Mac Bluetooth Not Working? 7 Fixes

Your AirPods won't pair. The mouse keeps cutting out. The keyboard misses keystrokes. Mac Bluetooth is famously finicky. Here's the order of fixes from quickest to most thorough.

1. Toggle Bluetooth off and on

Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar (or System Settings > Bluetooth). Toggle off, wait 30 seconds, toggle on. Fixes flaky connections most of the time.

2. Forget and re-pair the device

1. System Settings > Bluetooth
2. Find the device in the list
3. Click (i) or right-click > Forget
4. Put device in pairing mode
5. Pair fresh from scratch

3. Check for USB 3.0 interference

USB 3.0 devices and hubs emit radio interference on the same 2.4 GHz band as Bluetooth. If your Bluetooth started failing after plugging something into a USB 3 port, that's why.

• Move USB 3 cables and devices away from your Mac
• Use shielded USB cables
• Try a USB 2 hub instead

4. Restart your Mac

Apple menu > Restart. Macs accumulate Bluetooth glitches that a restart clears.

5. Reset the Bluetooth module (modern macOS)

1. Enable the Bluetooth menu bar icon if not visible: System Settings > Control Center > Bluetooth > Show in Menu Bar
2. Hold Shift + Option
3. Click the Bluetooth menu bar icon
4. Click Reset the Bluetooth module
5. Restart your Mac
6. Pair devices fresh

Note: this resets ALL Bluetooth pairings. You'll need to re-pair everything.

6. Delete the Bluetooth preference file

This forces macOS to rebuild Bluetooth settings:

1. Open Finder
2. Press Shift + Command + G
3. Type /Library/Preferences and press Enter
4. Find com.apple.Bluetooth.plist and move it to Trash (you'll need admin password)
5. Restart your Mac

7. Boot in Safe Mode

Tests if third-party software is causing the issue:

• Apple Silicon Mac: shut down. Hold the power button until "Loading startup options." Pick your drive, hold Shift, click Continue in Safe Mode.
• Intel Mac: shut down. Hold Shift while pressing power button. Release Shift when login appears.

If Bluetooth works in Safe Mode, a startup item or extension is the culprit. Uninstall recently-added apps that have Bluetooth components.

Common device-specific issues

• AirPods: reset by holding the setup button on the case for 15 seconds. Try Forget + re-pair.
• Magic Mouse/Keyboard: charge fully, slide power switch off then on.
• Sony/Bose headphones: if connected to your phone too, they may auto-switch. Disconnect from phone first.

If nothing works

Could be hardware. Run Apple Diagnostics: shut down, hold D while powering on. If the diagnostic finds a Bluetooth/wireless problem, you'll need Apple service.