Momentum 3 Not Pairing Fixed | How to Pair | Factory Reset

Are your Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds (Momentum 3) not pairing, dropping the connection or acting strange? In this guide I show you how to pair them with your iPhone or Android phone, how to factory reset them in the Smart Control app, how to reset them by hand, and how to update the firmware. These are the same steps I show in the video above.

At the end of the post you also find Sennheiser’s official FAQ answers for common problems with charging, volume, ANC and calls.

In this article

How to Pair the Momentum 3 With Your Phone
1. Connect the Earbuds to the Smart Control App
How to Factory Reset the Momentum 3 in the Smart Control App
How to Reset the Momentum 3 Manually (Hardware Reset)
How to Update the Momentum 3 Firmware
Sennheiser FAQ (MOMENTUM True Wireless 2)
Buy the Momentum 3

How to Pair the Momentum 3 With Your Phone

Normally the earbuds pair automatically. If they do not, pair them manually:

Open the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone or Android phone, tap MOMENTUM TW3 and choose Forget this device.
Put both earbuds back in the charging case, then take them out again.
Touch and hold the touch control (the multi-function button) for 3 seconds. The lights flash blue and red: the earbuds are now in pairing mode.
In the Bluetooth list on your phone, tap MOMENTUM TW3. After a few seconds the earbuds show as Connected.

Connect the Earbuds to the Smart Control App

Open the Sennheiser Smart Control app. If you see MOMENTUM True Wireless in the list, tap it.
If the earbuds are not in the list, forget the device in the app, search again and tap Headphones.
Put the earbuds in pairing mode: take them out of the case, wait for the flashing lights, then touch and hold for 3 seconds.
Tap Pair in the app. After a moment the app shows Connected.

Tip: Timing is the important part. Take the earbuds out of the case, wait until the lights flash, and then hold for 3 seconds. If you do it in this order, the earbuds can connect.

How to Factory Reset the Momentum 3 in the Smart Control App

A factory reset fixes most connection and volume problems.

In the Smart Control app, open Settings.
Tap Factory reset and confirm. The reset can take up to 20 seconds, and the earbud lights blink while it runs.
When the app says your MOMENTUM True Wireless has been fully reset, tap OK.
Open the Bluetooth settings on your phone, forget MOMENTUM TW3 and pair the earbuds again (see the steps above).
Close the Smart Control app completely, open it again and tap Pair.

How to Reset the Momentum 3 Manually (Hardware Reset)

If the app cannot connect to the earbuds at all, reset them by hand:

Open the case and take both earbuds out. You see a red light on both earbuds.
Touch and hold the touch surface of the right earbud for about 30 seconds.
Put both earbuds back in the case. This restarts the earbuds.
Open the case again, take the earbuds out and pair them with your phone.

How to Update the Momentum 3 Firmware

A firmware update fixes Bluetooth connection problems and many other bugs. Make sure your phone is charged before you start.

When the Smart Control app offers a firmware update, tap Install, then Continue, then Download and install firmware.
Keep the earbuds out of the case during the whole update. While the update runs, the lights blink green, then blue, then blue and red together (it looks magenta).
Wait until the update finishes. It should take no more than about 20 minutes.
If the app looks stuck at 100%, close the app and open it again. Then go to Settings > Firmware and check that your firmware is up to date.

Note: In my test, the app reached 100% but kept saying the update was not finished. After I closed and reopened the app, it showed that the earbuds were up to date. In the video, my earbuds updated to firmware version 2.6.8, the latest version at that time. Newer versions may be available now.

Sennheiser FAQ (MOMENTUM True Wireless 2)

The answers below come from Sennheiser’s official FAQ for the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, the model before the Momentum 3. The general advice also helps with the Momentum 3, but the Bluetooth name (“MOMENTUM TW 2”), LED colors and press times can be different on your model.

How can I perform a factory reset?

If the earbuds do not work properly and a soft reset does not fix the issue, reset them to the factory default settings. Among other settings, this deletes all pairing settings.

