Bluetooth - Connection Request From: Mac mini

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MPC1974 Author

Level 1

7 points

Bluetooth - Connection Request From: Mac mini

I am receiving near-constant Bluetooth connection requests from my Mac mini to my iMac. This pop-up window appears literally 5-10 times per minute with a different connection code each time. I have 3 options in the pop-up window: Connect, Cancel, or a checkbox for "Ignore this device." I have clicked on each of them multiple times but to no avail. The pop-up window returns soon after. I have tried the following:

Turning on my firewall to refuse all incoming connections
Checking Bluetooth preferences to try to find a way to refuse or block that connection
Checking System Report - Hardware
Checking the Mac mini to stop asking for a Bluetooth Connection to begin with, but I can't find any setting that would prevent that

The only thing that has worked has been to turn off Bluetooth, but then I can't use my trackpad. Turning off the Mac mini is not an option since it my son's remote learning device. The few times my son has gotten the same pop up, he has clicked "Ignore this device" and the pop-window goes away for a day or two at a time.

I have a 27-inch, late 2013 iMac running macOS Catalina (10.15.6), 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3. I have an external monitor attached via a mini-DVI dongle. I have no external hard drives connected. I have no USB peripherals connected other than a Logitech dongle for a solar-power wireless keyboard.

The Mac mini is a recent generation running 10.15.5 (I think - because it won't update because it doesn't have sufficient hard drive space).

Here is the pop-up window:

My iMac is unusable with Bluetooth turned on because the pop-up window becomes active when it pops up, pulling me away from my work. It also means I can use any Bluetooth accessories with my iMac. None of my other Bluetooth devices create this issue, only the Mac mini. Thank you in advance for any assistance.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 24, 2020 10:37 AM

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Answer 1

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karina184

Community Specialist

Aug 25, 2020 9:12 AM in response to MPC1974

Hello MPC1974,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities!

We understand you are continuously getting a pop up box for connecting your iMac and your sons Mac Mini. We are happy to look in to this and provide some guidance.

It sounds like the Handoff feature may be enabled on the devices if they are both logged in with the same Apple ID, which would prompt the devices to connect with each other. As a first step, let's check to see if this is the case by disabling handoff on either your iMac or your sons Mac Mini.

On your Mac: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click General. Then un check the "Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices." box. If that is already disabled, or the issue persists after disabling, we would like to ask a few more questions to get a better understanding of the situation.

1.) Are your sons Mac Mini and your iMac both using the same Apple ID?

2.) Is the Mac Mini in use when you see this prompt? Or does this appear at random times without the Mac Mini being in use?

3.) How long has this been happening for? Was it after any sort of change, update, or new app download on the Mac Mini?

We look forward to hearing back and getting to the bottom of this.

Best Regards.

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Bluetooth - Connection Request From: Mac mini

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