Guide

How to control Bose QC Ultra from your Mac

Updated 2026-07-21 · ANCBuddy 2.1.0

Yes, you can control Bose QC Ultra noise cancellation from a Mac, but macOS alone only covers pairing and audio; ANCBuddy adds menu-bar control for Quiet, Aware, and Immersion.

What macOS can do natively

macOS can pair with the Bose QC Ultra as a Bluetooth audio device, route audio in and out, and expose standard Bluetooth controls. Apple documents the normal Mac Bluetooth pairing flow in Apple Support.

What the Bose phone app is still for

The Bose app remains useful for firmware updates, product setup, shortcuts, and device settings. Bose documents the app for iOS and Android devices in Bose Support.

Where ANCBuddy fits

ANCBuddy is a native Mac menu-bar app for the QC Ultra line. It connects to already-paired headphones or earbuds over Bluetooth and gives you:

ANCBuddy supports macOS 12 Monterey and newer on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. It includes a 14-day free trial, then costs $9.99 one-time.

References

Related pages

Questions, answered

Can I control Bose QC Ultra noise cancellation from my Mac?

Yes. macOS handles pairing and audio, while ANCBuddy can switch Quiet, Aware, and Immersion from the Mac menu bar.

Is there an official Bose app for Mac?

Bose documents the Bose app for iOS and Android devices. ANCBuddy fills the everyday Mac menu-bar control gap for compatible QC Ultra hardware.

Do I need my iPhone or the Bose app to switch listening modes?

No. ANCBuddy talks to the paired QC Ultra directly over Bluetooth from the Mac for daily listening-mode control.

Does this work with Bose QC Ultra Earbuds?

Yes. ANCBuddy supports QC Ultra Headphones Gen 1 and Gen 2, plus QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen.

Can I see QC Ultra battery level on my Mac?

ANCBuddy shows battery and connection status in its panel for compatible QC Ultra devices.