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How do I reverse pair a phone with SYNC®*?

Reverse pairing is an alternate method of connecting your device to your SYNC system.  

Please use the standard method of pairing first.  If you are unable to establish a connection using the standard method, you may attempt the reverse-pairing method. 

Identifying Your Ford's SYNC Generation

These are two resources to help you identify your vehicle's SYNC generation:

  • SYNC and Navigation Updates page, which allows you to enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or log in with your Ford credentials, and select Check for update. Your current SYNC generation will appear on the right-hand side of the page.
  • SYNC Visual Reference Guide, which has example images of each generation of SYNC Ford has offered.

SYNC Reverse Pairing Instructions

Important: Ensure that your vehicle is on and running in a well-ventilated area, and it is in Park (P).

Before reverse pairing your phone, make sure you have:

  • Turned on your phone's Bluetooth®**.
  • Put your phone in discoverable mode. This is normally a timed function, so you will want to work quickly to complete the pairing from this point.

Note: The pairing process can be different on each phone. Watching both the phone and the SYNC system for any messages is the best way to successfully pair a phone.

Select your SYNC generation from the drop-down options below.

SYNC 3

To reverse pair your phone with SYNC 3:

  1. Press Settings.
  2. Touch Phone.
  3. Tap Add Bluetooth Device
  4. Press Discover Other Bluetooth Devices and then select your device name from the list.
  5. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and press SYNC.

    Note: Depending on your software version, your phone may prompt you to enter the 6-digit PIN, or it may display the PIN automatically. Confirm that the PIN matches.
     

The device should pair, and you should receive a message that the pairing was successful.

SYNC with MyFord® Touch

To reverse pair your phone with SYNC with MyFord Touch: 

  1. Press the Phone button to enter the Phone menu.
  2. Scroll repeatedly until "SYSTEM SETTINGS" appears in the radio display. You may have to select Return up to two times to find it. If you see "Add Bluetooth Device," you can select that and proceed to step 7.
  3. Press OK to confirm and enter the SYSTEM SETTINGS menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until "BT DEVICES / BLUETOOTH DEVICES" appears in the radio display.
  5. Press OK to confirm.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until "ADD DEVICE / ADD BLUETOOTH DEVICE" appears on the display. 
  7. Press OK to confirm. The vehicle will search for nearby discoverable Bluetooth devices. Once SYNC is finished searching, it will display the devices it has found. 
  8. Scroll through until the device you wish to pair is displayed. Press OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying 0000. 
  9. Press OK or verbally say "enter" when the PIN is confirmed back. Your phone should prompt you with a message that SYNC wants to pair to it. The phone will likely ask you to enter the PIN that you choose in step 8. 
  10. Enter that PIN and select the OK or Enter button on your phone.
  11. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and/or phone screen. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

SYNC with MyFord

To reverse pair your phone with SYNC with MyFord:

  1. Press the Phone button to enter the Phone menu.
  2. Scroll repeatedly until "SYSTEM SETTINGS" appears in the radio display. You may have to select Return up to two times to find it. If you see "Add Bluetooth Device," you can select that and proceed to step 7.
  3. Press OK to confirm and enter the SYSTEM SETTINGS menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until "BT DEVICES / BLUETOOTH DEVICES" appears in the radio display.
  5. Press OK to confirm.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until "ADD DEVICE / ADD BLUETOOTH DEVICE" appears in the display. 
  7. Press OK to confirm.
  8. Scroll repeatedly until "FIND BT DEVICES / FIND BLUETOOTH DEVICES" appears in the display. 
  9. Press OK to confirm. The vehicle will search for nearby discoverable Bluetooth devices. Once SYNC is finished searching, it will display the devices it has found.
  10. Scroll through until the device you wish to pair is displayed. 
  11. Press OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying "0000." 
  12. Press OK or verbally say "enter" when the PIN is confirmed back. Your phone should prompt you with a message that SYNC wants to pair to it. The phone will likely ask you to enter the PIN that you choose in step 11. 
  13. Enter that PIN and select the OK or Enter button on your phone.
  14. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and/or phone screen. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

SYNC with Voice-Activated Navigation

To reverse pair your phone with SYNC with Voice-Activated Navigation:

  1. Press the PHONE hard button on the system. The screen may read "NO PHONE CONNECTED." 
  2. Press the Settings tab on the touchscreen.
  3. Press Add. A six-digit PIN will appear on the radio display. 
  4. Press FIND OTHER DEVICES. The vehicle will search for nearby discoverable Bluetooth devices. Once SYNC is finished searching, it will display the devices it has found.  
  5. Select the device you wish to pair. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend entering "0000" and selecting Enter. Your phone should prompt you with a message that SYNC wants to pair to it. The phone will likely ask you to enter the PIN that you choose in step 5. 
  6. Enter that PIN and select the Ok or Enter button on your phone.
  7. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and/or phone screen. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

SYNC Gen 1.1

Reverse pairing is not available on SYNC Gen 1.1. systems. Pair your device using standard pairing.

SYNC Gen 1

To reverse pair your phone with SYNC Gen 1:

  1. Press the Phone button to enter the Phone menu.
  2. Scroll repeatedly until "SYSTEM SETTINGS" appears in the radio display. You may have to select Return up to two times to find it. If you see "Add Bluetooth Device," you can select that and proceed to step 7.
  3. Press OK to confirm and enter the SYSTEM SETTINGS menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until "BT DEVICES / BLUETOOTH DEVICES" appears in the radio display.
  5. Press OK to confirm and enter the BT DEVICES / BLUETOOTH DEVICES menu.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until "ADD DEVICE / ADD BLUETOOTH DEVICE" appears in the display. Press OK to confirm.
  7. Scroll repeatedly until "FIND BT DEVICES / FIND BLUETOOTH DEVICES" appears in the display. Press OK to confirm. The vehicle will search for nearby discoverable Bluetooth devices. Once SYNC is finished searching, it will display the devices it has found. 
  8. Scroll through until the device you wish to pair is displayed. 
  9. Press OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying "0000." 
  10. Press OK or verbally say "enter." when the PIN is confirmed back. Your phone should prompt you with a message that SYNC wants to pair to it. The phone will likely ask you to enter the PIN that you choose in step 10. 
  11. Enter that PIN and select the OK or Enter button on your phone.
  12. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and/or phone screen. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

If you are still experiencing issues, follow the troubleshooting steps listed here.


Actual screens may vary. See your Owner’s Manual for information specific to your vehicle.

*Don’t drive while distracted. Use voice-operated systems when possible; don’t use handheld devices while driving. Some features may be locked out while the vehicle is in gear. Not all features are compatible with all phones. 

**The Bluetooth word mark is a trademark of the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.