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How to pair an LG soundbar to its subwoofer: turn the soundbar off, press the Pairing button on the back of the subwoofer until its light blinks green, then turn the soundbar back on and wait for the light to stay solid green.

On a new setup, you usually don’t need even that, because the two link on their own.

When they don’t, the movie plays on with thin, hollow sound, and the only clue is a small red light on the back of the subwoofer.

LG’s fix is quick and needs no remote codes or apps.

Below are LG’s automatic and manual steps, what each light color means, and what to check when the pairing keeps dropping out.

How Does an LG Subwoofer Pair Automatically?

That automatic link is the place to start, and the order you plug things in matters. LG’s manual gives this sequence for a new installation (LG):

  1. Plug the power cable into the wireless subwoofer.
  2. Plug the subwoofer’s power cable into a wall outlet.
  3. Plug the soundbar’s power cable into an outlet.
  4. Watch the light on the back of the subwoofer. When it turns solid green, the two are connected.

There’s no audio cable between them. The subwoofer is wireless, so the only cable it needs is its own power cord.

If the bar isn’t playing the TV’s sound yet, sort that out first with our guide on how to connect an LG soundbar to a TV.

How to Pair an LG Soundbar to a Subwoofer Manually

If that light stays red instead of turning green, the soundbar and subwoofer aren’t connected, and LG’s manual pairing steps fix it:

Finger pressing the pairing button on the back of a wireless subwoofer while its green light blinks
  1. Press the Power button on the soundbar to turn it off.
  2. Press the Pairing button on the back of the wireless subwoofer.
  3. Check that the subwoofer’s light is blinking green. If it’s still red, press and hold the Pairing button again.
  4. Press the Power button on the soundbar to turn it back on.
  5. Wait for the subwoofer’s light to turn solid green, which means the connection is made.

The key detail is step 1. The soundbar must be off when you press the Pairing button, then switched on while the subwoofer is still looking for it.

If the light goes green but you still hear no bass, check the bass itself is turned up. LG’s BASS BLAST sound mode, which reinforces the bass, is a quick way to test that the subwoofer is playing.

What Do the Lights on an LG Subwoofer Mean?

Those green and red lights are the subwoofer’s only status report, and LG lists four states for the light on its back:

Light What it means What to do
Blinking green Connecting Wait a few seconds
Solid green Connected Nothing
Red Bad connection, or standby Turn the bar on; if it stays red, pair manually
Off Power cable not connected Check the power cord and outlet

A red light isn’t always a fault. LG’s manual lists standby under the same color, so the subwoofer can show red simply because the soundbar is off.

Where you look depends on the model. Most of LG’s manuals put the light on the back of the subwoofer, but the S60Q quick guide puts it on the front, with the Pairing button still on the back.

If the subwoofer makes no sound, LG’s troubleshooting page says a light that’s blinking green or red means it isn’t connected. Pair it again with the manual steps above.

A light that’s off points to power. Check the cord and outlet, and use only the AC adapter that came with the product, because LG says one with different specifications may make it malfunction.

Why Won’t an LG Subwoofer Pair or Stay Connected?

If the light keeps falling back to red, or never gets past blinking, the wireless link is being disrupted. LG’s help library names three usual causes for a bar that won’t pair or gets stuck in pairing mode (LG):

  • A weak wireless signal between the soundbar and the speakers.
  • An incomplete pairing, which can happen when the setup steps were done out of order or after a temporary communication problem; the light turns red.
  • Interference from Wi-Fi routers or microwave ovens near the subwoofer or rear speakers, or from overlapping router channels.

Each one points back to the rules in LG’s manual for a steady connection:

Wireless router beside a soundbar interfering with the dashed wireless link to the subwoofer
  • Keep them close. Install the soundbar as close to the subwoofer as possible; LG says the closer they are, the better the sound quality.
  • Keep the path clear. Make sure there are no obstacles between the soundbar and the subwoofer.
  • Keep them away from interference. Leave at least 1 meter (3.3 feet) between the soundbar or subwoofer and devices that give off strong electromagnetic waves, such as wireless routers and microwave ovens.
  • Skip metal furniture. LG’s troubleshooting page says not to install the soundbar on it, and notes that wireless communication may not work properly in weak signal areas.

The interference rule is easy to miss when the router sits on the same TV stand as the soundbar. Moving either one a few feet may be the whole fix.

Where the subwoofer sits also changes how the bass sounds, not just whether it connects. Our guide to placing a subwoofer with a soundbar covers the spots that sound best in a typical room.

Can You Connect a Different Subwoofer to an LG Soundbar?

That pairing process is written for the subwoofer sold with the soundbar. LG’s manual, in its section on add-on speakers, also says to use only the speakers provided with the product, since other speakers may cause a malfunction.

So a Bluetooth subwoofer or a subwoofer from another brand won’t pair the same way. If your original subwoofer has failed, the safest replacement is the matching LG model for your soundbar.

If you’re mixing brands or connecting a wired subwoofer to another kind of bar, our guide to pairing a soundbar with its subwoofer covers the options most brands share.

How Do You Pair LG Rear Speakers Too?

Many LG soundbars add rear speakers through a wireless receiver, and the pairing works the same way as the subwoofer. On LG’s SPK8-S kit, the rear speakers wire into a small wireless receiver, which then links to the soundbar on its own.

Rear speakers wired to a small wireless receiver that links to the soundbar under the TV

If the light on the front of the receiver shows red, turn the soundbar off, press the PAIRING button on the back of the receiver until its light blinks green, then turn the soundbar on. LG also recommends keeping the rear speakers at least 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) from the TV.

The same 1-meter gap from routers and microwaves applies to the receiver, so place it away from the TV stand’s wireless gear too.

On models sold with a receiver, such as the DS90QY, LG’s quick guide gives the power-up order as subwoofer, then receiver, then soundbar. Turn the soundbar on last, and both the subwoofer and receiver lights should turn green.

If the rear speakers sound distorted or the bass drops out, check the speaker cables. The receiver’s terminals are color-coded, blue for the left rear and gray for the right rear, and LG says a reversed cable will distort the sound or produce no bass.

What If the LG Soundbar Still Won’t Pair?

If neither pairing method works, the problem may be the soundbar rather than the link. LG’s own fix for a bar that misbehaves is to unplug its power cables and any connected devices, such as the TV and the subwoofer, then plug them back in and try the manual pairing again from step 1.

If it still won’t pair, LG’s help library points to its chatbot or a technician visit, and says a service fee may apply when the product is out of warranty.

For other LG soundbar faults, from no sound to a bar that won’t respond to the TV remote, our LG soundbar troubleshooting guide walks through the fixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my LG subwoofer light red?

A red light means a bad connection, or that the subwoofer is in standby. Turn the soundbar on; if the light stays red, pair them manually with the Pairing button on the back of the subwoofer.

Does an LG subwoofer need a cable to connect to the soundbar?

No. LG’s wireless subwoofers connect without an audio cable; each only needs its own power cord.

How far can an LG subwoofer be from the soundbar?

LG’s manual doesn’t give a maximum; it says to keep them as close as possible, with nothing in between, and at least 1 meter (3.3 feet) from routers and microwaves.

Can I pair a Bluetooth subwoofer with an LG soundbar?

Not in the same way. LG’s pairing steps are written for the wireless subwoofer sold with the bar, and its manual advises using only the speakers provided with the product.

Do I need to pair the LG subwoofer again after a reset?

LG’s reset step clears the bar’s wireless network settings, and its manual doesn’t say the subwoofer link is affected. If the light isn’t green afterward, use the manual steps: bar off, Pairing button on the subwoofer, then bar on.