Bluetooth connectivity issues

Also keep in mind that USB ports are found on HD, wifi router, printer, ... many unexpected places so really look around hard. The key is to find an environment that is away from all of these, and then bring the USB back back one at a time. The distance between the Mini and the wireless device also makes a difference but moving to a new location and keep them as close as possible can also address that. Good luck.

I bought my Mac mini in December 2018 and have been struggling with connecting my Apple Keyboard and Magic Trackpad ever since.

This week I was struggling with another annoying problem in Final Cut Pro so I erased my hard disk and installed a clean version of OSX 10.14.3 and that seems to have solved the bluetooth problem.

Important to mention that I tried a re-install of OSX earlier, but then I didn't erase the disk and just installed a fresh version with keeping my data intact. It's a pretty ****** solution, because now I'll need a day to reinstall everything and hope for a Final Cut Pro fix, because that problem isn't solved yet. But anyhow, bluetooth seems to work flawlessly now.

Gotta agree there, JJWWMM.

After 2 weeks of abject frustration with a brand new 2018 MBP Pro, that would constantly cut connection to my earlier generation Magic Mouse & Keyboard, that's what I did, too - completely erased all my hard disk and reinstalled everything from scratch - after a re-install of just the OS X didn't help.

It's been working since. I also splashed out on a new 5 GHz capable router too, tho, as some have claimed overcrowding of Bluetooth 2,4GHz frequency. This might also have helped the cause, who knows.

Quite relieved I managed to contain the problem after all! And yes - setting it all up again took me 2 full days.

I'm curious: did you test it with just the new router before doing the re-install? I ask because all I did was change my router and make sure I connect only to the 5GHz network and that solved my problem completely. That's all it took.

To be honest, I think it was the full re-install. I wiped everything before going into the shop to return the MBP. Once I was there, I was in the ridiculous situation of not being able to replicate the problem that had been driving me nuts.

I picked up a new router (damage aka costs: €170,-) right there and then, hoping that this would still be a better deal than a new Magic Mouse plus Keyboard (€250,-). I got back, installed the router, Mac's been running ever since. Either the machine got scared of being abandoned and is behaving since, or it's been the full-on hard drive wipe. Before that, the peripherals cut out sometimes every 10secs. For days, no matter what debugging etc I tried.

MKberlin I'm quite sure it's the full re-install indeed. I took my mac mini to all different places and setups and everywhere the trackpad or keyboard would disconnect. In some places it would sometimes take more than an hour to show the trouble, but it would always happen. Until now after the full re-install.

I also had an issue with my login screen: my mouse pointer would be super slow and buggy in the system login screen and on my keyboard I sometimes needed to strike a key 5 or 6 times to make it appear in the password field. Very annoying, but that seems to be fixed as well now.

Just bought the new Mac Mini, spent most of the day yesterday setting it up only to find the same issue with the Bluetooth connection. In my case i am using a Logitech K780 keyboard which does not connect on startup which means that i am unable to type my password in??? Also have a magic mouse which kept disconnecting and then reconnecting all day.

This is not what i expect from Apple and if i am not able to resolve the issue within the next day or two will return the unit and purchase something else.

Neither did I expect from Apple. My house is full of Apple stuff, but I never felt so bad about Apple's treatment before.

If you have any doubts with the performance of your device, please don't miss the two week window they (may) agree to refund. After that you are all alone to deal with the troubles and frustrations.

I already gave up trying to use the logicool K380 bluetooth keyboard. Not only it sometimes disconnect, as soon as I turn it on, music on my airPods start skipping, sometimes as long as 10~20 seconds. Listening to music or listening to anything for that matter, with airPods on a brand new Mac mini can drive you crazy. I can take occasional disconnection of the bluetooth mouse or trackpad, but it is stupid to pay so much and not be able to enjoy two apple hardware devices connected.

By the way, none of this happen on iMac, MacBook Air, iPhone... at the same spot, similar circumstances.

Thanks for the links but I have read both articles and sorry, they don't help.

I understand interference may be the issue but why is Mac mini is so weak while other apple devices perform without a glitch?

I did try and may continue to try all sorts of different things to find the golden combination of things that will finally make Mac mini work. I see many people report doing just that here, but why should anyone have to do that? Why shouldn't Mac mini just work (with another apple product, in my case airPods)?

If Apple thinks that Mac mini 2018 is weaker to interference than other Macs, then why not just announce it and give everyone the chance to make an educated choice.

P.S. K380 keyboard is not my main issue, I just gave it as an example of weakness of Mac mini bluetooth.

