How to use Bluetooth audio sharing on a Google Pixel phone
Android 16 is about to bring Auracast to the masses, but Google Pixel users with supported phones can try all the upcoming Audio sharing features today. The tools allow users to pair multiple Bluetooth headphones to the same Pixel phone for content sharing, and make it possible to start or listen to a mass broadcast.
The Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio feature is set to be a game-changer for both accessibility and content consumption. If you’re interested in sharing your audio with multiple Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, you can do so now by following this guide. It’ll only get easier when Android 16 officially releases, too.
If you’re still catching up to what the terms Auracast or LE Audio even mean, let’s dive in, because we’ll cover that as well.
What you need to use Audio sharing on a Pixel phone
Bits of the Audio sharing feature have appeared across multiple Android beta programs, including Android 15 and Android 16. Currently, the Audio sharing settings page isn’t visible in Android 16 Beta 4, but it can be enabled in Developer Options on supported Pixel phones. You will need a Google Pixel 8 series or newer phone to access this feature, as it requires Auracast.
It appears that running the Android 16 beta is actually optional to activate Audio sharing, as the Developer Options toggle you need to find is available on Android 15 devices. If you are interested in becoming a tester, you can follow this guide to install the Android 16 beta on your Pixel phone.
After that, you can follow these steps to make it appear:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap About phone.
3. Tap your build number multiple times in succession to enable Developer Options.
4. You’ll see You are now a developer when you have done this successfully.
Now, you’ve successfully activated Developer Options and can find the hidden toggle needed to reveal Audio sharing. Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap the System page, then press the Developer Options tab.
3. Find Enable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview in the list, and flip the toggle on.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to restart your phone so that the changes take effect.
Now, you’ll be able to find the Audio sharing page in your Settings app on a supported Google Pixel phone. This is a fair bit of work to gain access to a feature, but that’s because Audio sharing is still not publicly available yet.
All the steps in this section won’t be required when Google officially rolls out Bluetooth LE and Auracast support via Audio sharing in a public release, but it’s unclear when that will be. Since the feature isn’t visible by default in the latest Android 16 Beta 4.1 release, it’s not guaranteed that Audio sharing will be available on day one.
How to start Audio sharing
Audio sharing requires supported earbuds or headphones, as you won’t be able to start it on a Pixel phone without at least one pair connected. Your audio devices need to support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio to work with Audio sharing, and we have a rundown of some supported earbuds and headphones here. Not all of the best Android earbuds and headphones support this feature, but many — like the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and 3 Pro — offer Bluetooth LE Audio.
Tip: If you don’t immediately see your supported headphones or earbuds show up as Audio sharing compatible, completely forgetting the device and re-pairing should do the trick. Check if there’s a toggle for LE Audio in the device settings page for each set of compatible earbuds, too.
With all that in mind, when you have Audio sharing visible on a Pixel phone and supported earbuds ready, you can start sharing by following these steps:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap the Connected devices page, then press Connection preferences.
3. Tap the Audio sharing page, which is now visible.
4. Flip the toggle beside Audio sharing to start.
5. You’ll now see a QR code appear for your broadcast alongside your device name and optional broadcast password — both of which are needed for others to connect to your broadcast.
6. Tap Pair new device to add earbuds or headphones or Close to finish.
7. You can also join an existing broadcast by tapping Find an audio stream.
After that, you’ve created a broadcast and have the option to pair multiple LE Audio-compatible headsets to your Pixel phone. With full Auracast support, this is crucial for accessibility reasons — public events, sporting contests and concerts, and transit hubs can send out Auracast-compatible broadcasts that anyone can listen to. It’s also a handy tool in general, as you can share music or a movie with the person next to you or the entire room.
When will Audio sharing publicly debut?
Audio sharing, with Bluetooth LE and Auracast, is confirmed to be heading to Pixel phones soon with the release of Android 16. Google touted the feature as part of Android 16 Beta 3’s release notes, the same update that reached platform stability for the first time. At the moment, we don’t know exactly when in Android 16’s lifecycle the feature will release — it could be available on day one or arrive in a future Android 16 update.
The good news is that you don’t have to wait because Pixel phone users running both Android 15 and the Android 16 beta can use Audio sharing today. Whether you need hearing assistance or simply want to share your phone’s audio with a friend, this handy Android 16 feature can help.
The latest and greatest
You don’t need an expensive flagship to try the latest Android 16 features, the base-model Pixel 9 will do just fine. It covers all the basics, with a stellar camera system, a capable Tensor G4 processor, and Google’s Pixel Launcher with exclusive features.
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