Are you looking to enjoy your favorite music via Bluetooth device on mac, but find it challenging? Here are a few Mac Bluetooth fixes you should know.
Apple Macs are one of the most popular computers on the planet.
Which is no surprise, really.
After all, Apple didn’t become a $1 trillion company by making substandard products! Nope, these are top of line computers, known for their incredible speed, sleek aesthetics, and amazing free software.
Like any piece of tech, though, Macs aren’t unsusceptible to problems. Every now and again you can expect to experience a hiccup or two! Issues with Mac Bluetooth connectivity offer a good example.
With endless Bluetooth products (such as keyboards, mice, and speakers) being used at any given time, occasional connectivity issues are to be expected. All the same, there’s no denying how frustrating the disruption to usability can be.
The good news is that there’s usually an easy fix! Looking for solutions to your Bluetooth problems on Mac? Keep reading!
Charge the Bluetooth Device
It’s tempting to jump to worst-case scenarios when tech issues occur.
You know what it’s like. Something stops working and you immediately assume that it’s broken beyond repair! More often than not, though, there’s a simpler (and less catastrophic) explanation for the issue at hand.
For instance, one obvious reason that devices refuse to connect is to do with battery life. Quite simply, they might have run out of power. Pop it on charge and the issue disappears.
The same might be the case even if the device isn’t totally flat. Low on battery, it might have disconnected itself from the Mac to stop it running down entirely.
A sensible first port of call is always to check the charge level of devices. Head to the Bluetooth section of system preferences and, if the battery level’s low, charge them up!
Turn the Bluetooth Device Off and On Again
Is the battery fully charged but the device still refuses to connect?
Well, our next suggestion is the go-to solution for most tech-related problems: the classic ‘turn it off and on again’ technique. Known to solve even the most troublesome of tech trials, it’s definitely worth a shot.
Start with the Bluetooth device in question. Imagine that you’re having trouble figuring out how to connect Bluetooth headphones to Mac. You’d turn the headphones off, wait a few seconds, and then switch them back on.
With a bit of luck, you’ll be able to connect them to the Mac again!
Turn the Mac Off and On Again
No joy? There’s a chance the issue relates to the Mac as opposed to the device.
It’s time to try a good old-fashioned computer reboot. Repeat our previous instructions with the Mac: turn it off, wait for a while, and then turn it on again.
This approach is surprisingly effective! It helps to reset the state of software and hardware in the computer. In so doing, it promises to rectify any slight bugs or issues that had occurred.
Anyway, with the Mac rebooted, try reconnecting the device. Hopefully, this easy step will have done the trick and you’ll be back up and running.
Unplug Your USBs
Another source of potential trouble can come from any USB devices plugged into your computer.
For one reason or another, they can interfere with Bluetooth and prevent your devices from connecting. Try disconnecting anything you’ve got in the USB drives of your Mac (such as keyboards, flash drives, and so on). From there, turn the computer off and on.
Wait a few minutes before, finally, plugging your USB devices back into the Mac. There’s a chance that your Bluetooth devices will spring back to life in the process.
Delete Corrupted Files
Having exhausted the most basic checks and solutions, let’s move onto something more technical.
Bluetooth-related files on your computer may have become corrupted, preventing the devices from connecting to it. Replacing these files with new ones might hold the answer to the problem.
There are two files in question to find and delete. Go to Finder and hit ‘Go to Folder’.
Next, type ‘/library/preferences’ in the small window that appears and hit ‘Go’. In the next window, you should see a file called ‘com.apple.Bluetooth.plist’. Got it? Right click on it and send it to trash.
One down, one more to go! Once again, bring up Finder and select ‘Go to Folder’.
This time, though, type ‘~/Library/Preferences/ByHost’ before hitting ‘Go’. You’re looking for a file called ‘com.apple.Bluetooth.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.plist’ (you’ll see a random string of letters and numbers before the ‘.plist’). Once again, right click and send it to trash.
The final step is to reboot your Mac and then turn Bluetooh off and on. You’ll be delivered a brand new set of Bluetooth files. With any luck they’ll help you connect your devices again!
Reset the Bluetooth Module
Okay, we’re slowly running out of options. But don’t give up yet! We’ve got one more idea that might do the trick.
Resetting the Bluetooth module of your Mac might resolve the issue. Here’s how to do it:
Press the ‘Shift’ and ‘Option’ keys simultaneously, head to the Menu Bar to select the Bluetooth menu. You should see a ‘debug’ option that you can hover over with your mouse. Click on the ‘Remove all devices’ option that appears.
Now, repeat those steps until you’re hovering over ‘debug’ once more. This time, click the ‘Reset the Bluetooth module’ option.
Voila! You’ve officially reset the module. All there is to do now is reconnect your Bluetooth devices to see if they’ll work.
Time to Fix Your Mac Bluetooth Problems
Even high-quality computers like Apple Macs suffer the occasional technical issue.
And they’re never fun! They disrupt what you’re doing, take time to figure out, and sometimes involve expensive professional support.
Mac Bluetooth problems can be particularly disruptive. Thankfully, though, there are a number of possible DIY solutions that should resolve matters. Hopefully, this post has highlighted the main ones and will help you overcome the particular issue at hand.
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