How to delete a paired Bluetooth connection with Bluetooth OFF???

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How to delete a paired Bluetooth connection with Bluetooth OFF???

I found an interesting iOS bug. Bluetooth function cannot intialize if the amount of paired devices exceeds some certain number (127? 255? I didn't count). The problem happened with iPhone 14 ProMax, but I think it's common for all iOS devices.

Due to my job as a purchasing manager I test a lot of different TWS headsets. I don't always delete the paired device after the test, and during the last one I found out there's a limit... Right after pairing with another TWS my Bluetooth got stuck within an infinite cycle of initialization (Bluetooth function crashes immediately after start)

I cant find out any way to remove the existing pairing other than one by one, but it's only possible when Bluetooth is ON, and since it crashes immediately, I can't even choose any connection with "i"

Reset wireless connection only affects Wi-Fi, Bluetooth is still there.

Hard reset helps, but all the connections are dowloaded back from iCloud backup, which leads to immediate crash again. I didnt notice any option how to exclude Bluetooth connections from recovery.

I'm desperately upset and seeking for help.

I need to get rid of all my Bluetooth connections without turning it ON.

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Posted on Oct 23, 2024 7:57 AM

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Answer 1

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LeoXXId Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2024 6:10 AM in response to lobsterghost1

Maybe this works with new iPhone, but not with an old one, in my case. I'm 100% sure I erased the phone. Actually I don't even know how to restore the phone from the backup without erasing it. During this process, ALL, EVERY Bluetooth connection is restored from the backup, and there's no way to change it (e.g. choose what to restore, like at some Android devices)

However, after the second try to erase and restore the phone, I managed to catch a few seconds window after the first launch (which comes after the Hello Page) to sneak into Bluetooth settings and delete some connections until the Bluetooth crashes again. It helped.

I think it's really worth sending a bug report to Apple devs. There definitely IS a limit of available Bluetooth connections, and there's definitely NO any check-up before adding a new one to make sure it won't exceed this limit.

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Answer 2

Oct 23, 2024 11:14 AM in response to LeoXXId

LeoXXId wrote:

That is called hard reset,

Apple doesn't use the term "hard reset" at all. They use the term "Reset" in Settings>General>Transfer or Reset Phone>Reset but not for erasing the phone. That's a separate menu item. They also use restart and forced restart.

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

You can delete everything on the phone either by go to Settings>General>Transfer or Reset Phone>Erase Phone or by connecting it to a computer. The significant difference there is that erasing from the phone doesn't re-load a fresh copy of iOS. Doing it from a computer does. Once the phone is empty, you can either set it up as a new phone or from a backup.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings using a computer - Apple Support

I agree with lobsterghost1 that restoring it to factory settings is the way to go.

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Answer 3

Oct 23, 2024 10:55 AM in response to LeoXXId

No, I'm not talking about Forced Restart (volume up/volume down/then hold the power button until the Apple logo apears). I'm talking about erasing the phone back to out of the box new, where it opens to the Hello Page and then setting it up again. This WILL remove all the Bluetooth pairings.

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Answer 4

Oct 23, 2024 8:37 AM in response to LeoXXId

I am not aware of any way to remove devices from your list in Bluetooth, if Bluetooth is off. You could erase the phone fully and set it up again, which will remove ALL Bluetooth connections, which may be your best solution.

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Answer 5

Oct 24, 2024 4:53 AM in response to LeoXXId

When I get a new iPhone, which opens to the Hello Page, and I restore it from my most recent backup, absolutely ZERO, NONE of the Bluetooth Pairings are restored to the new phone.

I'm thinking you did not erase the phone, but just restored it from a backup.

Follow the directions in this link on what to do before you sell or give away an iPhone --> What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

If, after doing this you then set up the phone from a backup, NONE of the Bluetooth pairing should be restored.

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Answer 6

LeoXXId Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 23, 2024 10:50 AM in response to lobsterghost1

That is called hard reset, I already wrote that I did it, and also ALL these connections are stored in the backup. They are dowloaded and applied all at once, thus crashing the Bluetooth again. Must be really a bug. But I need to deal with it, somehow.

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Answer 7

LeoXXId Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 23, 2024 11:10 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Thanks for joining this thread! As a customer, I don’t have to learn exact terms used by Apple, but OK. BTW “hard reset” is stated on Wikipedia to be a synonym to Factory Reset (which is called “Erase” by Apple)

I did try erasing the phone. But all these Bluetooth connections are stored in iCloud backup. So, after the erasure they are downloaded back and the problem happens again.

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Answer 8

Oct 24, 2024 6:35 AM in response to LeoXXId

I think there may be an issue with your phone. I get the new phone EVERY year. And every year, when I set up the new phone from the backup I made on the old phone, NO Bluetooth pairings have EVER been carrier over. Never, not once has that happened. And that's going many years back in the land of iPhone models.

I'm not sure if you're suggesting anyone here send a bug report to Apple, but just in case you aren't aware, this forum is user to user, with no one from Apple participating.

You can send feedback to Apple here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

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Answer 9

Oct 24, 2024 7:52 AM in response to LeoXXId

LeoXXId wrote:

Thanks for joining this thread! As a customer, I don’t have to learn exact terms used by Apple,

No, you don't. But it really helps if you use the terms that Apple uses because then other people know what you're talking about. It saves people from either having to ask you what you mean and/or from suggesting things you've already done. It also helps you search for things on the Apple site. The fact that other companies use "hard reset" to mean "erase" is irrelevant.

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How to delete a paired Bluetooth connection with Bluetooth OFF???

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