Brand New M3 Pro Not Connecting to Bluetooth Devices

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Level 1

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Brand New M3 Pro Not Connecting to Bluetooth Devices

I just purchased a brand new Apple Macbook Pro M3 in May 2024 and cannot connect any Bluetooth devices. Keep in mind, these same Bluetooth devices (Logitech M720 and Apple Bluetooth keyboard) connected just fine to my Macbook Pro from 2019.

I've got both Bluetooth devices sitting right next to my new M3 laptop, but only the mouse shows up intermittently and never connects. The keyboard just doesn't show up at all. I've rebooted, removed com.Bluetooth.plist files, etc. Nothing I've tried from various Apple Community threads have worked.

I also see this has been an issue since the M1. How is that possible to still be an issue with the M3 years later? Please advise.

MacBook Pro (M3, 2023)

Posted on Jun 5, 2024 8:39 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

145,141 points

Jun 5, 2024 8:52 AM in response to b0x68

Why do I have difficulty with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices when USB 3 devices are attached to my computer?

Some USB 3 devices can generate radio frequency interference that can cause Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices operating in the 2.4GHz band to have issues communicating with your computer. Here are some tips to avoid this issue:

• If your USB device has a cable long enough that you can move the device, place it away from your Mac—and make sure not to place it behind your Mac, or near the hinge of its display. The antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are located there, and USB 3 devices placed there might interfere with your wireless connections.

• If you're using adapters or dongles on a Mac computer with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, plug them into the front port on the left side of your Mac, or into the ports on the right side (if your computer has them). These ports are the farthest away from the antennas, making interference less likely.

• To avoid interference on the 2.4GHz band using Wi-Fi, try using the 5GHz band instead. You can change this on your wireless base station. Bluetooth always uses 2.4GHz, so this alternative isn't available for Bluetooth.

from:

About USB on Mac computers - Apple Support

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference

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

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