Is Bluetooth unavailable? Restart the Mac
Yes, this is a simple operation you often hear about, but there’s a reason for it. Because reboots usually resolve a number of issues on macs, including bluetooth issues.
Restarting your Mac will solve almost any Bluetooth problem, especially if the Bluetooth module crashes and leaves your computer unresponsive. According to Apple, deleting any USB device will help you, so you can try it first.
Before proceeding, you should also check out our introduction to Using Bluetooth on macOS to make sure you understand how it works.
Check your Mac’s Bluetooth device Settings
To connect to a Mac, your Bluetooth device needs to be turned on and fully charged. This may sound obvious, but it’s worth checking before seriously addressing a problem that doesn’t really exist. If you haven’t paired the device before, make sure you’ve done it correctly (and can see it on your Mac).
If you want your Bluetooth speaker or other audio device to work properly, have it paired up, and want to know why you can’t hear anything, then you need to make sure that in system Preferences > Set it to Main Output, Sound > Output.
The same goes for Bluetooth headphones with a microphone: Go to the Input TAB and select your Bluetooth device here. The Mac remembers your choice the next time it connects to a wireless audio device.
You can also click the Volume button in the menu bar and select the audio device here. If you don’t see the button in the menu bar, you might want to enable it. Go to System Preferences > Sound > Output and select Show Volume in the menu bar at the bottom of the window.
Disable and re-enable Bluetooth
To reset Bluetooth without restarting the entire Mac, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth, and then click Off. You can also toggle Bluetooth by clicking the menu bar icon – click “Open” to try again. If you can’t use AirDrop on a Mac, toggling this setting will usually solve your problem.
You can also try to cancel the Bluetooth process altogether, although this doesn’t always work. Open the terminal and enter your password. This will terminate and restart the background process so you can retry.
Pair your Bluetooth device with your Mac again
If you’ve paired the device before, another option is to tell the Mac to forget about it and restart. You can go to “System Preferences” > “Bluetooth” to display all the Bluetooth devices that are currently paired.
Find any problems that are causing you, select them, and then click X.
Now, you need to pair the device again, which in most cases requires holding down a button until the indicator blinks. If unsure, refer to the equipment manual.
Reset your PRAM and/or SMC
Although this is a more complex process, resetting a Mac’s PRAM or SMC is one of the most commonly suggested fixes for a range of problems. When it comes to Bluetooth, system management *** (SMC) is far less likely than PRAM or NVRAM. Having said that, resetting both won’t do any harm, as a potential problem could cause bluetooth problems on your Mac.
People often perform both steps at the same time, which is why they are listed here as is. See our detailed guide on how to reset the PRAM and SMC to perform this process, no matter what type of Mac you are using.
Delete some key PLIST files
MacOS stores information about Bluetooth devices in two files on a hard drive: one for you personally and one for all users on the Mac. It is usually recommended to delete these files when you encounter Bluetooth problems, as it forces macOS to create new files when the computer restarts.
Both files are PLIST files that are used throughout the operating system to store application data in XML format. To delete and recreate these files:
- Open Finder, then click Go > Go To Folder from the menu bar.
- Enter or paste
/ Library / Preferences. - Look for,
com.apple.Bluetooth.plistThe file and drag it to the trash. - Click Go > Go folder, then enter or paste
~/ Library / Preferences / ByHost. - Looking to
com.apple.BluetoothStart, followed by a file with numbers and letters (ending with.plist), and drag it into the trash can. - Disconnect all USB devices, and then shut down the computer.
- Turn off the Bluetooth device, and then restart the Mac.
- Enable Bluetooth on the device and try pairing again.
Reset the Bluetooth module on the Mac
As a last resort, you can try resetting the Bluetooth module to factory Settings. This means you will lose all existing paired connections. If you still have problems after trying all of the above, you can get the device working again for a fraction of the cost.
If there is no Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth, and then select Show Bluetooth in the menu bar. Now hold down Shift+Option and click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. From the menu that appears, choose Debug > Reset Bluetooth Module. You can now try to repair the device.
The final tip here is to start repairing devices in order of importance. For example, you don’t want to pair headphones just to find out that the mouse and keyboard you rely on still have problems. Once the important hardware is connected, you can focus on other issues.
Is bluetooth still having problems?
After deleting the system files, resetting the PRAM, and restoring the Mac’s Bluetooth module to factory Settings, most of the problems should disappear. If you’re still having problems, your Mac may be experiencing hardware problems, although you might want to try installing a new macOS as well.
The best option is to buy a dedicated USB Bluetooth adapter and switch to it. Older Macs are more likely to have problems than newer computers, so a repair is usually not worth it compared to a USB dongle. USB Smart Bluetooth 4.0 adapter is still relatively cost-effective.
If you recently purchased a Mac and are still under warranty, or if you purchased Apple Care for a Mac, make an appointment with Apple. Technicians will study the problem and solve it for free. This could indicate a larger hardware problem with your system, so it’s a smart move. If you really want to fix the problem but don’t, you can turn it in to Apple and pay for the repair.