Technical problems are the worst. You purchase an item like a soundbar, and you expect it to work as it should. You connect the soundbar and it works well for a while but then suddenly it fails you. What do you do?
If you’ve tried basic things like powering off and on or unplugging and plugging in the connections with no luck, there are some other options out there. With Bose systems, you can reset the soundbar following some specific steps.
In this guide, we will cover how to reset the Bose soundbar in a step-by-step process. You can use this method for the 700, 500, or 300 series. They all work primarily the same when it comes to resetting them.
Keep reading to learn the steps.
Table of Contents
What Does a Reset Entail?
When you do a reset like this, you need to be aware that it is a total reset. Going through the reset process will erase any settings that you have customized with your devices. Your devices will no longer be connected. This means after the reset; you will need to go through the steps as you did when you initially received and established your soundbar.
A reset is not always necessary. In fact, it’s usually the last option to try once you have tried all of the other troubleshooting options out there. The reset will generally fix setting issues and other things that you might be experiencing.
We’re going to walk through each model just to be sure you understand the process completely.
Bose 300 soundbar
The reset process is really quite simple. It’s a matter of hitting a few buttons in succession. Follow these steps to factory reset a Bose 300 soundbar.
- Make sure the soundbar is turned on. You will need your remote for the reset process.
- Using your remote, hold down the play/pause button as well as the down volume button.
- Hold these down together for about 5 seconds. You will know when you can release as the system will begin a reboot.
- Allow the soundbar to reboot and reset. It can sometimes take a few moments.
- When the soundbar shows an amber indicator light, this is your sign that it has reset.
Now, you can go through the process of connecting your system as if it were brand new again.
Bose 500 soundbar
The next system is the Bose 500 soundbar. It uses a different process, but you will still need your remote. You cannot do anything on the Bose soundbars without having a remote available for them.
Follow these steps to reset your Bose 500 soundbar.
- Make sure the soundbar is powered on and you have a working remote available.
- Press down the power button and the skip forward button at the same time.
- Hold these buttons down for about 5 seconds. You will know that you can release the buttons when the light on the soundbar goes off completely. It will first pulse white before it fades out.
- Be patient while the system resets and reboots. This could take a few moments to complete.
- When the system is back up, your indicator light will be orange and will have a solid glow. No flashing or anything.
Once that solid orange is up, you can proceed with setting up the Bose system again. You are starting fresh so you will have to completely reconnect the system and then adjust your settings appropriately.
Bose 700 soundbar
Finally, let’s go over the Bose 700 soundbar. Again, it’s very similar but it does use different buttons than the other two models we’ve covered. Again, you will need to make sure you have the remote to the system in order to accomplish the reset.
Follow these steps to reset your Bose 500 soundbar.
- Grab the remote to your soundbar and be sure that it is powered on.
- On the remote, press two buttons at the same time. This will be the skip back button and the power button.
- Hold the buttons down for about 5 seconds. The indicator light will first flash at you and then eventually turn black. This is when you can release the buttons.
- Wait a few moments while the system resets and then reboots. When it comes back on, it will be restored to factory settings.
You will notice that the Bose 700 doesn’t have an indicator light for when it’s completely finished. However, you will know because the system does a full reboot so it will power back on.
Once it comes back on, you can then set back up the connection and adjust your settings to pair the soundbar with your device.
Bose Soundbar in Music App
If you have your Bose soundbar set up in the Bose Music App, you will also need to remove it from here for the reset. We did not include it in the steps because many people never even establish this.
However, if you do have it, it’s very easy to remove the soundbar. You will then add it back in after the reset is complete.
To remove the soundbar, you simply need to log into the app, go to your account settings, manage speakers, and delete the soundbar you are resetting.
We do want to warn you that this step of the process can sometimes take a bit. It takes much longer if Alexa is enabled on the device. However, if you just unplug the soundbar and then plug it back in, Alexa disconnects so it can speed up the process.
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Conclusion
Resetting the Bose 300, 500, or 700 soundbars is straightforward and simple. You simply need to know what buttons you must press on the remote to accomplish the reset. Once you know that, it doesn’t take that much time to accomplish.
Just be prepared to wait a few moments for the reset and then also take the time to reconnect and set up the device when you are ready to get it connected again.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.