Can iPhone Connect to Multiple Bluetooth Speakers?

Are you looking for the best option for connecting multiple Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone?

Well, you’re in luck because Apple has made it easier than ever with the introduction of dual audio mode.

iphone that can connect dual bluetooth speakers

With this feature, you can connect two Bluetooth speakers to later model iPhones to create a richer sound experience. You can also use two pairs of headphones or earbuds to share audio from your phone with someone else. Whether you’re listening to music or watching movies, this is an excellent way to boost and share audio from your iPhone.

In this article, we will explain how dual audio works and provide instructions for using it. 

Then we’ll discuss which iPhones support dual audio Bluetooth connections. So if you’re ready for an enhanced music experience, read on!

Connecting iPhone to Multiple Bluetooth Speakers

It’s always been possible to connect multiple Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone. The only challenge is that you had to switch between each Bluetooth speaker manually every time you wanted to use a different one.

Of course, if you have multiple Bluetooth speakers from one brand, such as JBL for instance, that have a multi-connect feature, you can already enjoy using multiple speakers at once.

However, thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, which supports dual audio, it’s now easier than ever to set up and manage multiple Bluetooth speakers, even if they’re not compatible ones from the same brand. This means you can have all of your devices connected and ready to go whenever you need them.

You can now select and play audio through two of your Bluetooth speakers or headphones directly from your iPhone. With the dual audio mode, you can pair two compatible Bluetooth speakers and adjust the volume level of each one individually.

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Bluetooth 5.0 allows Dual Bluetooth Speaker Connection

With the release of Bluetooth 5.0, Apple now allows dual audio Bluetooth devices to be connected and used at the same time. This means you can connect two Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, or headphones to your iPhone and play audio through them in tandem.

You can also adjust the sound level of each speaker individually if you desire.

Bluetooth 5.0 came with a lot of upgrades to the technology, and this dual audio support was a major one. There are even more tweaks and improvements that have been applied with Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth 5.3.

This means that Bluetooth devices require Bluetooth 5.0 or newer for dual audio to work, and your phone also needs to support this feature.

iPhone models such as the iPhone 8, iPhone 11, 12, and 13 all have the dual audio feature, so you can connect two Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, or headphones and use them in tandem. Below, you will see a detailed list of Apple smartphones that have this feature.

iPhone Models that Support Dual Audio with Bluetooth Speakers

Here’s a list of all the iPhone models that support dual audio with Bluetooth speakers. 

They should all have the latest version of iOS installed to make use of the feature. Depending on the model of phone you have, it may no longer be able to be updated to the latest release of iOS firmware.

iPhone Models that Support Dual Audio

iPhone 8

iPhone 8 Plus

iPhone X

iPhone XR

iPhone XS

iPhone XS Max

iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro Max

iPhone SE (2nd gen)

iPhone SE (3rd gen)

iPhone 12

iPhone 12 Mini

iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 13

iPhone 13 Mini

iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 14

iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 14 Pro

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Now that you know if your phone is compatible, you can follow the steps below to start enjoying dual audio.

Steps to connect multiple Bluetooth Speakers to your iPhone

These are the steps to follow to connect two speakers to your iPhone at the same time. These steps will allow audio to be played from both speakers, letting you enjoy dual audio.

  1. First, make sure you’re using the latest version of iOS. If you’re not, update now.
  2. Turn on both speakers or headphones and make sure they are in pairing mode.
  3. Open the settings on your phone. Tap Bluetooth and turn it on.
  4. Pair each Bluetooth speaker you would like to use. Once paired, they will show up in My Devices. 
  5. Select each of your speakers—they should both show as connected.
  6. Now go to the control center by scrolling down on the home screen.
  7. Tap music and then tap the button in the top right of the music panel.
  8. Look for each speaker in the menu that appears and click the bubble. You will see a tick appear to show that each speaker is now active.
  9. Now you can play your music, and you will see that you can adjust each speaker’s volume individually if you like. Use the phone’s main volume to adjust the volume on both speakers.

That’s all there is to it. You’ve connected two Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone and can enjoy dual audio!

If one of the speakers, earbuds, or headphones won’t work with this feature after following these steps, it’s most likely that you’re trying to use a Bluetooth audio device that’s incompatible.

This is usually because it’s using an older version of Bluetooth.

The audio device must be Bluetooth 5.0 or newer for dual audio to work with an iPhone.

Use HomePod Stereo to Pair your Bluetooth Speakers

Another option for connecting multiple speakers to your iPhone is to use the Apple HomePod Stereo system. This allows you to pair two HomePod speakers and play them together as a stereo system.

This is quite an advanced way of connecting multiple speakers, but it does allow for a very high-quality sound experience. It’s also possible to group HomePods, allowing you to connect as many as you like.

HomePods are a fantastic way to bring multi-speaker audio into your home or outdoor area.

Apps to Connect Multiple Bluetooth Speakers

You can also use an app for dual or multi-speaker streaming. There are a few apps available for connecting two or more Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone.

