Bluetooth technology has been around for decades. Its appearance on the technology scene has enabled billions of people all across the globe to talk and interface with a slew of devices without getting tangled in wires.
While we can’t argue against the value Bluetooth has driven for society, we can lament on how annoying it can be to pair Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth troubleshooting has become a right of passage for people as they accrue gadgets. If you have a gadget that’s giving you trouble pairing and you can’t figure out what to do, take a deep breath, and keep reading.
In this post, we walk you through a complete list of options to explore to get your technology paired up!
1. Check to Make Sure Devices Are Turned On
Some of the Bluetooth troubleshooting suggestions we’re going to give may feel rudimentary. The reason why we’re being thorough is that many people get so focused on complicated Bluetooth fixes that they gloss over simple solutions that end up being the root of the problem.
So, before you proceed any further, confirm visually that both of your devices are powered on and functioning.
2. Ensure Bluetooth Support Is Offered
Just because your device is new or offers some form of wireless connectivity doesn’t mean that it offers Bluetooth. You can tell if your electronics are Bluetooth capable by looking for Bluetooth’s blue “B” logo on your device’s box.
Don’t have a device box anymore? Hop online and Google the name of your device + Bluetooth compatibility.
You should be able to quickly suss out what’s what.
3. Explore If Your Devices Are Compatible
While you’re online checking to make sure your device is Bluetooth ready, take a moment to also confirm whether or not the devices you’re trying to connect are compatible.
Just because two devices are Bluetooth capable does not mean they can absolutely connect. Depending on the age of your device, they may be running dated versions of Bluetooth firmware that are not universally compatible. Note that most Bluetooth versions are universally compatible so this isn’t likely to be an issue.
4. Update Your Devices
Do you think old software/firmware may be causing you issues? The easiest way to solve that problem is to get your devices updated.
You should be able to achieve a device update wirelessly through your hardware’s interface. If you can’t, there’s a chance that plugging your device into your computer might give you update options.
Some hardware (dongles, stereos, etc.) may not have the ability to take in updates.
5. Make Sure Power-Saving Mode Isn’t Activated
When you have power-saving mode activated on your device, it’ll turn off non-essential functions to conserve energy. One of those non-essential functions is likely to be Bluetooth.
Go into your settings and confirm that power-saving mode isn’t activated. If it is, turn it off or specify that you’d like Bluetooth to be exempt from conservation efforts.
6. Charge Your Devices
Even without power saving mode on, your devices may shut off non-essential functions if their batteries dip below 10 to 20%. Charging the devices you’re Bluetooth troubleshooting to full can eliminate that possibility and the possibility of several other problems you may be facing.
As an aside, avoid trying to Bluetooth pair while your device is charging, if possible.
7. Restart Your Devices
Restarting technology to get it working again is one of the simplest and most effective troubleshooting solutions that exist.
Simply power down both devices you’re trying to connect. After waiting 10 seconds, power them back on, give them time to reboot, and once they’re on their home screens (or standby mode equivalent) give them 30 seconds to finish getting their background processes in order.
Once ready, try to reconnect.
8. Eliminate Interference
Bluetooth technology relies on being able to connect with devices via invisible waves. The more things that exist between these waves, the less chance they’ll have of reaching their desired targets which can cause connectivity issues.
To eliminate the possibility of interference, place your Bluetooth devices right next to each other when running tests. Once successfully connected, you can gradually start to space them out.
9. Delete Your Devices From Known Connection Lists
If you’ve connected your Bluetooth speaker, Bluetooth headphones, etc. before, they’ll be saved on a “known connections list” on your devices. If possible, delete your devices from one another’s lists and try to connect from scratch.
That forget and reconnect process can eliminate a lot of issues.
10. Head to Device Specific Sites
Getting device-specific advice from a site like https://setapp.com/how-to/quickly-fix-mac-bluetooth-not-working to fix Mac Bluetooth problems or the Microsoft website to solve Windows issues can be a great way to lay your Bluetooth woes to bed.
Each of your devices should have a dedicated support site that shares pairing information. If not, there should be a third-party site that specializes in technical issues surrounding your device.
11. Get Your Device Exchanged
After you’ve tried everything to solve your Bluetooth dilemmas to no avail, your last fix-it step would be to exchange your device. Sometimes, devices come with faulty Bluetooth chips.
A quick exchange would solve that problem immediately.
Our Bluetooth Troubleshooting Steps Solve The Vast Majority of Problems
No matter what’s plaguing your devices, if you move through our Bluetooth troubleshooting steps, you’ve got a great chance of overcoming your problems.
If you still need help that goes beyond the scope of this post, our team has you covered. Consider diving deeper into our content pool to explore more useful information that’s updated every week!
