's available for Android and iOS, so you have no excuse.

1. Improve the sound quality

Testing call quality on the Bose QuietComfort Headphones — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Bose headphones sound good. They've got plenty of detail and a powerful low end. But they can sound even better. With a just a quick trip to the EQ section in the Bose app, we can dial in the Quietcomfort lines sound to something even more sonically pleasing.

They all suffer from the same problem — over reliance on the low end. Well, lets take some of that crutch away from them by dialling down the bass slider a couple of notches. I like to leave it around -2. We leave the mids alone, and then we turn our attention to the highs. I like to bring it up around +2, to bring some extra dimension to the sound.

You'd be surprised how much of a difference it makes. It's one of the first things I do to Bose headphones when they arrive on my desk, once I've had a try with the out-of-box sound.

2. Add a multipoint device

If you've ever become irritated endlessly connecting and reconnecting your headphones to different devices, then the multiconnect built into certain Bose models is going to be a lifesaver. Pause your media on your phone, and then instantly connect to your laptop for a work call.

To initialize the system, head to the "multipoint" tab in the app. From there, initiate a connection and find the headphones in the Bluetooth menu of the second source device. Et voilà — done!

You can only connect to two or three things at once, mind you. This works with most Bose headphones and earbuds. Check the Bose app how many devices your headphones support.

3. Change the shortcut

This feature is only compatible with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones line. Using the touch-sensitive panel on the right earcup, you can activate various features in your headphones. Press and hold to activate.

Find the Shortcut menu in the Bose app, and then choose one of four different options. You can hear the battery level, change the Immersive Audio mode, Access your voice assistant, or start a Spotify listening session.

Or, you can turn it off completely.

4. Create some modes

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

This feature is unique to the QuietComfort Ultra line of headphones and earbuds. Changing both the ANC and the Immersive Audio settings of your headphones separately can be annoying, so Bose has allowed you to make different "modes" that change both simultaneously.

Perhaps you want max ANC when you're out and about, but the static Immersive Audio mode so that it doesn't sound strange when you're walking around. You can make a mode that instantly sets both to your desired settings. Perhaps you want slightly less ANC and head-tracked spatial audio. You can make a mode that does that too.

Head to the modes tab of the Bose app, and press the "+" button. From there, you can add and change modes.

5. Change how much of yourself you can hear on a call

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — (Image credit: Future)

When you take a call with your Bose headphones, there's a certain amount of your voice that the headphones feed you so that it doesn't sound unnatural. To some people it's either too much or not enough, so you'll want to change the level.

Head to the Bose app, and select the little settings wheel in the top right hand corner of the screen. Scroll down until you see the "Self Voice" setting. From here, choose your preferred level, and back out of the menu.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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