iPhone lost bluetooth connections

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Level 1

42 points

iPhone lost bluetooth connections

In iTunes (11.4, OS 10.9.5) I unthinkingly clicked the disconnect button for my iPhone (5S, iOS 7.1.2), now I cannot connect my iPhone via Bluetooth to my MacBook Pro or IPad. I was able to connect to my Jaybird earbuds, but after I forgot all devices, the iPhone never discovers it. It just searches and searches. Interestingly, my MacBook recognizes the Jaybird earbuds, but never connects. I did successfully connect to a Motorola Silver earbud/mike.

I've forgotten all the devices listed under Bluetooth on my iPhone, and now it can't find any devices. From my MacBook I was able to get my iPhone recognized again. But when I pair the two, get the matching code, and click pair, the devices are listed on each, but not connected. On the MacBook the iPhone has an X next to it. When I click on the MacBook under Bluetooth device, I get the message "Connection Unsuccessful 'MacBook Pro' is not supported. Forget Device."

If I try to connect my iPhone from my iPad where it is listed as "Not Paired", I get "Pairing Unsuccessful. Make sure '[iPhone name]' is turned on, in range, and is ready to pair." My iPhone is right next to my iPad!!! The iPhone is "Now Discoverable" and busy "Searching..."

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.1

Posted on Jan 18, 2015 3:15 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 18, 2015 4:18 PM in response to Mel Magree

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

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Answer 2

Mel Magree Author

Level 1

42 points

Jan 18, 2015 5:28 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks for your fast response, but I didn't see anything to explain why Bluetooth has been working well with five devices for so long with OS 10.9 and iOS 7 and then suddenly doesn't work when I click the wrong button in iTunes at the wrong time.

This means my earbuds are suddenly useless. I can use wi-fi to use my iPhone as a hotspot, but Bluetooth was less hassle to set up.

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Answer 3

Jan 18, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Mel Magree

It has nothing at all to do with iTunes. For your earbuds reset them; most earbuds can only pair to one or two devices, and they will refuse to pair with anything else until reset. iPads and iPhones never paired with each other. Airdrop does not require pairing, it only requires that BlueTooth be turned on for both devices. Hotspot operation changed with iOS 8; it is still available, but it works differently. See this for more details:Get help using Continuity with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite - Apple Support and this: Mac Basics: AirDrop lets you send files from your Mac to nearby Macs and iOS devices - Apple Support

Also these: iOS: Understanding Personal Hotspot - Apple Support

iOS: Troubleshooting Personal Hotspot - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Mel Magree Author

Level 1

42 points

Jan 18, 2015 7:17 PM in response to Mel Magree

I tried resetting my iPhone to factory settings as described in http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-factory-reset-an-iphone/.

No luck, and I lost Google Earth. And more than an hour of my evening.

My iPad and MacBook can't find my iPhone even when it is inches from them.

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Answer 5

Mel Magree Author

Level 1

42 points

Jan 18, 2015 7:36 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks for your continued responses to this problem.

Bluetooth was working fine with iOS 7 and Mavericks until I inadvertently hit the "disconnect" button for my iPhone in iTunes.

No thanks on moving up to Yosemite. I've finally learned to not upgrade to a major level on older devices. I'll wait until I buy new devices to get the latest iOS or OS. Way back in the 80s I was eager for the latest software. No more!

See also my message about factory reset.

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Answer 6

Jan 19, 2015 6:39 AM in response to Mel Magree

Mel Magree wrote:

My iPad and MacBook can't find my iPhone even when it is inches from them.

It has never been possible, with any version of iOS or OS X, to pair an iPhone or an iPad to a Mac except for Internet tethering.

Here are the supported BlueTooth profiles: iOS: Supported Bluetooth profiles - Apple Support

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Answer 7

Mel Magree Author

Level 1

42 points

Jan 19, 2015 11:49 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

The problem is that I am trying internet tethering. Sorry if I was misleading or distracted.

I have my iPhone connected to the internet via cellular. Bluetooth is on and I can connect my iPad to the internet via my iPhone Hotspot. However, when I try to connect my MacBook to the iPhone in Bluetooth, the connection lasts for a bit and then fails. This had worked fine until I mistakenly pushed, in iTunes, the eject button for the iPhone.

I can also successfully access the internet with my wife's iPad mini via my iPhone.

The question is what did I "destroy" in my MacBook such that the connection to my iPhone will not hold.

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