- Phones and tablets
- Wireless earbuds and headphones
No audio in one ear
Bose No audio in one ear: QC Earbuds II one side silent
Risk level
Low
Usually safe to check without specialist tools.
Urgency
Low
Quick answer
One earbud of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II plays no sound. Check the seating and charge of both, the firmware version if you use only the left one, and in-ear detection. If it persists, reset the product in the order Bose lists.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- Do not raise the volume to check whether a "silent" earbud responds; if it plays nothing, follow the Bose seating, firmware and reset steps instead.
- The reboot clears the earbud Bluetooth list although, per the Bose guide, it leaves other settings alone, and the phone will need to be paired again.
- The Bose guide leaves adjusting and repairing the earbuds to qualified service personnel: do not open or take them apart.
Safe checks you can perform
- Listen for the battery prompt on each earbud
- Check the contacts and reseat both earbuds in the case
- Check the firmware if you only use the left earbud
- Turn off Auto Play/Pause under in-ear detection
- Reset the product in the order Bose lists
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Reset the product in front of the customer and test each earbud on its own
- Do not attempt this professional task: Request a repair or replacement from Bose if the earbud still will not connect
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Reset the product in front of the customer and test each earbud on its own
What they doThe technician follows the Bose order: removes the product from the app, clears the phone Bluetooth entries, holds the rear button with both earbuds in the case and reconnects from the app, then tests each earbud alone.
They must show youthe light sequence during the reset and the battery prompt of each earbud when used alone.
In writingthe firmware version installed and which earbud is still silent after the reset.
Request a repair or replacement from Bose if the earbud still will not connect
What they doIf an earbud still fails to connect after the reset, the technician opens the online repair or replacement request that the Bose article offers, without opening the earbuds.
They must show youthat the earbud does not connect after the reset and plays no battery prompt when placed.
In writingwhich earbud fails, the Bose steps already done and the reference of the request opened.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Listen for the battery prompt on each earbud
- Who:
- you, seated with your head upright.
- How:
- take both earbuds out of the case, put them in your ears without the eartips rotated backwards and wait a few seconds: each one should play the battery level prompt.
- Result that matters:
- learn whether the silent earbud powers on and sits correctly.
- If both play the battery prompt:
- the problem lies in the audio source or in in-ear detection.
- If one gives no prompt:
- reseat it and check its charge and contacts.
- Evidence to keep:
- which earbud gives no prompt and whether you hear it after reseating.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
Check the contacts and reseat both earbuds in the case
- Who:
- you, with the case open.
- How:
- look for debris on the charging contacts of the earbuds and of the case, put both in the case and, if the light inside does not turn on, press down gently on the earbuds. Close the lid, wait for the front light to turn off, then open it again.
- Result that matters:
- confirm that the silent earbud makes charging contact and registers in the case.
- If the inside light turns on when you press the earbud:
- it was a loose contact.
- If the inside light stays off with that earbud:
- go on to the firmware check.
- Evidence to keep:
- photo of the contacts and the inside light state when the silent earbud is placed.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Earbuds Will Not Connect | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Check the firmware if you only use the left earbud
- Who:
- you, with the Bose app and the paired phone.
- How:
- open the Bose app, read the firmware version and update it if needed: to use the left earbud alone Bose asks for version 1.3.26 or higher. The microphone is in the right earbud, so use that one for phone calls.
- Result that matters:
- rule out that the left silence comes from a firmware older than single-earbud support.
- If after updating to 1.3.26 or higher the left one plays on its own:
- resolved.
- If the firmware is already recent and the left one stays silent:
- check in-ear detection.
- Evidence to keep:
- firmware version shown in the app before and after the update.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Turn off Auto Play/Pause under in-ear detection
- Who:
- you, with the Bose app open.
- How:
- select your earbuds in the app, tap the settings icon in the top-right corner, open In-Ear Detection and tap the Auto Play/Pause slider until it turns gray; if audio returns, run a seal and fit test on the eartips.
- Result that matters:
- see whether playback was stopping because of a poor fit rather than a fault.
- If audio returns once it is off:
- change the eartip or band following the Bose fit guidance.
- If still silent with the feature off:
- reset the product.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of the In-Ear Detection setting with the slider gray.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
Reset the product in the order Bose lists
- Who:
- you, with the phone, a USB wall charger and the case holding both earbuds.
- How:
- in the Bose app remove the earbuds from your account (Manage Products, Edit, Delete, Remove) and clear every Bluetooth entry on the phone, including those marked LE. With the case on a wall charger and the lid open, hold the rear Bluetooth button for 30 seconds and reconnect from the app. The guide mentions 25 seconds for the reboot, so follow the version that matches your revision.
- Result that matters:
- clear the old pairing and test each earbud from scratch.
- If the light blinks white twice, slowly blue and turns off, then white five times and slowly blue:
- pairing mode is ready.
- If the sequence does not appear or one earbud still will not connect:
- Bose says the earbuds need replacing.
- Evidence to keep:
- video of the light sequence and the result of the new connection in the app.
Evidence: Earbuds Will Not Connect | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Resetting your product | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Phones and tablets
- Brand
- Bose
- Product type
- Wireless earbuds and headphones
Known code variants
- Left earbud silent on its own
- No audio in one ear
- No sound from one earbud
- No suena un auricular
- Only one earbud plays
- Solo suena uno de los dos auriculares
What it means
The Bose No audio in one ear article for the QuietComfort Earbuds II and the No sound from one earbud symptom in its owner's guide put seating, charge, firmware, eartip fit and a reset first. Other models may differ, and one silent earbud alone never proves a part is faulty.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Mediumsource verified
Do not raise the volume to check whether a "silent" earbud responds; if it plays nothing, follow the Bose seating, firmware and reset steps instead.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Lowsource verified
The reboot clears the earbud Bluetooth list although, per the Bose guide, it leaves other settings alone, and the phone will need to be paired again.
Evidence: Resetting your product | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Mediumsource verified
The Bose guide leaves adjusting and repairing the earbuds to qualified service personnel: do not open or take them apart.
Evidence: Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Earbud badly seated or low on chargeCommon
Bose explains that you should hear a battery level prompt when you put them in your ears; if you do not, check that they sit correctly and are fully charged, and look for debris on the contacts.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Old firmware when using only the left earbudCommon
At launch only the right earbud could be used on its own; using the left alone needs version 1.3.26 or higher, which the Bose app installs.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
- In-ear detection pausing audio because of a poor fitPossible
The earbuds use in-ear detection to sense that you are wearing them; if the eartips and stability bands do not fit well, playback can stop on one earbud.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Wrong eartip or band size, or tips rotated too far backPossible
The guide asks for the correct eartip and band size on each ear, with your head upright when inserting them and the eartips not rotated too far back.
Evidence: Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Internal state that only a reset clearsPossible
Bose likens the reset to rebooting a phone and lists it when earlier steps fail; it clears the product Bluetooth list and leaves the earbuds ready to connect again.
Evidence: No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II · Resetting your product | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Virtual technician
Does No audio in one ear still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
No audio in one ear | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Bose · 2026 · official_doc
- 2
Earbuds Will Not Connect | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Bose · 2026 · official_doc
- 3
Resetting your product | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Bose · 2026 · official_doc
- 4
Owner's Guide | QuietComfort Earbuds II
Bose · 2026 · official_doc
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