Mac Mini m1 bluetooth problems

HSERC wrote:

• Some have got success by turning off Wifi - but this is not a solution, it just hides the underlying problem.

• Some have found success by forcing the systems to use 5GHz wifi - but again, this is not a cure for the problem - It's just using a '"workaround" to avoid running into the problem.

I completely disagree because you are simply not taking wireless interference into account. You can have "product X" working fine on its own, but if (and when) you enter in a large amount of radio interference into the equation, then that product won't (can't) work as it normally would. That is not the products fault, although it would be easy to blame the product. BTW, Apple is not the only one with Bluetooth interference issues, that alone should tell you something. Blaming this or that product is not going to solve the issue, and that's all that really matters here, is solving this issue wherever it lays. I just want my Bluetooth to work...

At first I also thought it was an Apple issue, but after doing a lot of research into this matter I don't even think it's an Apple issue anymore. There is simply way to many devices these days that use the same 2.4GHz band! Not only Wi-Fi interference but also things like baby monitors in the area, garage door openers, microwave ovens, cordless phones, video game consoles, smart TV's, even ZigBee devices, etc. ect... are just a few of the things that all "share" the same 2.4GHz frequency as Bluetooth. Even if you had "just" Wi-Fi interference, you could cause an issue with Bluetooth by simply overloading too many devices on your routers Wi-Fi. The only real solution seems to be to move away from the 2.4 GHZ frequency as much as possible, therefore reducing the amount of interference blocking the Bluetooth signal. When there is this much 2.4GHz interference, even using something like cheap, poorly shielded USB cables can come into play...

Take an inventory on how many wireless devices in your house actually use the 2.4GHz frequency, and I think you'll be amazed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2.4_GHz_radio_use

I was advised by Apple support yesterday to reset the SMC to resolve this issue and it seems to work. The steps to do that are pretty simple: shut down the computer, remove the plug and wait 15 seconds, plug back in and wait 5 seconds, then restart. Hope this helps others who have had the same frustrating problem.

I may have a bit of some good news....

I've spoken with two people who are using 11.2. They both had the Bluetooth issue.

They both now say that Bluetooth is working rock solid. Each has tested for several days.

It is too soon to know if this is a fix or not, but it is very promising....

You say that solving the issue is all that matters, wherever it lays.

I agree.

if I replace one Intel Apple Mac mini with an M1 Apple Mac mini, where nothing else, at all, in the installation has changed...

then I pretty much think I have a problem with the M1 Mac mini.

HSERC wrote:

then I pretty much think I have a problem with the M1 Mac mini.

The only problem with what you assumed, is that the 2018 Mac mini had the same exact Bluetooth issues.

Here's a link (there are many more online) with a whole lot of people to back that fact up;

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-mini-2018-bluetooth-problems.2253950/

KyRuMo wrote:

I think I'll install the beta

Please let us know if it works for you or not (fingers crossed) and don't forget to reset the Bluetooth module and delete all of the old Bluetooth plist files :)

I don’t think that it is helpful for you to try and deduce what I may have assumed or not. I am perfectly aware of what other similar or related issues the older models have had. Please also don’t “assume” that you are the only one capable of doing some research, or are technically minded enough to assess the information available.

Whatever issues the old Mac mini had, none were such that they compromised functionality in my installation, which provided me with the service that it should have done.

The newer version Mac mini does not.

That is not an assumption on my part, but a fact.

OK, so after significant issues and interaction with Apple support who TBH didn't really have a clue and kept asking for me to do more and more testing, I gave up a week ago and turned wi-fi off completely and moved to a wired ethernet connection.

I was suspicious of wi-fi issues as I noticed a massive drop in network performance e.g. a reduction of download speeds of 90% yet other devices in the area were maintaining a high signal and transfer rate. When this occurred my Magic Mouse 2 / bluetooth headphones became choppy and disconnected. Only a Bluetooth reset fixed that.

No problems for 1 week after moving to wired ethernet. Is the problem fixed? Heck no - this is simply a work around for me.

As for Apple ignoring multiple threads and complaints and not publicly coming clean and putting people's minds at rest, smoke screens only cause customers to lose trust. Get your act together and stop being arrogant tits. Looks after the consumer and they will look after you.

