Constant bluetooth pairing requests

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Level 1

8 points

Constant bluetooth pairing requests

Every day around 4 pm, while I’m working, I start to get Bluetooth pairing requests from a machine that must be somewhere around me in my office building. It pops up every few minutes asking to pair. Neither "ignore this device", Cancel, OR Connect actually do anything nor stop these from coming in. I can’t just turn off Bluetooth because I use a Bluetooth mouse and AirPods. I have tried updates, resets, removing plists, safe mode with and without networking…everything short of knocking on each business around me and asking them directly. Here is what my screen looks like after 25 minutes: https://imgur.com/a/e2Ud9LF

The main issue is that when these pop up, they come in with max authority. So if I'm working on a project or in design software using my mouse, this takes over the mouse, goes to the front, and lags all of my Bluetooth devices for minutes.

It’s incredibly frustrating. Called Apple twice for support. Neither group of people could help or find a solution. I was told to post to the community since there is nothing they can do. My only option is to not use Bluetooth altogether.

Does anyone have any insight on this?

MacBook Pro Apple Silicon

Posted on Dec 8, 2022 2:08 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Dec 17, 2022 8:25 AM in response to Fuze911

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

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Answer 2

brbo

Level 8

39,025 points

Dec 14, 2022 3:10 PM in response to Fuze911

You're most welcome ... hoping we may stumble on a solution.

Thank you for looking through the article, and replying.

Wondered if some kind of 'frequency congestion' could have been at fault.

Yet I see it is always that same device ...

Wondering which MacBook Pro Model you are using, and which MacOS version is installed.

and whether making a change there could make a difference to being able to "ignore" the requests.

There's an article online that shares a terminal command for ignoring unknown "pairing"

https://appletoolbox.com/macbook-keeps-pairing-with-unknown-bluetooth-devices/

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Answer 3

MrHoffman

Level 10

147,935 points

Dec 17, 2022 12:44 PM in response to Fuze911

Only reference to “DESKTOP-4PC1LOK” on the whole ‘net:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/iastoracsys-keeps-blue-screening-my-dell-pc-driver/454bb102-e517-47e2-bde0-1b6c3f0b8f6c

You’re probably headed for acquiring a Bluetooth Finder or scanner or scanning app for iPhone/iPad/Mac, which might at least give you a particular direction to search for further investigation. (Apple used to ship a Bluetooth Explorer as part of the Xcode Hardware I/O tools kit, but what is in the app store with that name is not that app.)

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Answer 4

brbo

Level 8

39,025 points

Dec 9, 2022 9:15 PM in response to Fuze911

Seems like someone somewhere not too far away is having trouble pairing their devices.

Maybe you have an IT "help desk" in your vicinity to seek localised help / advice from.

Else:

Wondering if Apple support's article (link below) may help, or give a clue to the cause.

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference – Apple Support

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Answer 5

Fuze911 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 14, 2022 11:33 AM in response to brbo

Appreciate you trying to help brbo.

Yes, it’s gotta be someone nearby. My office is in a building with many other offices. I would have to go door-to-door to the offices above mine a level higher or all the surrounding offices to the side of ours. Still, seems crazy I can't just use the “ignore this device” toggle.

No IT here. We are a very small business.

Thanks for the link. I couldn't find anything that would help there though. It’s not interference. It seems like this is happening because someone tried to connect to my machine by accident and since that attempt, their machine seems to want to continuously connect to mine. Every day, all the time. Not just once in a blue moon. It’s always happening.

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Answer 6

Fuze911 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2022 8:24 AM in response to brbo

That article you linked would totally be the way to stop this. The only issue is that I'm now on the latest OS and Apple prevents us from seeing the MAC addresses of the devices that aren't connected and that terminal command that would be perfect, no longer functions.

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Answer 7

brbo

Level 8

39,025 points

Dec 16, 2022 5:28 PM in response to Fuze911

Thank you for replying, and letting us know why that terminal command cannot work for you.

Am hoping someone more familiar with "Ventura" may join the discussion, and possibly help find a workable solution. There must be a way.

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Answer 8

Monte888

Level 1

12 points

Jan 22, 2023 2:25 PM in response to Fuze911

Any solution to constant pop-up bluetooth connection requests to/from nearby unknown user? I tried a full reset on my MB M1 Pro with no luck...

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Answer 9

MrHoffman

Level 10

147,935 points

Jan 22, 2023 3:56 PM in response to Monte888

Monte888 wrote:

Any solution to constant pop-up bluetooth connection requests to/from nearby unknown user? I tried a full reset on my MB M1 Pro with no luck...

Contact Apple Support, then.

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Answer 10

brbo

Level 8

39,025 points

Jan 22, 2023 7:40 PM in response to Monte888

That was a good thing to try :-)

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Answer 11

Fuze911 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 22, 2023 7:30 PM in response to MrHoffman

They don’t know how to fix it or what to do. I have tried 3 separate times with no luck. They literally told me to ask the community because they don't have a fix.

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Answer 12

Fuze911 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 22, 2023 7:32 PM in response to Monte888

If you do end up with a solution, please come back and let us know. I still havent found a solution.

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Constant bluetooth pairing requests

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