A TCL 5-Series S555 is a Roku TV, so Bluetooth headphones are not connected in the TV's menu in the way they are on a Google TV, and the way to listen privately depends on what the model offers. Look in Settings, Remote and devices and in Audio for any entry about wireless speakers or Bluetooth; if there is none, the TV has no direct Bluetooth audio, and the practical choices are the Roku mobile app's Private Listening, a Bluetooth transmitter on the TV's headphone or optical output,
The checks in more detail
or a wired headset on a jack, if the remote or the TV provides one. These routes all work with almost any headphones. Private Listening in the Roku app is free. Install the app, connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi as the TV, open Remote, tap the headphone icon and connect headphones to the phone, either by wire or Bluetooth. The sound from the TV goes to the phone's headphones, with a little delay that can be seen in fast speech.
If the delay is troublesome, use a transmitter: plug it into the TV's optical or headphone output, put it in pairing mode and pair your headphones to it, choosing one with a low-delay codec such as aptX Low Latency, which both transmitter and headphones must support. Set the TV's audio output to match the port the transmitter uses. If the Bluetooth setting does exist on your build, pair carefully: put the headphones in pairing mode, remove any earlier pairing from the TV and from the headphones' other devices, and keep them within a few feet.
Update the TV, as Roku adds support through software updates. A pairing that connects but drops may be affected by Wi-Fi interference, so move the router's 2.4 GHz band away or use 5 GHz. The TV's speakers may stay silent while headphones are connected, which is normal. A TV that cannot find the headphones at all may need a restart by unplugging it for a minute. If your headphones show up and still fail, contact TCL with the model number, or use a transmitter, which avoids the problem entirely.
Differential
Likely causes of “TCL 5-Series Roku TV S555 will not pair with Bluetooth headphones or speakers”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
No direct Bluetooth audio on the Roku TV
What separates it No Bluetooth entry in settings
How to confirm Use Private Listening or a transmitter
- 2
The headset is connected elsewhere
What separates it It will not pair
How to confirm Disconnect it from other devices
- 3
Wireless delay
What separates it Sound lags the picture
How to confirm Use a low-delay transmitter
- 4
Interference
What separates it Dropouts
How to confirm Move 2.4 GHz sources and use 5 GHz
- 5
Old software
What separates it A missing option
How to confirm Update the TV
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether a Bluetooth menu exists
- The headset model
- Whether the Roku app is used
- The software version
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedLook for a Bluetooth entry
ReversibleIn Audio and Remote settings.
Try Private Listening
ReversibleIn the Roku app.
Use a transmitter
ReversibleOn the optical or headphone output.
Disconnect other devices
ReversibleFrom the headset.
Update the TV
ReversibleIn System update.
Restart the TV
ReversibleBy unplugging it for a minute.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Roku TV
- Bluetooth works differently from Google TV.
- Transmitter
- A dependable alternative.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a Bluetooth menu exists and pairing fails, contact TCL with the model number
- !Use a transmitter instead
- !Update first
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Can I pair headphones to the S555?+
Not directly on most builds; use the Roku app or a transmitter.
Does the TV speaker go silent?+
Yes, while headphones are connected.
Is there delay?+
A little, more with wireless.
Which codec is best?+
A low-delay one supported by both devices.