Having trouble with Bluetooth not being available on your Mac? Here’s a guide to fix the issue.
Restart Your Mac and Reconnect Devices
Restarting your Mac and reconnecting devices can often resolve the issue of Bluetooth not being available on your Mac. Follow these steps to troubleshoot:
1. Restart your Mac by clicking on the Apple menu in the menu bar and selecting “Restart.” Alternatively, you can press the power button and choose “Restart” from the pop-up menu.
2. Once your Mac has restarted, make sure your Bluetooth devices are turned on and in pairing mode.
3. Click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select “Turn Bluetooth On” if it’s not already enabled.
4. If your Mac still can’t find your Bluetooth devices, try resetting the Bluetooth module. Open Finder and go to the “Go” menu. Press and hold the Option key on your keyboard, then click on “Library” in the drop-down menu. Navigate to the “Preferences” folder and locate the file named “com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.” Move this file to the Trash.
5. After moving the file to the Trash, restart your Mac again.
6. Once your Mac has restarted, try reconnecting your Bluetooth devices. Click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select your device from the list.
Manage USB and Bluetooth Connections
1. For USB connections:
– Connect your USB device to the appropriate port on your Mac.
– Open Finder, located in your dock or the Apple menu.
– Click on the “Go” menu and select “Computer” to view connected devices.
– Locate your USB device in the list of connected drives.
– To safely eject the USB device, right-click on its icon and select “Eject” or drag it to the trash.
2. For Bluetooth connections:
– Click on the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
– Click on the “Bluetooth” icon to open the Bluetooth preferences.
– Ensure that Bluetooth is turned on.
– If your Bluetooth device is not automatically connected, click on the “+” button to add it.
– Follow the on-screen instructions to pair and connect your Bluetooth device.
– If you’re experiencing issues, try resetting your Bluetooth module by holding down the Shift + Option keys and clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar.
Reset the Bluetooth Module
1. Open Finder and click on “Applications” in the sidebar.
2. Locate and open the “Utilities” folder.
3. Double-click on “Terminal” to launch the Terminal app.
4. Type the following command in the Terminal:
“`
sudo pkill blued
“`
5. Press Enter and enter your administrator password when prompted.
6. After executing the command, the Bluetooth module will be reset.
7. Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
If you’re still experiencing issues with Bluetooth, you can also try resetting the Bluetooth controller by following these steps:
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Disconnect any external devices, such as headphones or a mouse.
3. Unplug the power cord from your Mac and wait for at least 15 seconds.
4. Plug the power cord back in and turn on your Mac.
5. Wait for your Mac to fully boot up and then try using Bluetooth again.
Delete and Reset Preferences
- Delete Bluetooth Preferences
- Go to the Finder menu and select “Go”.
- Hold down the Option key and click on “Library”.
- Open the “Preferences” folder.
- Locate the files starting with “com.apple.Bluetooth” and “com.apple.Bluetooth.plist”.
- Move these files to the Trash.
- Restart Mac
- Click on the Apple menu and select “Restart”.
- Wait for the Mac to shut down and turn back on.
- Reset Bluetooth Module
- Click on the Apple menu and select “System Preferences”.
- Choose “Bluetooth”.
- Press and hold the Shift + Option keys together.
- Click on the Bluetooth menu in the menu bar.
- Select “Debug” and then “Reset the Bluetooth module”.
- Reset PRAM and NVRAM
- Shut down the Mac completely.
- Press the power button and immediately hold down the Option + Command + P + R keys.
- Keep holding the keys until you hear the startup sound for the second time.
- Release the keys and let the Mac boot up normally.
- Reinstall macOS
- Make sure you have a backup of your important files.
- Restart the Mac and hold down the Command + R keys until the Apple logo appears.
- Select “Reinstall macOS” from the macOS Utilities window.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reinstallation process.
Optimize System and Remove Junk
To optimize your system and remove junk, follow these steps:
1. Clear cache and temporary files: Open Finder and go to the “Go” menu. Select “Go to Folder” and enter “~/Library/Caches”. Delete the contents of the folder. Repeat the process for “~/Library/Logs” and “~/Library/Preferences”.
2. Reset Bluetooth module: Press the Option key and click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. Choose “Debug” and then “Reset the Bluetooth module”. Restart your Mac.
3. Remove unnecessary startup items: Go to System Preferences and click on “Users & Groups”. Select your username and go to the “Login Items” tab. Remove any unnecessary items by selecting them and clicking the “-” button.
4. Uninstall unused apps: Open Finder and go to the “Applications” folder. Drag any unused apps to the Trash and empty it.
5. Clean up disk space: Use a reliable cleaning tool like CleanMyMac X to scan and remove unnecessary files, duplicates, and old downloads.
6. Update macOS: Ensure you have the latest macOS version installed, as updates often include bug fixes and improvements for Bluetooth issues. Go to the Apple menu and select “System Preferences”, then click on “Software Update”.
Troubleshoot with PRAM and SMC Resets
If you’re experiencing the “Bluetooth Not Available” issue on your Mac, troubleshooting with PRAM and SMC resets can often resolve the problem. These resets can help fix various hardware and software issues.
To perform a PRAM reset, follow these steps:
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Press the power button and immediately hold down the Option + Command + P + R keys.
3. Keep holding the keys until you hear the startup sound for the second time.
4. Release the keys and let your Mac boot up normally.
To perform an SMC reset, follow these steps:
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Unplug the power cord from your Mac.
3. Wait for around 15 seconds.
4. Plug the power cord back in.
5. Wait for another 5 seconds.
6. Turn on your Mac.
After performing these resets, check if the “Bluetooth Not Available” issue is resolved. If not, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance.
F.A.Q.
Why is my Bluetooth unavailable?
Your Bluetooth may be unavailable due to various reasons, such as outdated firmware or operating system, software glitches, or malware affecting Bluetooth cache files.
How do I restore Bluetooth on my Mac?
To restore Bluetooth on your Mac, you can press and hold the Shift and Option keys, then click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. From there, select the hidden option called “Reset the Bluetooth module.” On macOS Catalina and earlier versions, you can go to Debug > Reset the Bluetooth module.
Why does my Mac say Bluetooth not available?
Your Mac may say “Bluetooth not available” due to various factors such as outdated macOS, corrupted apps, or hardware failure.
Why is my Bluetooth device not showing up on Mac?
Your Bluetooth device may not be showing up on your Mac because the device itself may not be turned on or its Bluetooth may not be switched on. Additionally, try reloading the devices you are trying to connect and ensure that they are within the range of your Mac.
