Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3500

Frequently asked questions

1. Which Bluetooth version does the E3500 support?
   The E3500 utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 technology.
2. Does the E3500 support aptX and SBC?
   Yes, E3500 supports the current Bluetooth codecs such as SBC and aptX. By supporting these advanced audio codecs (like aptX), the E3500 provide hi-fi audio quality and allows you to enjoy a rich, low-latency listening experience.
3. What is the Ambient Mode and how does it work?
   Ambient Mode allows you to listen to your surroundings while you are enjoying your music. This mode uses both left and right microphones of your earphones to receive sounds of your surroundings so you can engage in conversation, or be aware of important travel announcements, without having to remove your earphones. 

1. What is the battery life of the earphones?
   E3500 delivers up to 7 hours* of play time. With the E3500 charging case, the earphones can be charged on-the-go for up to a total of 25* hours of play time. *Total listening time includes use of charging case and may vary.
2. How do I charge the earphone and charging case?
   Simply place the earphones into the charging case and the earphones will automatically start charging. The case itself charges by using an USB-C cable.
3. Can I use each earphone individually?
   Yes, you can use either ear­phone as a stand-alone unit for phone calls and voice assistant access. However, it is recommended to use both earphones for stereo sound quality.
4. How do I activate the voice assistant?
   You can activate voice assistant such as Google Assistant or Siri by tapping on the earphone 3 times. The selection of the voice assistant depends on the OS of your device.
5. Are the E3500 earphones waterproof?
   The earphones have been successfully tested to meet IPX5* standards, which means they are splash resistant and can be used in the rain. They are not meant to be submer­ged underwater, worn in the shower or rinsed under running water. If the earphones get wet, they should be dried with a cloth before docking back into charging case. Do not charge wet earbuds. * The earphones were tested under controlled laboratory condi­tions. The earphones are splash resistant for non-water sports and exercise. Splash resistance might decrease as a result of normal use. The charging case is not splash resistant.
6. Can I connect to more than one Bluetooth device simultaneously?
   No, the E3500 can only pair with one device at a time. However, you can pair the E3500 with up to two different Bluetooth devices. The E3500 stores and remembers these pairings.   To switch from one Bluetooth device to another, disconnect the Bluetooth connection with the existing device by switching off Bluetooth of the existing device and connect to your second Bluetooth device by selecting the E3500 entry in the Bluetooth menu (‘Nokia E3500’).
7. Are the batteries replaceable?
   No, the batteries of the E3500 are not replaceable.
8. Does the E3500 come with different size adaptors?
   The E3500 comes with three sizes of silicone ear adapters (S, M, L) included in the box. It is recommended to use the correct ear adapter size for a perfect fit within the ear-canal to optimize the listening experience.
9. How do I control volume?
   To increase the volume of your music, press the right earphone for 2 sec. To decrease the volume of your music, press the left earphone for 2 sec.
10. Where can I find further E3500 product information?
    Please visit https://www.nokia.com/shop/audio/nokia-essential-true-wireless-earphones-e3500.
11. What should I do after I unpacked my new E3500?
    • Charge the earphones by placing them into the char­ging case and connecting the USB-C cable.
    • Select the correct ear adapter from a selection of three sizes (S, M, L). To ensure the best listening experience.
    • Twist the earphones slightly into your ear for perfect and secure fit.
    • Pair the earphones with your Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth pairing mode is activated automatically when you first activate the ear­phones.
    • A two-tone sound will inform you once the pairing was completed successfully.
    • For further information and support, consult the supplied user guide or visit www.nokia.com/shop/support .
12. How do I get the optimal sound experience out of the E3500?
    It is recommended to ensure earphones are comfortably and securely into your ear-canal by selecting the correct size ear adapters, which are included in the box. You can make sure the earphones have a perfect fit to your ears by twisting them slightly to form a perfect seal within the ear-canal. This will help to achieve an optimal listening experience.
13. What settings are recommended in order to get the full 7-hours of battery life?
    The specified battery time of 7 hours has been confirmed for music listening under the following conditions: •  E3500 earphones fully charged for at least 2 hours •   Bluetooth device stays within a 1-meter range •   Volume level set to 50% The battery time may differ under different operating conditions.
14. Do the earphones switch off automatically when they are not in use?
    Yes, when the earphones are disconnected from a Bluetooth source and not in use, they will switch off automatically after 5 minutes. To switch on the earphones again, simply press each touchpad for more than 2 seconds.
15. How can I activate aptX on my Mac to receive the highest possible audio quality?
    First, you should check which codec is active, connect your E3500 to your Mac and start music playback. Press and hold the option key and click the Bluetooth menu bar icon and navigate to the E3500 entry (‘Nokia E3500’). There you will see the type of codec used currently. If you see SBC instead of aptX, then it is possible to change the codec via the “Terminal” app. Open Terminal and copy in this instruc­tion: sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod "Enable AptX codec" -bool true Please note that you will need to enter your admin login data to change these settings.
16. How do I perform a soft reset?
    If the functions of the earphones are disturbed, you will need to perform a soft reset. A soft reset will be done each time you insert the ear­phones into the charging case and wait for at least 10 seconds.
17. How do I perform a hardware reset of the headphones?
