How to Pair Sony XG 500 to iPhone

The Sony SRS XG500 boombox speaker along with an iPhone.

This post shows how to pair the Sony XG 500 boombox Bluetooth speaker with an iPhone, or other iOS or iPadOS based device.

How to Pair Sony XG 500 to iPhone, Step by Step

With your XG 500 switched OFF (power button is dark), run through these directions to pair it to your iPhone mobile device.

1. Go to the Home Screen on your Device

Firstly, press the Home button to bring up the smart device’s Home screen.

2. Find the Settings App

We found ours on the second page of the Home screen, as shown next.

iPhone -Home- screen showing the -Settings- app.

3. Bring up the Settings App

Thirdly, tap the Settings app icon.

iPhone 12 Pro Max -Settings- page, showing the -Bluetooth- option.

The smart device then shows the first page of its settings, as shown in the next step.

4. Go to the Bluetooth Settings Page to Continue with How to Pair Sony XG 500 to iPhone

Our Bluetooth Settings screen displays as follows. Note that our Bluetooth is running here. But since our XG 500 is currently shut OFF (is not in Bluetooth pairing mode), it does not show up in the BT devices list.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max -Bluetooth Settings- page.

Also, we don’t see it since we’ve never paired this speaker with our iOS device before.

5. Turn On your Sony XG 500

Turn on the XG 500 by quickly pressing its Power button. See this, pointed at by the green arrow, in the next picture.

The -Power- button on the Sony XG 500.

The speaker then powers up, and its status lamp glows green, as seen in the next picture.

The -Power- lamp on the Sony XG 500, glowing green.

Also, the Bluetooth lamp will blink in some pattern to indicate that the XG 500 is ready to receive a Bluetooth pairing request, as we see in the next picture.

The Bluetooth status light glowing blue on the speaker.

If it blinks slowly and evenly, then it’s passively waiting for a Bluetooth connection request to come in.

But if it flashes in a pulse-pulse-pause, pulse-pulse-pause pattern , then it’s broadcasting its pairing information over Bluetooth so other devices can find it. I.e. The speaker is in pairing mode in this case.

Moreover, since our test iPhone like device does not know about this speaker, the XG 500 will not pair with it automatically.

6. Put the Speaker into Discovery Mode

Now, to see this speaker on your iPhone, place it into Bluetooth pairing mode if it’s not in that mode already. To do that, press the Bluetooth button, and release when the unit beeps, and the Bluetooth lamp begins its pulse-pulse-pause, pulse-pulse-pause flashing pattern.

The Bluetooth pairing / discovery button on the Sony XG 500.

Find the Power button as shown above, pointed at by the green arrow.

7. Find the Speaker on your Mobile Device to Continue with How to Pair Sony XG 500 to iPhone

See the screen shot next. We found our XG 500, as we point out with the green arrow.

The Bluetooth Settings page on iOS, showing the speaker as Discovered.

8. Pair with your XG 500

Tap the listed speaker in the discovered devices list.

Your mobile device then pairs with the XG 500.

The Bluetooth Settings page on iOS, showing the Sony XG 500 boombox as Connected.

The iPhone’s Bluetooth Settings screen might then change to look something like the screenshot just above. Note the now-paired Sony XG 500 entry, as pointed at by the green arrow.