Do Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones support Auracast? Only the 2nd Gen, in beta

Only one of them does: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) can join Auracast broadcasts after firmware 10.12.12, and Bose labels the feature a beta. The original 2023 QC Ultra Headphones and both generations of QC Ultra Earbuds do not support it.

Which Bose models have it

SoundGuys describes the 2nd Gen headphones as the first Bose headphones to support Auracast. Bose says it plans to bring the feature to more devices, but has not said which or when.

Which generation do you have?

Bose's release notes put the original QC Ultra Headphones on sale in October 2023, and the 2nd Gen followed in September 2025. If you bought yours before then, they are the 1st Gen. Bose has not published a simple way to tell them apart beyond the "(2nd Gen)" in the product name.

What you need

The firmware. The update is version 10.12.12. What Hi-Fi? reports it downloads automatically through the Bose app; the transfer can take up to 40 minutes with the headphones connected, and installing takes about another 15.

An Android phone or a Windows PC. What Hi-Fi? says LE Audio "doesn't work with Apple devices, so this is for Android and Windows users only." ecoustics says Bose documents support for select Android phones running Android 13 or newer with Bluetooth 5.2 or later, naming recent Google, Samsung, OnePlus and Xiaomi models, and that the exact result depends on the phone's maker, model and software.

For joining a venue or TV broadcast, Android is the practical route. Windows 11 can use LE Audio but cannot yet scan for or join someone else's broadcast. The phone guide explains what each platform can do.

No iPhone path. Bose does not list iOS support for the beta, and iPhones cannot act as the Auracast assistant anyway.

How to turn it on

According to ecoustics, LE Audio is switched on or off in the Bose app, after which the headphones restart and reconnect. While it is on, Spotify Tap and the voice-assistant shortcut are disabled, because they share the same Bluetooth Low Energy link. Once it is on, you pick a broadcast from your phone's Bluetooth settings, the same as any other Auracast headphones.

Because it is a beta, expect rough edges. We list the 2nd Gen as Works with limits until Bose ships it as a finished feature.

Headphones at a similar price that work fully

Broadcast mode arrived in firmware 3.0.0 in October 2025 and is out of beta. Android only; Sony's Sound Connect app scans for streams. The same A$699 as the Bose.

Sold with the Smart Tx dongle, which also broadcasts from any USB-C or 3.5 mm source, so it is useful even with an iPhone or an older TV.

The Bluetooth SIG lists it as a receiver, though launch reviews did not test a broadcast.

Sony's previous flagship is a different story. The WH-1000XM5 has no Auracast at all. Every headphone we track is on the headphones page.

How we checked

We read Bose's release notes for the 1st Gen QC Ultra Headphones and both generations of QC Ultra Earbuds, and What Hi-Fi?, ecoustics and SoundGuys on firmware 10.12.12 for the 2nd Gen headphones.