However, there is only one app that is capable of multi-connect audio, and that’s AmpMe. It works by connecting smartphones to stream audio. Each phone has Bluetooth headphones or a speaker connected to it, and then all the phones are synchronized, creating a multi-speaker output.

It’s a great way to share your music and have a remarkable music experience if you’re getting together with friends. It is, however, not the best option if you just want a selection of Bluetooth speakers connected to your smartphone. To use this app, you can download it from the App Store.

Once installed, open the app, connect your portable speaker and add other devices for more sound.

Here’s a list of other apps that are also capable of connecting multiple Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone. These apps will work with their brand’s compatible speakers.

Some of these brands will let you connect more than 100 speakers at once, so choose your favorite brand or choose the app that works with the speakers you already have.

  • Bose Connect App
  • JBL Portable App
  • Boom & Megaboom App
  • Sonos App

By using any of these apps, you can easily connect two or more Bluetooth speakers to your iPhone.

As far as we’re aware, Bose allows two speakers to be connected via their app with a grouping option for multiple speaker connection, and Sonos uses Wi-Fi for their multi-speaker option.

Brands that Allow you to Connect Multiple Portable Speakers

One of the simplest ways to connect two or more Bluetooth speakers is to buy compatible speakers from the same brand. This allows you to easily connect multiple speakers and use them as one unified sound system.

Many of the top audio brands offer a range of portable speakers that are designed for this purpose. Here’s a list of some brands that let you link up multiple speakers:

1. JBL

JBL PartyBoost helps you to enjoy great sound with no issues. You can easily link up to 100 compatible JBL speakers for an incredible audio experience. Just pick your favorite speakers and connect them via Bluetooth to your device – you’ll be ready to go in no time!

You can add plenty of bass, along with extra mid- and high-range, by pairing two Boombox 3s and a couple of Flip 6s. With a wide range of speakers available from JBL, you have plenty of options for creating the perfect soundscape.

Remember to check each speaker’s features before purchasing to make sure they are compatible with PartyBoost; some earlier JBL models use Connect+, which is incompatible with PartyBoost.

2. Ultimate Ears

The Ultimate Ears brand offers you plenty of options with the BOOM, BOOM 2, BOOM 3, MEGABOOM, MEGABOOM 3, and HYPERBOOM. All of them have the PARTYUP feature. This allows you to connect up to 150 speakers with ease. All you have to do is download the Ultimate Ears Boom app and link them together.

Designed tough with waterproof construction and made to last, their range of speakers delivers a reliable audio experience. So, if you’re looking for an effortless way to connect multiple Bluetooth speakers to your device, Ultimate Ears should definitely be on your radar.

3. Sony

Connecting multiple Sony speakers is a bit more complex than speakers of some other brands. Depending on which Sony Bluetooth speakers you purchase, you’ll need to be aware of the various connection systems: WirelessParty Chain, Speaker Add function, Party Connect, and Wireless Multi-room. If all the speakers have the same system, then you can use Sony’s Music Center app to pair two or more of them together.

For those who love Sony hardware and consider themselves audio aficionados, the multi-speaker play feature is absolutely worth checking out for an enhanced listening experience.

4. Bose

If you’re a fan of Bose speakers, then there’s the grouping option for multi-connection. 

And, their SimpleSync feature allows you to link two speakers for an amplified listening experience.

All you need to do is download the Bose Connect app and pick your favorite two portable models – it’s as easy as that!

5. Altec Lansing

Altec Lansing has a range of portable speakers that use HouseParty mode to link up multiple models. This daisy chain system can connect up to 50 speakers simultaneously, and each speaker just requires one button press for pairing. No need for apps with these – you simply pair the first speaker to your Bluetooth device and then link together the rest. It’s the easiest way to fill larger spaces with great sound.

What makes Altec Lansing great is the quality of their speakers and their effortless setup process. Now you can spend less time connecting your audio gear and more time enjoying your music.

Device Connection Guidelines

If you’re connecting multiple devices via Bluetooth to your iPhone, then you’ll probably want to know how many devices can be connected at once.

It is possible to pair up to seven Bluetooth devices to an iPhone simultaneously, but there are some restrictions. You can also pair between 10–12 devices into memory.

iPhones with Bluetooth 4.0 or higher allow you to have seven devices connected at the same time, but you can only use one of each kind of device at once. For example, if you had two Bluetooth speakers connected and two wireless keyboards connected at the same time, you would still only be able to use one of each device at a time.

The release of Bluetooth 5.0 made it possible to pair and use two audio devices at the same time, provided they also have Bluetooth 5.0 or newer. The other pairing and connection guidelines remain the same.

Conclusion

To sum up, connecting multiple Bluetooth speakers to an iPhone can be a great way to enjoy your music with friends and family.

With the range of options available from different brands like JBL, Ultimate Ears, Sony and Altec Lansing, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.

If you want two audio devices playing together, make sure they both have Bluetooth 5.0 or newer installed.

multiple bluetooth speakers that are iphone dual connect compatible

Apple introduced dual-audio mode on their phones with the release of Bluetooth 5.0, so regardless of what kind of setup you are looking for, there are plenty of ways to get that perfect soundscape with minimal effort. Happy listening!