Not that the Mini may be "weaker" but as someone tried to remind you that USB interference is a standard set by FCC and Apple has to comply and this can apparently *change from time to time*. Mac is generally highly reliable and it seems to be the case with the one you have. Be patient, you will figure it out, but you have to start the test with a no wifi and no USB state (unless it is from Apple). You cannot test this with your 3rd party USB keyboard connected, because that could be the source of interference. Do you still have an old wired Apple keyboard and mouse? You need to start the test with only Apple products and then add 3rd party device back one at a time. Does your monitor has USB-3 ports? If so, this could be the source of interference ... Assuming you already follow standard procedures to clear out software side of the problem (turn BT on and off, forget device, reboot, rest PRAM ... that sort of things), then the problem is a 3rd party USB-3 device or wifi router. When you get a brand new computer, it is expected to have some incompatibility issues with old third party devices, and this is part of the cost of upgrade that it is not just the up front cost of the new computers but also the cost of replacing peripheries ...

My Mac Mini started out with intense Bluetooth problems. I traced it to low power on the internal power bus that runs BOTH the USB and the Bluetooth interfaces, which is why it’s so hard to diagnose. First, I added a powered USB hub to reduce power consumption. Unfortunately, I also later found that the fan spinning up under load has the same effect. Apple did a fix of sorts in the last update, but this also made mouse actions in games more sluggish because the reconnect routines (which is what was removed and caused the problem) needs to be gone for the next big Apple initiative.

Yes, it’s an Apple problem, but across at least four groups who aren’t talking together. Luckily, Diablo works good enough for me, even with the laggy mouse.

The real fix is a higher wattage power supply.

I appreciate being reminded of FCC rules, but none of the 4 different Apple support advisers mentioned once about that. And I don't think these rules change now and then. If Apple changed something, they should let their customers know.

For those who keep on telling me to try this and that here is the list of things that I tried (may help fellow frustratees):

1. Called Apple support second day of my purchase, they told me to re-install MacOS, I reluctantly did so knowing that the MacOS was already brand new and this wouldn't help --> It didnt

2. Tried everything from no possible interference around (no wifi, no bluetooth device except the airPods, no USB, not even the monitor but a remote connection via lan) -->no improvement

3. Sent Mac mini to Apple for repair => logic board replaced

4. Just as it arrived, without installing anything, with completely wiped out HD and re-installed MacOs, just as in 2. with no I/O connected, I tried to listen to something on airPods --> In horror, after all this efforts there was no improvement. The sound would still randomly skip. Yes I checked again with my MacBook Air in the same spot, right on the same desk, side by side with MacMini. It was flawless.

Sorry, if I knew that I would have to 'debug' Mac mini hardware for four months after I purchase, I would really think twice. Maybe this is not the product I want. But Apple insists it is what I want. They won't refund. So I would like to do a favor to fellow Mac fans to let them know what could happen.

The point is...

When Apple developed this machine are you telling me that they did not realise how people would use the device??? Nonsense.

With limited storage on the lower end models it would have been clear that users would need to be using external HD's and non Apple accessories.

From what i am reading Apple no longer understand what their customers want or need and all they can say is "We think you are going to love it" sound familiar.

NO APPLE, "WE ARE NO LONGER FEELING THE LOVE" and your silence/avoidance of this issue confirms your lack of customer centricity.

I have to agree with JustApple2666, this whole issue is an utter farce. To be frank I don't care WHY the issue affects the Mac Mini 2018, I don't care about the in's and out's of it - all I really want is Apple to admit they have messed up big time with this model and either fix the issue with a software update (if possible) or recall the product as it is not fit for purpose as it stands. If they are not willing or able to fix it then there needs to be an explicit explanation that this model may not work with non-Apple peripherals on the product page of their website. Anything other than this is selling a product that is not fit for purpose. I am sure some Apple Fan Boy will pipe up and try to justify why it's not working properly and blame the end users environment but sorry, no, that's just nonsense. I have been using (purchasing) Mac's from the old LC right up to the iMac Pro and I have never encountered these incompatibility issues (where relevant to the technology of the day). I sent my first Mac Mini back after 3 days and this one is much the same - I have the i7 one which cost me close to £2K, this really is not good enough. Maybe it's time for each and every one of us to spread this like wildfire on Redit, Twitter etc and make Apple sit up and notice.

PS. It seems you can lessen the impact if you get some USB to USB C adapters for your external drives and don't plug anything into the 2 standard USB ports but we should not have to! Oh, and it does not completely eliminate the issues, just less frequent.

Same thing here. Originally, I had a Matias keyboard and a Magic Mouse 1, as well as a USB Hub and a Magic Trrackpad connected to the Mac. After reading all of the recommendations, I invested in a new Apple Keyboard (€110), a Magic Mouse 2 (€100) and a lot of USB-C cable to get rid of the USB-Hub. Result: it's almost impossible to work with the Mac! All BT devices connect multiple times per day. It's completely ridiculous.

I am considering buying an external BT adapter to fix what what is obviously Apple's problem. Had a 2011 iMac before and it has served me well.