Headphones · Model guide · Maker specs
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Hold on to a working QC35 II, but think twice before buying one now: it charges over micro-USB, runs 20 hours wireless and has no Aware Mode.
Product images
Bose QuietComfort 35 II, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Hold on to a working QC35 II, but think twice before buying one now: it charges over micro-USB, runs 20 hours wireless and has no Aware Mode. Its Action button calls up Google Assistant or Alexa or changes noise cancelling, and with the audio cable connected it runs up to 40 hours. The QC45 that replaced it adds USB-C, Aware Mode and 24 hours of battery.
Who it is for
- Owners of a pair that still holds a charge: 20 hours wireless covers a long day of listening.
- Google Assistant and Alexa users who want a button for it. The Action button on the left cup calls up either one, or cycles noise cancelling instead.
- Listeners who often plug in. With the audio cable connected it runs up to 40 hours, and you can keep listening over the cable if the battery runs out.
Who should skip it
- Anyone tired of micro-USB. The QC35 II charges over USB Micro-B; USB-C arrived with the QC45.
- People who want to hear the room without taking the headphones off. Aware Mode arrived with the QC45.
- Listeners after Bose's newest features, from Immersive Audio and CustomTune to aptX Adaptive; those live on the Ultra models.
What sets it apart
- The Action button on the left cup: Google Assistant on eligible Android phones, Amazon Alexa through Bose Connect, or noise-cancelling control, one job at a time. In 2017 Bose called it the first headphone with seamless Google Assistant access.
- Up to 20 hours wireless, or up to 40 hours with the audio cable connected.
- Two devices active at once and up to 8 remembered: music plays from one at a time, and calls ring through from both.
- NFC tap-to-pair on top of Bluetooth 4.1.
Caveats
- It won't play while it's charging.
- Google Assistant works only on eligible Android phones, and only in some regions.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Around-ear (circumaural) QuietComfort; protein-leather cushions | Bose support specifications |
| Noise cancelling | The original QC35's noise cancelling, Bose said in 2017; High is the strongest setting, which Bose calls world-class, and the Action button can cycle the levels | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Ambient sound | No Aware Mode (that arrived with the QC45); noise-cancelling levels through the Action button or Bose Connect | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Bluetooth codecs | No codec list; Bluetooth profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP and BLE | Bose support specificationsBose's support specs for the later Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 name SBC and AAC; the QC35 II's name none. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.1 with NFC; range up to 33 ft (10 m) in Bose's support specs, 30 ft (9 m) in the owner's guide | Bose support specifications; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Multipoint | Yes: two devices active, up to eight remembered; music from one at a time, calls from both | QC35 II owner's guide |
| Battery life | Up to 20 hours wireless; up to 40 hours with the audio cable connected | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; Bose support specifications; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Charging | USB Micro-B; full charge in up to two hours (owner's guide) or 2.25 hours (Bose support); 5V DC at 1A; no playback while charging | QC35 II owner's guide; Bose support specifications |
| Wired listening | 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable in the box; keeps playing over the cable when the battery runs out | Bose support box contents; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Folding and case | Folds flat into the included carry case: rotate both earcups inward, then fold the left one up toward the headband | QC35 II owner's guide |
| App | Bose Connect (not Bose Music): pairing, noise-cancelling level, Action-button setup, firmware updates | Bose support specifications; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Microphones and calls | Built-in microphone (count not published); the right-cup multi-function button answers calls | Bose support specifications; Bose press release, 21 September 2017 |
| Voice assistant | Action button: Google Assistant (eligible Android phones, some regions) or Amazon Alexa through Bose Connect, one at a time; the right-cup button reaches Siri | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Colors | Black, Silver at launch | Bose press release, 21 September 2017 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth 4.1 devices, two at once; NFC tap-to-pair; wired analog through the included cable | Bose support specifications; QC35 II owner's guide |
