Macbook Air (mid-2012) won't pair with iPhone 6

Kayshewa wrote:

Iphone 6plus and macbook pro mid 2014 same problem! Pleeeaaassseee fiiiiixxxxxxxxxx 😢

WHAT SAME PROBLEM? There are at least a dozen different problems described in this 10 page thread. And actually READING the thread you posted to probably will solve your problem, whatever it is. And who do you want to Pleeeaaassseee fiiiiixxxxxxxxxx it? If you mean Apple, you're in the wrong place; this is a user-to-user technical support forum, not a way to communicate with Apple. And anyway, I'm willing to bet 10 to 1 that your problem is actually YOUR problem for not learning how to use your device.

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can. Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

I thought I'd solved the problem with my iPhone 6 communicating (by pairing with bluetooth or otherwise) with my MacBook Air, but the problem has returned. I have now had a 45 min, a 2hour 38 min, and a 28 min call with technical support, and Apple can't cure the problem. We have tried everything: resetting network settings, completely resetting my iPhone 6, setting up new user accounts on the MacBook Air, setting up new iCloud accounts, trying three different wifi networks, disconnecting ethernet connect connections, logging on and off and on and off FaceTime and Message on all machines in the loop. And it still doesn't work.

There is something wrong.

simonweldon wrote:

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can. Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

Wrong. If you read the Terms of Use you will learn that Apple does not read or respond in this forum, with the exception of "Community Specialists" who respond to posts that have not been answered in 24 hours. And all they can do is post links to existing Knowledge Base entries. In the 10 years I have participated there has never been an official post from Apple in response to a message or a thread.

simonweldon wrote:

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can. Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

I thought I'd solved the problem with my iPhone 6 communicating (by pairing with bluetooth or otherwise) with my MacBook Air, but the problem has returned.

You cannot pair an iPhone with ANY computer, including Macs, except for sharing the phone's Internet connection. This has never been a supported BlueTooth profile. Not for 7 years, since the original iPhone. And the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 does not change that. See: Bluetooth: Why can't I pair my iPhone or iPad with another iOS device or with my computer?

You're right - I was being liberal with my language. But you must agree Apple are interested in what is posted. And no one has been able to resolve mine (and lots of other people's) problem - the iPhone 6 won't do what they say it will do with a MacBook Air. Whether non-technicians like me call it 'pairing' or otherwise, neither I nor Apple can get my MacBook Air to dial out through my iPhone 6, nor send messages to non-Apple recipients (a normal text) through Messages.

I just want it to work - it was a major reason why I bought the iPhone 6.

Network is unavailable. Make sure network access is enabled.

What network? All my other bluetooth stuff works, but I can't get my iPhone 5 running 8.1.1 to connect to my iMac running Yosemite 10.10.1. Help!

Bob H. wrote:

Network is unavailable. Make sure network access is enabled.

What network? All my other bluetooth stuff works, but I can't get my iPhone 5 running 8.1.1 to connect to my iMac running Yosemite 10.10.1. Help!

Bluetooth: Why can't I pair my iPhone or iPad with another iOS device or with my computer?

Larry -- thanks so much for the helpful reply. However, it is still a bit of a mystery to me why it was working just fine before a recent update of either Yosemite on my iMac or OS 8 on my iPhone 5.

iPhones have NEVER EVER paired with computers, Mac or Windows, except for Internet tethering. It was not working before any recent updates.

OK --- I must have misunderstood the function of Bluetooth in use of my iMac as a phone.

What was working was using my iMac as a phone via FaceTime. It rang and worked just like my phone. I thought it was using the Bluetooth connection via my iPhone to make and receive calls -- maybe not. This feature was lost during a recent update. Everything worked fine until one of the recent updates, either on Yosemite or the OS 8, seemed to disabled it. At any rate, I can no longer use my iMac as a phone via FaceTime.

Thanks again for your help.

Here are the official instructions: Get help using Continuity with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite - Apple Support

What some people have found is that you may need to Quit Messages on your Mac, then relaunch it. Also make sure Handoff is on in the iPhone's settings. And it may be obvious, but they have to be on the same WiFi network.

Larry -- I carefully tried and double checked all the instructions and advice. I now am able to receive calls on my iMac, initiating calls on the iMac still doesn't work.

"iPhone Calls Not Available

Your iPhone must us the same

iCloud and FaceTime account."

However, the advice in this dialogue box has already been followed and double checked.

On the phone go to Settings/Facetime and verify that iPhone Cellular Calls is on, and note the Apple ID.

Open System Preferences on your Mac, iCloud settings. Verify that the Apple ID is the same.

Open Facetime preferences on your Mac. Make sure your phone number and iCloud address are checked, and that your Facetime email address is the same as your iCloud email address. Then quite Facetime and relaunch it.

People say 'paired' because they are not technicians and most people would think that as things worked fine before the update to Yosemite, it was because everything was paired. Its a fair assumption if you're not into the technicalities of how Apple devices talk to each other.

More importantly, do you have any suggestions as to what the problem is?

I had EXACTLY the same problem. After 3 lengthy telephones calls with Apple, no one could solve the issue.

BUT ... someone earlier in the thread suggested turning off the firewall on the Mac, and since I did this, everything has worked fine. I don't even have to have everything on the same wifi (but just on the same network).

Everything checks out, and I have done this many times at this point. The only part of your instructions I can't follow completely is --

"Make sure your phone number and iCloud address are checked, and that your FaceTime email address is the same as you iClound email address."

The FaceTime preferences do not have a phone number to check, but the "iPhone Cellular Calls" is checked.