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I paired headphones to my streaming stick for the first time - and fixed a big TV annoyance

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Why This Matters

This article highlights how consumers can easily connect Bluetooth headphones to streaming sticks, offering a simple solution to enjoy private viewing without disturbing others. This capability enhances user convenience and flexibility, especially for late-night viewing or shared household environments, making streaming devices more versatile and user-friendly.

Key Takeaways

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There comes a time when you want to watch TV, but someone else in your dwelling doesn't want to be bothered by the noise. You could choose to stop watching every video in your YouTube recommended feed, or you could grab a pair of headphones and watch privately.

Many companies, such as Bose and Sonos, make headphones with specialized, proprietary connectivity to their soundbars, but you can connect any headphones to most streaming sticks via Bluetooth. Some TVs have native Bluetooth connectivity, though you'll need to check your device settings; older and budget TVs may not.

Also: Roku TV vs. Fire Stick: Why I'm looking beyond streaming resolution when comparing the two

Connecting headphones directly to a TV or streaming stick is much more reliable than connecting to a soundbar. Workarounds exist, but if you want your soundbar and headphones to play audio simultaneously, you'll likely need to make some magic happen with an optical cable or an A/V receiver.

However, if your goal is to watch a movie late at night without disturbing anyone or spending extra money on special headphones, here's how you can with the devices you already have.

How to connect headphones to your streaming stick

The HD Roku Streaming Stick (purple letters). Maria Diaz/ZDNET

What you need: A pair of headphones or earbuds and a Roku, Google, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV streaming device.

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