Mavericks Bluetooth Audio Connectivity

I currently have three bluetooth devices connected to my Mac, Apple Magic Mouse, Apple Keyboard, and a bluetooth audio device. The bluetooth audio device is the one giving me a problem.


The device connects and works perfectly, however everytime I boot or wake my Mac, the bluetooth audio device is always selected by default and audio always outputs through there instead of the built-in speakers. Is there any way to stop OS X (Mavericks) from selecting the bluetoth audio device by default everytime I wake my Mac? And instead use the built-in speakers by default and manually require me to select the bluetooth device eveytime I'd want to use it?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 27, 2013 12:13 PM

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15 replies

Nov 2, 2013 10:26 AM in response to Igor92

I've been also searching the internet for a solution and I still haven't found one. I did notice some changes coming to 10.9 (Mavericks) from 10.8 (Mountain Lion) though.


First: Looking at the device from the Mac's menu bar under the bluetooth option, I noticed that in Mavericks it now only says "connect" or "disconnect" but in Mountain Lion it would say something like "use as audio device" or "don't use as audio device."


Second: If you head over to System Preferences > Sound > Output the audio device doesn't show up as one of the options as it did in Mountain Lion (at least for me it doesn't).


So my guess is that even though the Mac outputs sound from the device, it seems like it doesn't recgonize it as a bluetooth audio device but rather just a normal bluetooth device. Because looking back at Mountain Lion, everytime I booted/waked my Mac, all my bluetooth devices (Apple Magic Mouse and Keyboard) would automatically be selected EXCEPT for my bluetooth audio device, which I'd then have to select manually. Now in Mavericks, ALL of the devices are selected.


I hope someone finds a solution to this because it's getting really annoying to keep turning off the bluetooth device everytime I want to hear sound from my Mac or even listen to headphones.

Nov 25, 2013 8:59 PM in response to iDYM

I have this same problem too! It really amazes me how Apple seems to take one step forward and then two steps back every time they release a new version of the OS.


In Moutain Lion, my wireless speaker had both a mono and stereo version to select in the sound preferences, and they were always listed there whether I was connected to my bluetooth speaker or not. With Mavericks, the speaker doesn't show up as a device under the sound preferences until it's actually connected, and then there is only one entry for the speaker. I like all these changes just fine, but it is really irritating that whenever I boot or wake-up my computer now, it connects to the bluetooth speaker automatically, and sets that as the active sound device. I've even seen something weirder; my computer was set to output on the internal speaker until I opened iTunes, at which time my music started playing through the bluetooth speaker. Please fix this Apple!!! I don't understand why OS X doesn't have a rock-solid bluetooth implementation by now?!?


I wonder if there are only a few people that have bluetooth speakers that automatically come on when something attempts to connect to them, or if it's something else we have installed that is causing this?!? I try not to have a lot of utilities hacking my computer, so I'm running a "stock" system and can't think of anything that would be causing this. I hope someone comes up with a solution soon, preferably Apple! It would be kind of ridiculous if we were forced to find (or make?) a utility that allows the default audio device to be selected (enforced).

Feb 20, 2014 10:01 AM in response to cwctw

I am fairly new to Macs, so I do not know if it is only an issue with airplay or if it is just bluetooth connection in general. I have a set of bluetooth headphones that will switch from being connected to my iPhone to the Mac when I wake the Mac. The headphones are not manufactured by Apple. I believe they are Plantronics. Anyway, I just spoke to Apple support, and they assured me that their engineers are, "working on it." The rep I spoke to said that the only way to get around this currently, is to unpair the audio device and re-pair when needed. I hope they come up with a fix soon, because this is really frustrating...

Feb 20, 2014 10:20 AM in response to EarleKelley

I'm no expert either, but your issue sounds the same as mine (and everyone else's apperently). Only difference is, you're using bluetooth headphones, where as I'm using a bluetooth audio reciever. Same problem though, everytime the Mac wakes, it automatically connects to the bluetooth devices and changes the default output for sound to whatever you bluetooth audio device is.


As for it disconnecting from your iPhone, I believe that's normal for bluetooth headphones to disconnect from a device (your iPhone) when a new device (your Mac) is connected. The headphones, iPhone, and Mac still remember the pairing options, however the headphones will connect to the newest device asking for the connection. Again, I'm no expert but I believe the rep you spoke to is right. However, instead of un-pairing the device like he/she said, turn off the bluetooth on the device to which DON'T want to pair with. Obviously this solution might not work for everyone but, it's easier than un-pairing and pairing devices all the time.


P.S. Still haven't found a solution to the Mac connecting to select bluetooth devices automatically after it wakes.

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Mavericks Bluetooth Audio Connectivity

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