    If the functions of the earphones are disturbed and a soft reset does not fix the issue, then it is recommended to do a hardware reset. This will delete all previous settings. Please follow the following steps to reset the earphones to the factory default: •   Insert both earphones into the charging case and wait at least 10 second. •   Make sure that the contacts on the earphones and in the charging case are clean and making contact (the LED of the earphones lights up when you insert them into the charging case). If necessary, clean the contact points. •   Use the USB cable to connect the charging case to a power source •   Insert the earphones into the charging case and touch and hold the right and the left touch control panel for at least 9 seconds. You will see LED blink at the 6th seconds and it blinks again at the 9th seconds. •   Anything stored in the memory will be cleared from the earphones. •   You need to take out the earphones from the case and keep the left and right earphones very close to each other (less than 10cm) for the left and right side pair with each other. The LED of one earphone will change from fast blinking to slow blinking. The LED of the other earphone will change from fast blinking to off. •   Lastly, pair your earphones with your Bluetooth device again. 
18. What should I do if I cannot hear any sound when using the earphones?
    1. Please make sure the earphones are charged and connected to your Blue­tooth device. 2. Check whether the Bluetooth settings of your connected device has media and calls connections activated. 3. Ensure the ear­phones are inserted into your ears correctly, then try to increase the volume on your Bluetooth device and on the earphone by pressing on the right earphone’s touchpad until you hear the single tone that represents maximum volume*. *Warning: Protect your ears with a media volume limit for earphones and Bluetooth audio device.
19. How do I pair a new second device?
    Please turn off the Bluetooth on the device that was previously paired with the earphones. Then simply follow the regular pairing procedures to pair your earphones to the new second device. You can find pairing instructions in the user manual.
20. What should I do if I can’t pair the earphones with my Bluetooth device?
    If Bluetooth pairing does not work, proceed in the following order: •   Charge the E3500 for at least 2 hours to ensure they are fully charged. The charging LED will always turn on to indicate they are fully charged. •   Take the earphones out of the charging case. •   Wait until you hear the voice prompt “Pairing”. •   Start the search for Bluetooth devices on your smartphone and select “Nokia E3500”. •   If necessary, enter the default pin code “0000” on your Bluetooth device. •   If the problem persists, the Bluetooth pairing still does not work, perform a hardware reset for the earphones (see “How do I perform a hardware reset of the headphones?”).
21. What does it mean when both LEDs are blinking?
    By default, both earphones are peer paired - both left and right ear­phones are connected to each other - connecting automatically after power-on. If LED indicators of both earphones are blinking, that means the earphones are not peer paired. In this case, perform the following steps to pair both earphones: •   Turn off the Bluetooth on your smartphone to disconnect your E3500. •   Insert the ear­phones into the charging case and wait for at least 10 seconds to do a soft reset. (see “How to perform a soft reset?”). •   Successful peer pairing is indicated by the LED of one earphone will change from fast blinking to slow blinking. The LED of the other earphone will change from fast blinking to off. •   If the problem persists, the earphones are still not pairing, perform a hardware reset for the earphones (see “How do I perform a hardware reset of the headphones?”).
22. Why are my earphones not recharging?
    Please make sure that the charging contacts of the earphones and the charging case are clean. If charging still does not start, perform a soft reset, then if this fails, perform a hardware reset of the earphones.
23. How can I adjust the earphones to a comfortable volume or make them louder?
    There is a separate set of volume control for the Bluetooth headphones on some Android devices. Please make sure both volume controls are set to maximum volume*. However, for devices like the Apple iPhone, it features “absolute volume control”, which means there is only one volume control available, so you can either use the smartphone’s or the headphones' volume control. To increase the volume of the earphones, simply tap and hold the touchpad of the right earphones until you hear the single tone for representing maximum volume*. Then increase the smartphone’s volume to maximum volume*. There is a possibility that you might not be able to perceive the full volume of the E3500 because the earphones currently do not fit correctly. Please use the appropriate size of ear adapters so they fit perfectly in your ear canal and completely seal your ears. *Warning: Protect your ears with a media volume limit for earphones and Bluetooth audio device.
24. How do I ensure the audio and visual are in sync when watching video or gaming?
    The audio/video synchronization experience may vary depending on the Bluetooth device or the mobile app which you are using. The use of the latest software for your Bluetooth device or the latest mobile apps is always recommended to achieve best possible synchronization. 
25. How can I ensure a comfortable and secure fit for the earphones?
    It is recommended to try on the supplied ear adapters to find the size that suits you best. The E3500 packaging includes three different ear adapter sizes (S, M, L). Also, try to twist the earphones slightly in your ear until you find a comfortable position.
26. How do I prevent sound drop-outs?
    Please make sure the earphones are within the transmission range of the Bluetooth device.  Since the left earphone establishes the connection to your Bluetooth device, you can have a more stable connection when your Bluetooth device is placed on the left side of your body.
27. How do I ensure my voice is picked up clearly during phone calls?
    Please ensure that the earphones are inserted correctly into the ear-canal and then twist them slightly to make sure it is locked into your ears. Please also check that the microphone opening is not blocked. Wind may also be a factor that impacts the quality of the phone call.
28. How can I contact the service department?
    Contact information of our servicing partners can be found at the bottom of our support page : Please visit www.nokia.com/shop/support.
29. How long is the warranty period?
    The warranty period differs by regions. Please contact your local distributor/retailers or refer to the packaging box for warranty details. Please refer to the user guide for details on intended use/liability.