How to use smart glasses, from the box to the first photo

1. Charge them first, then power them on

Charge a new pair fully before you do anything else. Smart glasses often offer a firmware update during setup, and an update that stops halfway because the battery ran low is an easily avoided first-day problem. Use the cable that came in the box: OXIVUE frames ship with a magnetic charging cable, a user manual and a lens cloth, and the M02C uses a magnetic pogo connector that snaps into place.

How you switch a pair on differs by maker. Some wake when you unfold the arms, some when you put them on, and some need a press on the temple. The user manual in the box is the right source for your exact model, so keep it handy for the first hour. On the OXIVUE M14 the temple uses a slide-touch control and wear detection, which means it can tell whether you have it on.

2. How to pair smart glasses with your phone

Pairing happens inside the maker’s companion app, not in the phone’s Bluetooth settings. That is the step most people get wrong. If you pair from the Bluetooth menu, the phone may play music through the glasses but the app cannot find them, and the camera, assistant and updates will not work.

1. Install the app. OXIVUE frames use HeyCyan, a free app published by Shenzhen Qingcheng Future Technology (App Store listing checked October 19, 2026). Our support page lists iOS 14+ and Android 9+.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on the phone.Bluetooth is the everyday link. The HeyCyan listing describes using the glasses’ own Wi-Fi hotspot to export photos, so Wi-Fi matters when you import.
3. Open the app and follow its prompts, with the glasses charged, switched on and close to the phone.
4. Add the glasses from inside the app and confirm the pairing request on the phone.
5. Allow the permissions it asks for: Bluetooth, the microphone for voice and translation, and Photos so imported pictures can be saved.
6. Install any update offered before you start using the features.

The HeyCyan listing describes the app’s controls as volume adjustment, gesture settings, system updates and battery monitoring, so that is where you change what a touch does. For a fuller tour of the app and its common fixes, see the HeyCyan smart glasses guide. For what Bluetooth carries and what the app carries, read camera glasses that connect to your phone.

3. Taking photos and video with a touch

On camera glasses, a photo or clip starts with a deliberate action, usually a touch or press on the temple. On OXIVUE frames nothing records unless you start it. The camera sits in the corner of the frame, so it sees roughly what you see: look straight at the subject, hold your head still for a moment, then touch.

• Frame with your head, not your eyes. The camera points where your face points. Glancing sideways at something does not move the shot.
• Pause before and after.A half-second of stillness gives a sharper photo. The M02C’s Sony IMX219 sensor has dual stabilisation, which helps while you walk, but stillness still helps.
• Import to see your shots. There is no screen on the glasses. Photos and videos appear on the phone only after you import them in the app, and only reach the photo library if you allowed Photos access.

The OXIVUE M08, M02C and M14 all have an 8 MP camera. Do a test shot on day one, import it, and check it lands in your library before you rely on the glasses for anything you care about.

4. Using the voice assistant

The assistant answers out loud through the speakers, and it needs your phone, the app and an internet connection, because the processing does not run entirely on the glasses. You start it with a wake phrase or a touch, depending on the model and your app settings.

On the M02C, the wake phrase is “Hey Cyan”, and it adds visual AI: ask what you are looking at and it describes the scene. Speak at a normal volume, give one request at a time, and wait for the answer before the next one. If it stops responding, check the phone has signal and the app is still connected.

What the assistant can and cannot do varies a lot between brands. Our guide to how AI glasses work explains where the processing happens and why the phone matters.

5. Calls, music and translation

Once paired, smart glasses work like a Bluetooth headset. Calls ring through the open-ear speakers, the microphones pick up your voice, and music or podcasts play from the phone. Open-ear speakers leave your ears free to hear the room, but they leak some sound at high volume and will not shut out a loud train the way sealed earbuds do.

Translation is the feature that surprises people most, so set your expectations before you try it with someone. In the HeyCyan app the M08 and M02C translate 40+ languages and the M14 139. You hear the translation in your ear; the other person reads your reply on the phone screen. It works a sentence at a time, pausing after each one, and needs the phone and a connection. Try it once at home with a video in the other language before you depend on it abroad. The translation page covers how a conversation actually runs.

6. What each job needs

A quick reference for the first week. “Phone” means the phone is nearby with the app connected.

For a fuller list of jobs, including the ones only display glasses can do, see what smart glasses do, and do smart glasses need a phone for what still works when the phone is out of reach.

7. Charging and the battery

The OXIVUE M08 and M02C are rated about 7 hours of listening or 4 hours of calls per charge; the M14 is rated 4 hours of listening and 7 hours of calls, and about 2 hours to charge.

• Charge overnight as a habit, the same as a phone, and check the level in the app before a day out.
• Keep the charging contacts clean and dry. Wipe them before connecting a magnetic cable, especially after sweat or rain.
• Mind the water rating. The M02C is IP65, which resists dust and water jets but not immersion, and the M14 is IPX4 for splash and rain. The M08 has no published water rating, so keep it out of heavy rain and spray.
• Store them folded in their box rather than loose in a bag, so the lenses and camera window stay clean.

8. Recording around other people

The most important habit is not technical. Tell people before you photograph or film them, and stop if they ask. Recording audio of a conversation can require everyone’s consent depending on where you are, and some venues, such as gyms, schools and workplaces, may not allow cameras at all. Our smart glasses recording laws by state guide covers the US rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

If you drive, use the glasses for audio only while the car is moving: navigation prompts and calls, never the camera. Read can you drive with smart glasses before your first drive in them.

Two limits to know before you buy: none of our frames take prescription lenses yet, and none has a display. If you need vision correction all day or want to see text in the lens, these will not do that job. Compare every model on the comparison page.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days after shipment. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. Help with setup is on the support page, and the full terms are in the return policy.

Frequently asked questions