| US launch price | $349.95 (21 September 2017), the same as the original QC35; on sale that day | Bose press room and PR Newswire, 21 September 2017 |
| Price band | Upper mid-range at launch ($349.95); sold used now | Based on the $349.95 launch price |
| Announced | 21 September 2017 | Bose press room; PR Newswire |
| Availability | On sale from 21 September 2017 at Bose stores, Bose.com and authorized dealers; Bose sold it from 2017 to 2022; used only as of 19 September 2026 | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; Bose support |
Bose QuietComfort 35 II extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Action button | Left earcup; set it to Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or noise cancelling, one function at a time | Bose press release, 21 September 2017; QC35 II owner's guide |
| Charge port | USB Micro-B on the right earcup; USB-C arrived with the QC45 | QC35 II owner's guide; Bose support specifications |
| In the box | QC35 II; carry case; USB charging cable; 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable | Bose support specifications; QC35 II owner's guide |
Where the QC35 II stands now
The QC35 II went on sale on 21 September 2017 at $349.95, the same price as the original QC35 from 2016, and Bose sold it until 2022. It kept the first model’s noise cancelling, sound and 20-hour battery and added the Action button. The QC45 replaced it as Bose’s numbered QuietComfort, with USB-C, Aware Mode, Bluetooth 5.1 and a 24-hour rating, and later models go further: the QuietComfort Headphones and the Ultra line, which adds Immersive Audio, CustomTune and aptX Adaptive.
If yours works, there’s no hurry to replace it, and a cable keeps it playing when the battery gives out. If you’re buying used, though, a QC45 fixes the two daily annoyances here, the micro-USB port and the lack of an Aware Mode, so price the two against each other.
Noise cancelling and the buttons
High is the strongest noise-cancelling setting, the one Bose calls world-class, and you can step through the levels with the Action button or in Bose Connect. There’s no Aware Mode for hearing your surroundings with the headphones on.
The Action button holds one job at a time, so if you give it to Google Assistant or Alexa, you change noise cancelling in the Bose Connect app instead.
Battery, charging and the cable
| Mode | QC35 II |
|---|---|
| Wireless | Up to 20 hours |
| With the audio cable | Up to 40 hours |
| Full charge | Up to 2 hours (owner’s guide); 2.25 hours (Bose support) |
It charges over a micro-USB port on the right earcup, at 5V DC and 1A. Keep the 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm cable from the box: the 40-hour rating depends on it.
Bluetooth and range
The QC35 II runs Bluetooth 4.1 with NFC tap-to-pair. Bose’s support specs give a range of up to 33 feet (10 meters); the owner’s guide says 30 feet (9 meters). The profiles are A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP and BLE, and Bose lists no codecs for it.
Folding and the case
It folds flat into the carry case that comes with it, and the box adds a USB charging cable and the audio cable. It launched in Black and Silver.
Price
The QC35 II launched at $349.95 and is only sold used now. A used QC45 is the obvious alternative, so compare the two before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Bose press room — Bose updates its most-loved headphones, 21 September 2017 — accessed 2026-09-19
- PR Newswire — Bose Updates Its Most-Loved Headphones ($349.95) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose support — QuietComfort 35 II specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose — QuietComfort 35 II owner's guide (PDF) — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is the QC35 II the same as the original QC35?
No. The QC35 II, from 2017, added the Action button for Google Assistant, Alexa or noise control. Bose kept the 2016 QC35's noise cancelling, sound, 20-hour battery and $349.95 price.
Should I upgrade to the QC45?
Yes, if you want USB-C charging, Aware Mode or more battery: the QC45 has all three, with 24 hours on Bluetooth 5.1 and the Bose Music app. If your QC35 II still lasts the day and micro-USB doesn't bother you, keep it.
Does it work with Siri?
Yes. The multi-function button on the right cup reaches Siri; the Action button handles Google Assistant or Alexa.
Does it use the Bose Music app?
No. It uses Bose Connect, which handles pairing, noise-cancelling levels, the Action button and firmware updates. Bose Music arrived with the QC45.
Does it fold?
Yes. Rotate both earcups inward so they lie flat, fold the left cup up toward the headband and lay the headphones in the carry case.
Official product page: Bose QuietComfort 35 II. Tech specs: Bose QuietComfort 35 II specs.