How do I reverse pair a phone with SYNC?

Follow the prompts on your phone and SYNC screen to complete the process. Reverse pairing is an alternative way to connect your phone to SYNC®*.

Reverse Pairing Your Phone With SYNC

Important: 

  • Your vehicle must be parked and running, and in an open, well-ventilated, and safe area. 
  • 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. 

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.

Select your SYNC generation from the drop-down options below to learn how to reverse pair your phone. If you need assistance determining the generation of your SYNC system, select the first drop-down option. 

Identifying Your Vehicle's SYNC Generation

Select a resource below to identify which system your Ford is equipped with.

ResourceInstructions
Software Updates page

Use either resource to identify your vehicle’s system:

  • Enter your VIN and select Search.
  • Log in with your Ford credentials, and choose a vehicle from your garage.

Your SYNC generation will appear near the image of your vehicle.

Visual Reference GuideView example images of all SYNC generations that Ford has offered.

SYNC 4A

  1. Select the Settings or Home icon on your vehicle's SYNC screen.
  2. Pick Phone.
  3. Choose Phone List.
  4. Select Add Phone.
  5. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone.
  6. Select SYNC.

  7. Confirm the 6-digit PIN displayed matches the PIN on your SYNC screen. Your phone may require you to enter the PIN.

  8. Watch both the device and SYNC and answer any additional prompts or questions that either device asks. The phone's prompts will vary greatly by phone. The prompts could include: 

    • Downloading the phonebook. 
    • Allowing access to the contact list.
    • Allowing text messages.

Once all additional prompts or questions have been selected, you should receive a message that the pairing was successful on your SYNC screen. 

SYNC 4

  1. Select Settings on your vehicle's SYNC screen.
  2. Pick Phone.
  3. Choose Phone List.
  4. Select Add Phone.
  5. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone.
  6. Choose SYNC.
  7. Confirm the 6-digit PIN displayed matches the PIN on your SYNC screen. Your phone may require you to enter the PIN. 

  8. Watch both the device and SYNC and answer any additional prompts or questions that either device asks. The phone's prompts will vary greatly by phone. The prompts could include: 

    • Downloading the phonebook. 
    • Allowing access to the contact list.
    • Allowing text messages.

Once all additional prompts or questions have been selected, you should receive a message that the pairing was successful on your SYNC screen. 

SYNC 3

  1. Select Settings on your vehicle's SYNC screen.
  2. Choose Phone.
  3. Pick Add Bluetooth Device. 
  4. Choose Discover Other Bluetooth Devices and then select your device name from the list.
  5. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and pick 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®

  1. Select Phone on your vehicle's SYNC screen 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. Choose OK to confirm and enter the System Settings menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until BT Devices or Bluetooth Devices appears on the radio display.
  5. Pick OK to confirm.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until Add Device or Add Bluetooth Device appears on the display. 
  7. Select 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. Choose OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying, "0000." 
  9. Pick 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 chose in step 8. 
  10. Enter that PIN and select OK or Enter on your phone.
  11. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and phone screens. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

SYNC With MyFord

  1. Press the Phone button on your vehicle's SYNC console 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. Choose OK to confirm and enter the System Settings menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until BT Devices or Bluetooth Devices appears on the radio display.
  5. Pick OK to confirm.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until Add Device or Add Bluetooth Device appears in the display. 
  7. Select OK to confirm.
  8. Scroll repeatedly until Find BT Devices or Find Bluetooth Devices appears on the display. 
  9. Choose 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. Pick OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying, "0000." 
  12. Select 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 OK or Enter on your phone.
  14. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and phone screens. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

SYNC With Voice-Activated Navigation

  1. Press the Phone button on your vehicle's SYNC console. The screen may read No Phone Connected.
  2. Select Settings on the touchscreen.
  3. Choose Add. A 6-digit PIN will appear on the radio display. 
  4. Pick 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 chose. 
  6. Enter that PIN and select OK or Enter on your phone.
  7. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and phone screens. 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

  1. Press the Phone button on your vehicle's SYNC console 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. Choose OK to confirm and enter the System Settings menu.
  4. Scroll repeatedly until BT Devices or Bluetooth Devices appears on the radio display. Pick OK to confirm and enter the BT Devices or Bluetooth Devices menu.
  5. Scroll repeatedly until Add Device or Add Bluetooth Device appears in the display. Select OK to confirm.
  6. Scroll repeatedly until Find BT Devices or Find Bluetooth Devices appears on the display. Select 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. 
  7. Scroll through until the device you wish to pair is displayed. 
  8. Choose OK. The vehicle will ask you to provide a PIN. We recommend verbally saying, "0000." 
  9. Pick OK or verbally say, "enter" when the PIN is confirmed. 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 9. 
  10. Enter that PIN and select OK or Enter on your phone.
  11. Listen and watch for any prompts on the SYNC and phone screens. Make sure to answer any questions that either device asks.

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

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

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Ford Motor Company is under license.