You can do a factory reset in the settings menu of the Smart Control app. You can also do it manually:

Insert both earbuds into the charging case. Wait at least 10 seconds before you take the earbuds out and switch them on again.
Make sure the contacts on the earbuds and in the charging case are clean and touch each other (the LED of the charging case lights up when you insert the earbuds). Clean the contacts if necessary.
Connect the charging case to a power source with the USB cable.
Insert the earbuds into the charging case. Within 30 seconds, touch and hold the right and the left touch control panels for 6 seconds.
The earbuds are now reset to the factory default settings.

The earbuds are connected, but music does not play through them. What should I check?

The MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 uses two different Bluetooth connections: Bluetooth audio for all sound, and Bluetooth LE for the Sennheiser Smart Control app.

If the Bluetooth menu of your phone shows an active connection to “MOMENTUM TW 2”, but the sound still plays on the phone and not in the earbuds, you may have set up only the Smart Control app connection. To set up a full Bluetooth connection:

Put both earbuds into the charging case.
Open the Bluetooth menu of your phone.
Delete (unpair) all “MOMENTUM TW 2” entries in the list of paired devices, and “LE-MOMENTUM TW 2” too if you see it.
Turn Bluetooth off and on again on your phone. You can also restart the phone instead.
Take both earbuds out of the charging case.
Enter pairing mode manually: touch and hold both earbud touch pads for at least 3 seconds. The LEDs on the earbuds flash blue and red.
In the Bluetooth menu of your phone, select “MOMENTUM TW 2”.
The earbuds are now paired and connected with Bluetooth audio.

Sennheiser recommends setting up the Bluetooth audio connection first and the Smart Control app connection second. This avoids problems with some phones.

I can’t hear anything through the earbuds. What should I check?

Make sure the earbuds are charged and connected to your Bluetooth device.
In the Bluetooth settings of the connected device, check that media audio and calls are turned on for the earbuds.
The left earbud only works when the right earbud is also in use, because the right earbud controls the Bluetooth connection.
Make sure the earbuds sit correctly in your ears.
Turn up the volume on your Bluetooth device, and on the earbuds with the right earbud’s touch pad, until you hear the voice prompt “Volume max”.

I can’t pair the earbuds with my Bluetooth device. What should I do?

If Bluetooth pairing does not work, try these steps in this order:

Charge the earbuds for at least 1.5 hours so they are fully charged. The charging LED pulses yellow while charging and stays green when charging is complete.
Take the earbuds out of the charging case.
Touch and hold the right and left touch controls at the same time for 3 seconds to start pairing mode. The LED of the right earbud flashes red and blue.
Search for Bluetooth devices on your phone and select “MOMENTUM TW 2”.
If your phone asks for a PIN, enter the default PIN “0000”.
If pairing still does not work, restart the earbuds (see the factory reset question above).

The LED of one earbud flashes green and red. What does that mean?

By default, the left and right earbuds are paired with each other (peer pairing) and connect automatically after you switch them on. If the LED of an earbud alternates between green and red, that earbud is not peer paired: the left and right earbuds are not connected to each other. To pair them again:

Turn off Bluetooth on your phone to disconnect the earbuds.
Touch and hold both touch controls for at least 10 seconds. Both earbuds enter peer pairing mode, and the LEDs on both earbuds alternate green and red.
Wait a few seconds while the earbuds pair with each other.
When peer pairing is successful, the LEDs flash blue 3 times.

Why don’t the earbuds charge as usual?

Make sure the charging contacts on the earbuds and in the charging case are clean. If charging still does not work, do a reset and then a factory reset of the earbuds.

How can I make the earbuds louder?

Some Android phones have a separate volume control for the Bluetooth headset and for the phone itself. Make sure both are set to maximum: touch and hold the touch pad of the right earbud until you hear the voice prompt “Volume max”, then turn the phone volume up to maximum.

Phones with “absolute volume control”, such as the iPhone, have only one volume control. On these phones you can use either the phone volume or the earbud volume. On a few phones, absolute volume control is off by default, but you can turn it on in the developer options.

The volume can also seem low when the earbuds do not fit correctly. Use the ear adapter size that fits snugly and fully seals your ear canal. The quick guide shows the best way to place the earbuds in your ears.

Why does ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) only have a small effect?

The MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 blocks ambient noise with ANC, together with passive noise isolation and a close fit in the ear canal.

