My LG TV has a secret upgrade I didn't know I could access for free

Since I took it out of the box and powered it on for the first time, I’ve been mesmerized by my LG C5 TV. It’s my first OLED TV, so I’ve been extremely impressed with its picture quality alone, thanks to its deep blacks, vibrant colors, and incredible contrast.

But it’s not just the picture quality that’s impressed me. The feature set has been equally impressive, with a 120Hz refresh rate, support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and Nvidia G-SYNC, plus four HDMI 2.1 ports. Those ports have been especially handy, letting me connect all my devices without worrying about which HDMI port I’m using for specific features.

Another thing I’ve been surprisingly impressed by is the settings menu. I know it sounds a little odd to rave about a TV’s settings menu, but LG has one of the most straightforward and easy-to-navigate menus I’ve ever used. It’s also packed with options that let you customize your TV in more ways than you might expect, whether that’s tweaking power-saving settings, making casting easier, or improving performance.

That said, there’s one setting in particular I’ve enabled that’s made a huge difference in how I use my TV day to day: Bluetooth audio.

It’s a bit buried in the audio settings, but once enabled, it lets you listen to everything on your TV through a Bluetooth speaker or a pair of Bluetooth headphones. That includes streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube, as well as audio from connected devices such as a PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, or a Roku streamer. Whether you’re using a gaming headset, AirPods, or another pair of wireless headphones or speakers, it’s incredibly convenient.

Plus, if you’re looking for a more immersive gaming or streaming experience, Bluetooth audio is a simple way to get it without investing in an expensive speaker setup. Better yet, it’s quick and easy to set up on an LG TV. Here’s how.

How to enable Bluetooth audio on your LG TV

You’ll find it under Use Wireless Speaker in settings

Most LG TVs from 2017 onward have Bluetooth audio capabilities, so this isn’t a feature limited to just premium models. Here’s how to check to see if your LG TV has Bluetooth, and how to enable it, step-by-step:

1. Open the Settings menu on your LG TV by pressing the gear icon on your remote.

2. Go to Sound > Sound Out > Use Wireless Speaker.

3. Select Bluetooth device.

4. Enable pairing on your Bluetooth headphones or speaker.

5. Select it under Connectable Devices to pair it with your TV.

Once your Bluetooth audio device is connected, it will appear under Registered Devices. For example, I connected my SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 headset to my TV, and now it always appears in that list, making it easy to reconnect whenever I want to use it.

Since I started using Bluetooth audio on my LG TV, it’s transformed how I use it. I used to rely on the TV’s built-in speakers for everything, but being able to connect the same headphones I use with my PC to my LG TV has made both gaming and streaming much more immersive. The best part, as I mentioned earlier, is that it works with every input connected to your TV.

I’ve been using it regularly with my Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5. In the case of the PS5, it’s especially useful because Sony doesn’t let you connect most Bluetooth audio devices directly to the console. Using the TV as the Bluetooth connection point is a simple workaround that works quite well in my experience so far.

…being able to connect the same headphones I use with my PC to my LG TV has made both gaming and streaming much more immersive.

I’ve also used it while streaming through my Roku Ultra. While Roku offers its own Headphone Mode, since my headset is already paired with the TV, it’s often easier to just connect it there and enjoy listening to the audio from whatever I’m watching.

I also want to point out that whenever you want to switch back to using your TV’s speakers for audio, say if you’re watching it with somebody else, you can easily do that by going back to Sound Out in the settings menu and selecting Use TV Speaker.

All in all, using Bluetooth is a convenient way to listen to your TV with headphones or speakers you already have, and it’s certainly made gaming and streaming a lot more enjoyable on my LG TV.