Martin

If it is a hardware problem (which I suspect it is), then there will be no official response to deflect PR damage. It would take wide media coverage (think iPhone issues) to get any response. Please, don't follow any advice to change to Apple-branded cables, adapters...don't throw good money at the problem.

This is not new. My old 2012 Mini had similar problems, there was even a third party mod to shield inside the case.

My MacMini is connected by an ethernet cable to a HomeHub Wi-fi adapter exactly 40cm away. Works perfectly. No Bluetooth issues any more. The interference is under the hood.

Martin

Switching USB hubs didn't fix my issues. I use my hub to drive sensitive scientific equipment on a PC. Anyway, it's sat right next to the Mini now with a USB3 drive - Wi-fi OFF - no Bluetooth issues. Any blisteringly fast network connectivity, something never achieved with the built-in wifi.

Removed it completely. I actually factory reset and plugged nothing in other an a single HDMI monitor. Mouse eventually stopped working after a few days. That really threw support a curved ball, they then asked me to log events by the second. I lost patience at that point.

My work around was to stop using my magic mouse, I plugged in a Logitech bluetooth dongle with their mouse into the Mac mini M1 USB port and have had no issues with bluetooth connection. I use a ethernet connection and have my apple wireless keyboard and Bose wireless speaker as well as the Logitech mouse connected to the bluetooth. I had a 2018 Mac mini that I traded in for the M1, I am not going to say the Mac mini 2018 was perfect with regard to bluetooth but the Mac Mini M1 has been horrible in comparison. On the 2018 Mac mini I used the same apple wireless Keyboard and mouse as well as other bluetooth devices and had only minor issue every so often with the bluetooth as oppose to the Mac Mini M1 where it was driving me nuts with the constant disconnect and reconnection of the Apple Magic Mouse 2. In summary my work around works, I have been using it this configuration for a number of weeks with no blue tooth issues but it a work around not the solution. Pretty bad that I have to stop using my Apple Magic 2 Mouse for an old dongle Bluetooth connected Logitech mouse.

I have the same issue but with a MacBook Air M1 with bluetooth headphones, on both Bose and AirPod pros, every so often they will disconnect and then reconnect after 5-6 seconds, this doesn't affect whatever was playing and you loose that was playing, I went back on the video to prove it was not a problem with the video itself and the sound is there. This is with BigSur 11.1.

Jay4537, both of your suggestions do not work. In my case, my old Apple Bluetooth mouse works fine (2009 Model A1296).

But my old Apple Bluetooth keyboard (Model 1314, 2009) no longer works. It used to work fine with my M1 Mac mini. Then last night, I could not use it to log in, although my old Apple Bluetooth mouse works fine. I am not sure what happened, as I did not make any changes to the System preferences or keyboard preferences. I am using a wired Apple keyboard now.

Also, those suggestions to unplug the Mac mini, wait 15 seconds, replug it, wait five seconds, restart it, etc., are a bunch of baloney. Apple has a big problemon its hands. It should just come out and admit it before thousands of people make the same mistake we did.

This is a sad situation for Apple, as I have never had such problems with Apple devices before.

I plan to return the Mac minifor a refund. I cannot work this way.

12/30/2020 Update: Bluetooth disconnecting Apple Magic Keyboard 2 and Magic Mouse 2 every 5 minute. The Shift+ Option and clicking BT icon in menu bar "fix" did not last. Retried the Shift + Option again, but with no results. Every 5 minutes the mouse would disconnect 1st, followed by the keyboard in about 1-2 seconds. I move my mouse around a bit and click the keyboard a few times and the connection returns within 10 seconds. This is very frustrating and must be rectified by Apple very soon. I am also on Big Sur 11.2 developer beta, and the latest OS revision has not addressed this problem. I reported the issue, including the related diagnostic files, to Apple via the Developer Beta Feedback assistant.

I am using the original Apple Bluetooth mouse (Model A1296) and it still works fine with my new M1 Mac mini. My keyboard, however, has stopped working. It is an original Apple Bluetooth keyboard (Model 1314) and it worked fine with the M1 Mac mini for the first three days. Then it all of a sudden stopped working. I can see it listed in the Bluetooth menu as "Aministrator's Keyboard," but trying to connect it fails every time. Weird how it worked the first three days and now cannot connect. I did not change anything on my Mac mini. Is a fix coming or must I take it back to the Apple Store?