Each earbud has a single-microphone feed-forward ANC system. It does not add background noise to the sound and does not create pressure in your ears. Keep in mind that ANC can only reduce low-frequency noise below 1 kHz, such as engine noise. The passive isolation of the earbuds reduces noise at higher frequencies.

For the best isolation and ANC performance, choose the ear adapters that fit your ears best.

An error happened during the OTA firmware update. What should I do?

Insert both earbuds into the charging case for at least 10 seconds.
Take the earbuds out of the case and connect them to the Sennheiser Smart Control app again.
Repeat the over-the-air (OTA) firmware update, or follow the instructions in the app.

Why does the Smart Control app show only one battery level for both earbuds?

The battery indicator always shows the battery level of the earbud with less power. For example:

Left earbud at 50% and right earbud at 80%: the app shows 50%.
Left earbud at 90% and right earbud at 20%: the app shows 20%.
Only the right earbud in use and the left earbud in the charging case: the app shows the battery level of the right earbud.

How can I keep the sound in sync with the picture when I watch videos or play games?

Audio and video sync depends on the Bluetooth technology of your device. For the best result, use a Bluetooth device that fully supports the Audio Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP) 1.3 or higher. The result can still vary between devices and apps, so always use the latest software on your Bluetooth device and the latest version of your apps.

How can I get the best fit?

Try the included ear adapters to find the size that is most comfortable and gives the best sound. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 box includes four ear adapter sizes (XS, S, M and L). Also twist the earbuds into your ears as shown in the quick guide until they sit comfortably.

Why does the sound drop out?

Make sure the earbuds are within the transmission range of your Bluetooth device. The right earbud connects to the phone, so the connection can be more reliable when your phone is on the right side of your body.

My phone has problems connecting to the Smart Control app. What can I try?

A small number of phone models can have problems connecting the Smart Control app to the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2. Sennheiser says future app and firmware updates will improve this. Until then, try the following:

Turn Bluetooth off and on again on your phone to reset the Bluetooth module, or restart the phone.
Open the security and location settings of your phone and turn Use location off and on again, even if it is already on. Some Android models need location services for Bluetooth Low Energy connections, even when the location itself is not used. Sennheiser says it does not use or store your location for any other reason.
Factory reset the earbuds. Then remove “MOMENTUM TW 2” (and “LE-MOMENTUM TW 2” if you see it) from the Bluetooth settings of your phone and pair the earbuds again.

How can I make sure the other person hears me clearly during calls?

If the other person cannot hear you well, insert the earbuds correctly into your ear canals and then rotate them slightly. Ideally, turn each earbud until the Sennheiser logo is horizontal. This gives the microphones the correct beamforming angle to pick up your voice. Also check that your ear does not block the microphone opening.

Wind can also reduce call quality.

Which spare parts are available for the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2?

Sennheiser lists these spare parts and accessories:

Part	Black (M3IETW2 Black)	White (M3IETW2 White)
Left earbud	M3IETW2 L Black, order no. 508811	M3IETW2 L White, order no. 508833
Right earbud	M3IETW2 R Black, order no. 508812	M3IETW2 R White, order no. 508834
Charging case	M3IETW2 C Black, order no. 508810	M3IETW2 C White, order no. 508832

Replacement silicone ear adapters are only available in black. They fit all color versions of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2:

Set of 10 ear adapters, size XS: order no. 508603
Set of 10 ear adapters, size S: order no. 508604
Set of 10 ear adapters, size M: order no. 508605
Set of 10 ear adapters, size L: order no. 508606

You can find more accessories and spare parts on Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 product page, in the section “Related products – Accessories”.

Source: Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 FAQ

Buy the Momentum 3

Buy the Momentum 3 on Amazon.com

This is an Amazon affiliate link. If you buy through it, Tips2Fix may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Do you have other earbuds with pairing problems? See how I fixed the Redmi Buds 3 Pro not pairing and low volume on one side and AirDots that do not connect to each other.

Momentum 3 Not Pairing Fixed | How to Pair | Factory Reset | Firmware Upgrade 2022

How to Pair the Momentum 3 With Your Phone

Connect the Earbuds to the Smart Control App

How to Factory Reset the Momentum 3 in the Smart Control App

How to Reset the Momentum 3 Manually (Hardware Reset)

How to Update the Momentum 3 Firmware