According to research, listening to music is one of the secrets to getting more out of your running workout. In this guide we’re looking at the different options you have to get music playing through your NordicTrack treadmill.
Can you play music on Nordic Track Treadmills?
All modern NordicTrack treadmills allow you to play music through the built-in speakers. While you can’t load any music onto the console itself, and it’s not possible to use apps like Spotify directly (without some tinkering), you can connect your phone or tablet and play music from your device.
Some sneaky ways to get Netflix and Apple Music working on your NordicTrack treadmill
If you’ve got one of the NordicTrack machines that come with a screen, you’ll likely have found that you can’t just go to something like the Google Play store and download your favourite music app. For starters, this isn’t an Android display so there’s no way to get the Play Store!
But some users have found a way around this that would be classed as a ‘hack’. Like any workaround, there’s always a danger you could break your treadmill, so it’s a ‘use it at your own risk’ approach.
How do you play music on your NordicTrack from your phone?
There are really 3 ways you can play tunes via your phone onto your running machine.
- Via Bluetooth direct to the treadmill – this is the easiest way if your running machine supports it. You pair your phone (or tablet!) with your treadmill and then stream music wirelessly direct through the built-in speakers. This is normally simple to do and you won’t need to re-pair your phone each run.
- Using a cable to connect your phone – this is more common on older NordicTrack machines and is a bit more of a hassle (at least you don’t have to pair anything!) You’ll plug a cable into your phone’s headphone socket and then plug the other end into the audio in (or AUX) port on the treadmill. It’s easy enough but you’ll need a cable if you’ve not got one.
- Using a Bluetooth adapter – This is for older machines and anyone who would prefer not to use the cable method. More on this below…
You can also connect your headphones to NordicTrack treadmills via Bluetooth
Here’s a video describing how to pair AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones to your NordicTrack treadmill
Do all NordicTrack treadmills play music?
Yes. Any of the current range of NordicTrack runners use Bluetooth to connect your phone and stream music that way, while some older models use a headphone jack to connect to the console (although this is outdated and harder to find).
If you don’t want to use a cable, but your treadmill doesn’t have Bluetooth
The good news is that for about a tenner, you can pick up a Bluetooth adapter on Amazon that will plug into your treadmill and allow you to connect wirelessly to your phone via Bluetooth.
This is a great solution for older running machines that use an old-fashioned cable and it’s compatible with any treadmill, whether they have Bluetooth or not.
What kinds of streaming services can you play on NordicTrack machines?
Many of NordicTrack’s running machines have glorious full-colour screens that are capable of delivering rich online content such as live workouts or pre-recoded sessions. Sadly, while you can go for a jog around Peru, you can’t open up Spotify or Apple music and bring up your playlists.
If you want to use your existing library or play something from Youtube to keep your energy up, you’ll definitely need to use an external device like your phone and connect via Bluetooth.
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- Can I Use My NordicTrack Treadmill Without iFit?
- Nordictrack X32i Review
How to adjust the volume of music on a NordicTrack treadmill
There are a number of different settings on NordicTracks to get the sound levels where you want them. To adjust the audio, here’s what you need to do:
- Go to the control panel
- Tap the icon next to the volume control
- You’ve then got a choice of instructor, master and music volume.
Alternatives to using the built-in speakers on NordicTrack machines
The problem with running, no matter how expensive your treadmill is or how smoothly it works, the exercise itself is always going to be noisy! This causes problems when you want to listen to your favourite tunes.
The best alternatives to built-in speakers, if you don’t like the connectivity options or the sound themselves, is one of the following:
- Get a decent Bluetooth speaker – Larger speakers (not the Echo Dot) will cut through the noise your treadmill makes like butter. Something like the Bose SoundLink has a room-filling sound that makes for incredible music when you’re running.
- Pick up a good set of Bluetooth headphones – For running, the best kind is over-ear headphones that will keep out the running noise and the motor sound and let you hear your music without having to crank the volume up. Sony’s WH-1000XM4’s on Amazon are about the best you can get for working out.
References & further reading
- Check out iFit on their official website here
- Harvard – Calories burned over 30 minutes, for different exercises
- Check out NordicTrack’s Trust Pilot Reviews here
- Visit the official NordicTrack website to get more help playing audio on your new treadmill
