Mac Bluetooth Not Working? Fix it Here

Bluetooth has become an integral part of our lives. However, it is a reliable technology. It’s uncommon but you may experience Bluetooth problems at times. A couple
of Mac users have reported that they sometimes experience a random loss of Bluetooth functionality. In addition, users have reported that the Bluetooth menu shows
a “Bluetooth: Not Available” error. You may experience issues by establishing a Bluetooth connection or using a Bluetooth accessory.
And this will make your Bluetooth devices and accessories to stop working.  additionally, a number of macOS and iOS services (
AirDrop,
Handoff,Continuity,
Universal Clipboard,
And more) will not work as expected if you are having problems with Bluetooth.

Bluetooth Not Available

Bluetooth technology lets you wirelessly connect various hardware (keyboard, mouse, trackpad, headset, etc) to your Mac by associating them with your computer
(also called pairing). Once paired, your Mac connects to these tools if Bluetooth is working.

In this article, I’m going to tell you exactly what you can do to troubleshoot when Bluetooth is not working on Mac.

Here is what you can do when Bluetooth is not working on MacBook

To access Bluetooth settings on Mac, head over to System Preferences > Bluetooth

See also:
iPhone or iPad Bluetooth not Working? Fix

Please try each step until your problem is fixed. After every step, test to see if Bluetooth is working.

It’s also worth noting that performing some of the methods in this post will temporarily cut connection to your connected devices such as: keyboard, mouse,
And more). So if you have a wired device, use that.

See also:
Unable to turn on Bluetooth? fix

If you can’t see the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, simply head over to System Preferences > Bluetooth and check the “Show Bluetooth in menu bar”.

1. You may think that Bluetooth is not working on Mac because your Bluetooth accessory stopped working. This is because your device battery is significantly
   low if it uses battery. Ensure that your Bluetooth device has enough battery life. You may want to change the batteries or connect the accessory to power.
2. Ensure the Bluetooth accessory is turned on.
3. Ensure your Bluetooth device and Mac are next to each other.
4. Make sure that your
   Mac is running the latest version of MacOS.
5. Restart your Mac. Restarting your Mac may fix Bluetooth not working on Mac issue. To restart your Mac, simply select Restart from the Apple menu.
6. Disable and enable Bluetooth. Disable Bluetooth and wait for about 10 seconds and then turn it back on. To do so: simply click Bluetooth icon in the menu
   bar. As mentioned above, If you cannot see the Bluetooth icon, simply head over to System Preferences, click Bluetooth, then choose “Show Bluetooth in the menu bar.”
7. disconnect all USB devices (mouse, external drive, keyboard, etc) and then reboot your Mac and then connect them again.
8. Remove current Bluetooth preferences then reboot your Mac. Simply follow these steps:
   1. Close any app that is trying to use Bluetooth accessory with your Mac
   2. Launch Finder and then press the Command+Shift+G keys together. This will reveal the “Go to the folder:” window, then enter the following and hit go.
   3. /Library/Preferences/ (not ~/Library/Preferences/)
      library preferences bluetooth preferences
   4. Try the find the “com.apple.Bluetooth.plist” and “com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.lockfile” files. And erase these files. These files may be corrupted
      and cause problems. If asked, enter your admin password. (You can save these files somewhere else as a backup before removing).
   5. Restart your Mac.
9. Reset your Mac’s SMC. This is done differently depending on your Mac model.
   Apple’s documentation
   explains how to do it.
10. Reset your Mac’s Bluetooth module. Simply follow these steps:
    1. Press and hold the Shift + Option (Alt) keys
    2. While pressing down these keys, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar.
    3. Click Debug
    4. Click Reset the Bluetooth module
    5. Now, reboot your Mac.
11. Restart your Mac in Safe Mode. Safe Mode may fix your problem.
    Simply follow these steps to boot your Mac in Safe Mode:
    1. Turn off your Mac.
    2. Turn on your Mac and then quickly press and hold down the Shift key.
    3. Let go off the Shift key when the login screen appears.
    4. Login.
    5. Now, your Mac is in Safe Mode. If you are not sure if
       your Mac is in Safe Mode, check outthis article.
       Test your Bluetooth now. Is it working?
    6. In either case (working or not), Try to restart your Mac normally. This will
       exit Safe Mode.
       That is, restart your Mac, but do not press and hold any key.
    7. When your Mac is turned on, check to see if your Bluetooth Is working

If the above methods did not fix your issue, you may want to
contact Apple support.
You may also want to make
a Genius Bar Reservation Or get help via Apple Online Live Chat

See also:
iPhone Not Connecting To a Car Stereo Using Bluetooth, Fix