Your MacBook Bluetooth is not working: your mouse or keyboard does not respond, your AirPods will not connect, or Bluetooth is greyed out and cannot be turned on. Sometimes the connection keeps dropping or the sound stutters. This article explains step by step how to fix Bluetooth problems on your MacBook, from simple to extensive, and when the hardware is to blame.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. With Bluetooth it is usually a setting or the device itself, but sometimes there is more behind it.
Step 1: the Mac or the device?
Try the device with another device, such as your phone. If it does not work there either, the mouse, keyboard or headphones are to blame: charge it or replace the batteries. If it works there, try another Bluetooth device with your Mac.
Step 2: Bluetooth off and on, and restart
Turn Bluetooth off and on in Control Centre or in System Settings, Bluetooth. Turn the device off and on. Restart your Mac. That solves many small glitches.
Step 3: forget the device and pair again
Go to System Settings, Bluetooth. Click the i or the three dots next to the device and choose Forget This Device. Then put the device in pairing mode (see its manual) and pair again. See pairing a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard and connecting AirPods to your MacBook.
Step 4: restart the Bluetooth module
On older macOS versions you could Shift + Option-click the Bluetooth symbol to reset the module. On newer versions you can do it in Terminal with sudo pkill bluetoothd. Bluetooth drops out briefly and restarts. All your pairings are kept. See opening and using Terminal.
Step 5: interference and distance
- Bluetooth uses the same frequency as 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Heavy Wi-Fi traffic, a microwave or USB 3 devices right next to the Mac can interfere.
- Try removing USB hubs and drives and see whether it makes a difference.
- Keep the device within a few metres, with no metal in between.
Step 6: update macOS
Install the latest update via System Settings, General, Software Update. Bluetooth bugs are often fixed in updates.
Bluetooth is greyed out or missing
If you cannot turn Bluetooth on, or it says there is no Bluetooth, look in System Information (Option-click the Apple menu), under Bluetooth. If there is no information there, the Mac no longer sees the Bluetooth chip. A restart, or an SMC reset on an Intel Mac, may help. See resetting the SMC. If not, it is probably hardware.
Choosing a Bluetooth mouse for your MacBook
Almost any Bluetooth mouse works with a Mac. Make sure the mouse has Bluetooth and not only a USB receiver, because many MacBooks only have USB-C. A mouse with a USB-C receiver or Bluetooth is easiest then. The Magic Mouse and most mice from well-known brands work without extra software.
When is it hardware?
- Bluetooth is greyed out or gone, even after a restart and update.
- All Bluetooth devices have problems, even right next to the Mac.
- Wi-Fi also works poorly; Bluetooth and Wi-Fi often share the same chip and antenna.
- It started after a drop or water damage.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, check the antennas and look at the logic board to see whether the wireless chip works properly. You hear beforehand what is needed. More on our page about MacBook repair in Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the sound of my Bluetooth headphones stutter?
Often because of interference or distance. Try Wi-Fi on 5 GHz if your router has it, and remove USB 3 devices.
Do I lose my pairings with a reset?
Not when restarting the module. With "Forget This Device" you need to pair that device again.
Can I use a Bluetooth dongle?
Rarely needed on a Mac and not always supported. With a broken module, repair is the better solution.
