Apple Intelligence now features Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools enhancements, seamless support for ChatGPT, and visual intelligence.
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
📰 Newsroom Update
Voice Memos update brings Layered Recordings to iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Learn more >
Voice Memos update brings Layered Recordings to iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Learn more >
Have my first iPhone (iPhone 5, iOS 6.0.1). Is there any way to have Bluetooth turned on but the device not discoverable? This was possible on my two previous non-Apple phones. I have it paired w/ my car, but don't want it discoverable by other unknown devices, and don't want to have to keep turning it Bluetooth on and off. Bluetooth when discoverable used to be fairly easy to hack and access address books/contacts.
You're incorrect: the iPhone is only discoverable while you are in Settings->Bluetooth with Bluetooth turned on. As soon as you close the Settings, the phone stops being discoverable.
You're incorrect: the iPhone is only discoverable while you are in Settings->Bluetooth with Bluetooth turned on. As soon as you close the Settings, the phone stops being discoverable.
Got the answer myself. Apple Store techie said that the newer Bluetooth pairing is more secure than the older technology and less susceptible to hacking than before. Unfortunately, there is no way to make the iPhone undiscoverable w/o turning Bluetooth off. Users must either leave Bluetooth turned on or off. There is no "On" and undiscoverable. If on and not paired w/ a Bluetooth device, the iPhone is constantly seeking Bluetooth devices, sucking battery power. My phone is paired w/ my car, so it appears that I will need to turn Bluetooth on prior to driving and off when leaving the car. What a pain!. This was never a problem w/my Nokia and Samsung phones. How primitive! This is Cell Phone 101 and should be simple to for Apple include in iOS upgrades, unless the technology is owned by one of Apple's competitors.
Hey I was wondering the same thing while playing around with my ipad. Has there ever been a final answer to the original question of this post? I have a bluetooth keyboard that is paired with my ipad, but ever since I turned bluetooth on, it has said "Now Discoverable" and the little activity icon next to "Devices" is whirling around. Now that the keyboard is paired up, I'm done - let's give the poor bluetooth chipset a break, eh? It's probably in there huffing and puffing away for nothing, getting all hot and tired...
I don't think this is correct. My iPhone, when paired with my car and with settings closed, picks up mobile bluetooth marketing requests when I drive past somewhere that is broadcasting them. My phone must be discoverable for this to happen
I agree that you phone is discoverable. I just enabled bluetooth on the iphone 5 in settings. I closed the setting page and returned to the home screen. I powered up my kindle and walla it shows the iphone. If i tell the kindle to pair it the kindle says make sure the the iphone is showing this xxxxxx passkey. If i tell it to pair the kindle displays "unable to pair because of incorrect passkey or pin. it looks like the bluetooth is always broadcasting when its enabled. I don't see how your bluetooth can receive marketing requests if it hasn't been paird. maybe there coming in on google or some other enabled location based service.
Can iPhone Bluetooth be on but not discoverable?
