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Big Sur does not work with Bluetooth

My Bose Headsets will connect to my iMac for about 6 seconds, then disconnect.


2019 Imac


What I've tried but does not work:


Chat with apple support


Turn on and off BT

Reset the BT module

Remove all BT devices

Reset Bose Headphones removed all other BT devices it stored

remove all peripherals except keyboard and mouse

Reset NVRAM

Reset SMV

Tried connecting without any peripherals

Tried connecting with all other devices in the building shut down.

Connected headphones to other devices like my iPhone, a Windows laptop, all have 100 percent connect and function rate. including a little Raspberry Pi.

Tried connecting with a Logitech 800 headset that also connects to all the other items.


At some point, it has to stop being my fault.


I have come to the conclusion that Big Sur has an issue with Bluetooth, does not function with other than the wireless keyboard and mouse, and that there is nothing left for me to do to make it connect. It simply doesn't work.


Since my bluetooth headphones are mission critical for me, there is no other option than restoring the previous and functioning version of MacOS, and continue working rather than trying endless dead end tricks that repeat the original problem to get it to function.


I'll revert and hope that Apple gets around to fixing this problem.


Bummer



iMac 27″, macOS 11.0

Posted on Nov 17, 2020 10:50 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best answer

Update: I was able to fix the problem with the following steps:


  • Open Terminal app
  • Type in: sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/HAL/
  • Restart your iMac


Hopefully this works for you. It was a huge relief for me.

Posted on Nov 20, 2020 7:25 AM

44 replies

Jan 2, 2021 2:16 PM in response to Vincent Bove

Hi. My bluetooth headset won't connect to my Mac after updating to Big Sur ~1 week ago. Also, my icon to control my Volume (at the top of the screen) has suddenly disappeared.


When I go to Terminal and it asks me for a password, the machine won't let me type in anything. Any ideas?


( I haven't researched the disappearing volume icon yet, but have tried deleting the headset from the Bluetooth memory , restarting the computer, and reconnecting my headset to the computer. That didn't help.)


Any ideas?

Thank you, if so!


Jan 3, 2021 11:36 AM in response to Michael Coslo

I'll try once more to see if anyone here replies. (I posted something yesterday, or thought so, but it's not here today.)

I'm on a Macbook Air, and my bluetooth headset (made by Skull Candy) isn't passing any sound along to me when connected with my computer. It says that it's connected, but no sound.)


I tried the "sudo: ..." command in Terminal, but after typing that in, the program wouldn't allow me to type anything else in - no password, no nothing, as far as I could see.


I tried removing the headset from the Bluetooth list on the computer and resetting the headset, but this didn't work.


Has anyone else had this problem, of not being able to type into the Terminal application? I could paste in the commands posted here, recently, but couldn't go any further.


Thanks for any further help with this!

Question marked as Helpful

Jan 3, 2021 1:09 PM in response to markfrom서울

Hi - One of the weird things about Unix or it's brother Linux is that when you use sudo, and it asks for the password after you have typed in the command, you will not see your password that you typed. It will happily sit there forever until you close the window or type the password, then hit enter.


so you would type in sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/HAL/ then hit enter

Then you type in your password, (but you won't see it) Then hit enter

In this case, there won't be ant other feedback. Close the window, and restart, then see if it works.


Hope this helps


Jan 4, 2021 8:19 AM in response to Michael Coslo

Hi All previous commentators,


I had the same problem, after installing Big Sur.

After trying all of the previous suggestions, and none of them working, I decided to re-install my bluetooth headphones.

Pioneer SE-MJ553BT.


By re-install, I mean "re-pairing" the headphones to my iMac, as one does when first purchasing a new item!

Worked immediately.


Hope this helps those who are still not connected.



Jan 5, 2021 12:53 AM in response to Michael Coslo

Hi I do not have a problem with my Bose headset but actually with my Magic Mouse connecting to my MBP (M1) with Big Sur. At least 3-4 times a day it suddenly disconnects then connects again and repeat this 2-3 times to be fine again for a few hours.


Sometimes this also happens with my magic keyboard......


Anybody experiencing the same ??


Thanks,

Robert

Jan 6, 2021 12:53 AM in response to Bob Basket

Hi Robert,


I had the same experience, (with my headphones not connecting), and I went back to basics to get them to 'pair up'.

It might be a way to get your mouse to 're-connect' as well.


Start over as if the computer is seeing your equipment for the first time.


I also opened Bluetooth Preferences, went to "Advanced", unchecked all the boxes, then restart. Finally go back to the preferences and re-check all the boxes.


It's worth a try, but both these things cleared any previous problems I'd had with my phones, it might work with the mouse too and keyboard, as they are both registered as connected to your Bluetooth. (I assume.)

(Even my headphones were still visibly connected to Bluetooth in the 'Devices' window, but they were greyed out and when clicked to connect would show "Connection Rejected".)


Hope you find a solution Robert,

Cheers,

Graham.

Jan 9, 2021 11:29 AM in response to Michael Coslo

I'm having the same issue with my bose speaker connecting to my MacBook Pro with Big Sur. I tried many solutions I found but nothing worked. I opened Terminal app in Utility, but a small window comes out and it says 'Last log in Jan 9 10:05:00 ttys000', some more writing below, but there is nothing I can type nor click on. Am I doing something wrong? I really want to be able to use my bose speaker again on MacBook.

Jan 9, 2021 3:36 PM in response to Atom55

Let's walk you through this.


Open Terminal It will show you the last login, then the name of your mac, then a little square box after that.


Copy and paste sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/HAL/ then hit enter

it will ask you for your password. type in your system password and hit enter

You won't see your password as you type by the way. Unix whackyness there.

In this case, there won't be any other feedback. Close the window, and restart, then see if it works.


You should reset your Bose BT device as well. before trying to hook it up again.

Jan 10, 2021 3:02 AM in response to Atom55

This was my problem until 2 minutes ago, then I scoured the Bose speaker instructions. So I don’t know which Bose speaker you have but this is what I found worked. First establish if you can get Bluetooth connections at all with your MacBook.


If all well there & you know Mac connections are working then, with your speaker turned off, press & hold down the mute button for 10 seconds until the indicators briefly flash then turn speaker back on and there you go.. Worked immediately for me.

Hope it works for you.

Big Sur does not work with Bluetooth

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