Cannot pair bluetooth - iPhone to Macbook Air

I see that there are longstanding problems in pairing bluetooth devices. This one has only just happened for me. It has been working till now.


Using Bluetooth options on Macbook Air (M1, running Mac OS 12.0.1) to pair with my iPhone (Xs running iOS 15.1). I keep getting this message -- "Pairing Unsuccessful. 'Macbook Air' is not supported." -- even though I've tried almost all of the options on various websites but nothing solves the problem.


Has there been any workable solution to this?

MacBook Air (2020 or later)

Posted on Nov 23, 2021 10:16 PM

Reply
153 replies

May 29, 2022 7:15 AM in response to KiltedTim

not sure why we are being told it is not necessary, when you try to do certain task the prompt from MBPro M1 Max say to make sure bluetooth is on, on both devices. How is "bluetooth being on" and "bluetooth connected" not 2 different things, they certainly are not the same??


I've been paired and connected on my iPhones 5, 5, 7 and 12 mini, to my mid 2012 MBPro core i7 2.6Ghz non retina, with no issues at all.


my 2012 MBPro and 2021 MBPro are paired and can connect.


all of a sudden I lost pairing between my iPhone 12 mini and my 2021 MBPro M1 Max which have been paired and could connect, it is strange because I was connected to bluetooth prior to today up until 20 minutes ago today, now I'm getting the same error as a person posted in this question: "could not connect" "non-supported device"


whether people here think it is necessary or not for bluetooth to connect, it seems like an extremely easy fix for Apple, to let all Apple Devices be connected via bluetoooth.


also mentioned by another user in this post that "uses bluetooth to make phone service hotspot connection via bluetooth"


I use Straight Talk phone service and have been for years, cheap extremely reliable service that I do not have any intention of changing. I am using a Verizon SIM card. Straight Talk does not support Wi-Fi calling as was suggested by someone else. Bluetooth Connectivity is very important when traveling overseas to the Philippines, WiFi, Hotspots and Phone Service is very slim/ lean & non existent over in a lot of areas over there and bluetooth is a necessity.


We loyal customers are why Apple exist & yes also because Apple is by far one of the Best Products, Tech Support and Service ever to exist, myself, for 13 years, Ive spent 1000's of $'s on apple products, iPhones ( 2 - 5's, a 7 and a 12 mini), MBPro's (1 in 2012 & 1 in 2022), Apple TV, countless cords and accessories and TimeCapsules 5th Gen (4 of bought in 2016 new) just retired 1 TC the (1st) after 8 years of backing up my MBPro 2012, just started using a new TC (2nd) for my MBPro 2012 and a new TC (3rd) for my MBPro 2021 with a new one still in the box, all myApple Products are bought NEW from the Apple Store.

( not even including the 2 MBPro's I got my sons for school & their 1st iPhone, who are still buying iPhones to this day and the 2 iPads I bought my mother.


Lets hope Apple has our backs and creates a simple fix for this. Some may claim there is no need for bluetooth pairing maybe so 85% of the time in the USA. However not so when you travel outside the USA.

May 29, 2022 5:58 PM in response to KiltedTim

Oh, KiltedTim - how can you say that? Are you even reading what people are posting here?

There are applications that require Pairing. Many of us have used the process successfully and routinely for years. Recently it's stopped working, in a consistent and repeatable failure pattern. Apple Support has told me they know there's an issue with it.

You're a Level 10, so you hold some sway. But your constant refrain that nothing is broken is not helpful. It's starting to sound like gaslighting. If you're going to engage, please do so constructively.

May 30, 2022 4:24 AM in response to KiltedTim

I want to use my iPhone 12 as a personal hotspot to my Mac in order to use my phone's excess cellular data allowance. That is why I want to use Bluetooth and not WiFi - if I enable WiFi on the phone I will be using that network for downloads instead. With WiFi disabled, my Mac won't link - I had hoped to use Bluetooth for this.

I think I have managed this before but Bluetooth connection now drops out after a second or two.

Do I have to use a cable connection to download from my phone when its WiFi is disabled?

May 30, 2022 4:57 PM in response to Paul_C_G

here is my recently paired devices, iPhone 12 was pairing to the MBPro M1 Max it still pairs to the iPhone 7, I can also pair iPhone 7 to 2012 MBPro, I cannot no longer pair iPhone 12 to either MBPro. Photos below will show MBPro M1 Max recently paired devices, old MacBook Pro, iPhone 7 and iPhone 12, photos will also show connected to iPhone 7, photos will also show iPhone 7 connected to 2012 MBPro Catalina. Just tried connecting all of them tonight.

Do you think we are lying to you, the MBPros do and or did connect to iPhones via blue tooth.


1) 2021 MBPro connected to iPhone 7 via blue tooth, also show recently paired devices.


iPhone 7 connected to 2012 MBPro


2012 MBPro connect to iPhone 7

iPhone 7 and 2012 MBPro connected via bluetooth


did not dream it up, just came here to find out why the iPhone 12 all of a sudden stopped connecting to both 2012 and 2021 MBPros.



Cannot pair bluetooth - iPhone to Macbook Air

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.