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Phone calls try to connect to Bluetooth speaker even when Bluetooth is off

I've been using my soundbar to play my iPhone 13's music through Bluetooth from time to time. I turn Bluetooth off when I'm not connected to the soundbar, because in my experience Bluetooth can cause a lot of unintended problems.


However, when I receive or make calls and try to use speaker, I get a selection window. The phone is trying to decide whether I want speaker or to cast the call to the soundbar. But Bluetooth is off, so even if I selected the soundbar it presumably wouldn't be successful.


Why does the phone even give me this option when Bluetooth is off? It's very frustrating when every time I answer or make a phone call, I have to hit an additional button just to use speaker mode. Especially when receiving calls, because I have to leave the caller in silence for several seconds while I try to get speaker activated.


The simple solution (seemingly) would be to forget the soundbar in Bluetooth settings and reconnect whenever I wanna play music, but I don't want to do that. It was quite a pain getting my phone to connect to this particular device (not the phone's fault, my device is finicky), and I'm worried if I remove it from settings I might not be able to get it back.


I just don't understand why turning off Bluetooth wouldn't solve the problem. This can't be intentional, right? What is the point of asking me if I want to use Bluetooth for my call if the Bluetooth is off?

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 15

Posted on Dec 25, 2021 9:42 PM

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3 replies

Dec 26, 2021 3:57 PM in response to danielnrg

Hello danielnrg,


Thank you for posting in the Apple Support Communities. We're here for you.


First, open Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Call Audio Routing. This feature determines where audio will be heard during a phone call or FaceTime audio call. From that screen, try selecting a different call audio route to test the issue.


If the issue persists, try restarting your iPhone and checking for any updates. If an update is available, we suggest having a current backup to iCloud or to a computer, first.

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch


From there, tap on Settings > Bluetooth, remove the Bluetooth device, then pair it again to test the issue.


If you’re still having trouble, contact Apple Support for further assistance: 

Get Support


We hope this information is useful. Kind regards.

Dec 27, 2021 5:35 PM in response to danielnrg

danielnrg,


Thanks for getting back in touch with us. 


Yes, you can try changing it to either Bluetooth Headset or Speaker, then back to Automatic to see if that helps. Also, we understand that forgetting the soundbar isn't ideal, but we suggest that as another step toward further isolating the issue.


Should the issue persist, feel free to use the link below to connect directly with Apple:

Get Support


Have a great rest of your day or evening.

Phone calls try to connect to Bluetooth speaker even when Bluetooth is off

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