How to Reset and Re-Pair Skullcandy Headphones and Earbuds

Quick answer

To reset Skullcandy headphones or earbuds, power them off, then press and hold the power or multi-function button for about 10 seconds until you see a rapid flash or hear a tone. After the reset, delete the old Bluetooth entry from your phone or computer, put the device back into pairing mode, and connect fresh. If it still won't pair, the issue is usually a stale Bluetooth cache or a drained case battery, not the headphones themselves.

Clear the old pairing before you reset

Most connection failures happen because your phone or laptop is still holding a half-finished handshake with the headphones. Before you touch the reset button, open your Bluetooth settings, find the Skullcandy entry, and choose Forget or Remove. On iPhone that means tapping the i icon and selecting Forget This Device; on Android tap the gear icon next to the name and choose Forget. On Windows, go to Bluetooth & devices, click the three dots, and remove the device.

Once the old entry is gone, turn the headphones off and back on. If they reconnect automatically, you just saved yourself a reset. If they still don't appear, move on to the reset step.

How to reset Skullcandy headphones and earbuds

The reset method depends on the model. For most over-ear headphones, power them on, then press and hold the power button for 10 to 15 seconds until the LED flashes red and blue or you hear a confirmation tone. For true wireless earbuds, place both buds in the case, leave the lid open, and press and hold the touch sensor on both buds simultaneously for about 10 seconds. The LED on the case or buds will blink rapidly to confirm the reset.

If your model has a dedicated reset button or a specific combo like volume down plus power, check the quick start guide that came in the box. Skullcandy models vary, and guessing can leave you stuck in a loop. After the reset, the headphones forget every previously paired device, so you must pair them again from scratch.

Put Skullcandy earbuds into pairing mode

After a reset, most Skullcandy earbuds enter pairing mode automatically when you take them out of the case. The LED will flash blue and red, or you'll hear a tone. If they don't, place them back in the case, close the lid, then open it and hold the touch sensor on both buds for 4 to 6 seconds until the light alternates colors.

On headphones, turn them off, then press and hold the power button for 4 to 6 seconds until the LED blinks blue and red. Now open Bluetooth on your phone or computer, scan for new devices, and select your Skullcandy model. If you see two entries with the same name, pick the one ending in LE or the one that matches your model exactly.

When to stop troubleshooting and try another option

If you've reset, cleared the old pairing, and still can't connect after three attempts, stop. Repeated resets won't fix a hardware fault or a dead battery. Try a different source device first—if your earbuds pair with a tablet but not your phone, the problem is your phone's Bluetooth stack, not the earbuds. Restart your phone, toggle airplane mode, or check for a software update.

If the earbuds won't power on at all, won't hold a charge, or the case LED never lights up, the issue is likely the charging case or battery. At that point, contact Skullcandy support or consider a replacement. For new earbuds, the Dime 360 and Push 540 Open both use standard Bluetooth pairing, so the same reset steps apply.

Diagnosis: match your symptom to the fix

• Symptom: Headphones appear in Bluetooth but won't connect: Likely cause: Your phone is holding a stale pairing key. Corrective action: Forget the device in Bluetooth settings, then re-pair. Do not reset the headphones yet. Stop here if it connects. If not, proceed to reset.
• Symptom: Earbuds never show up in the Bluetooth list: Likely cause: They are not in pairing mode. Corrective action: Place both buds in the case, open the lid, and hold the touch sensors for 10 seconds to reset, then 4–6 seconds to enter pairing mode. If the LED never flashes, the case battery may be dead. Charge for 30 minutes and retry.
• Symptom: One earbud connects but the other doesn't: Likely cause: The buds lost their stereo link. Corrective action: Reset both buds together in the case, then pair again. Do not pair them separately. If the problem persists after two resets, one bud may have a hardware fault. Contact support.

Skullcandy models and what to know before you reset

• Push® 540 Open: Push 540 Open features secure over-ear hooks, open-ear sound, and a detachable neckband for all-day comfort. The neckband and hooks mean you can keep the earbuds on your head while resetting, so you won't lose them mid-process.
• Dime® 360: Dime 360 has a signature clip-it-and-rip-it case and a pea-shaped fit. The case is the reset tool: place both buds inside and hold the touch sensors to reset without hunting for a button.
• Crusher® 1080 ANC: Crusher 1080 ANC combines adjustable Crusher bass with Sound by Bose audio technologies and powerful noise canceling. If your Crusher 1080 ANC won't connect, a reset clears the noise-canceling and bass settings back to default, so you may need to re-adjust them after re-pairing.