Bluetooth Not Pairing or Working on macOS Monterey, How To Fix?

The Monterey update is more of an incremental update than a radical departure from the already-polished macOS. As a result, it offers plenty of convenience features, security features, and collaboration features. Some features won’t be available for a while, such as Universal Control, which lets you move your mouse and data between an iPad and a Mac.

But, there is one more issue that users started pointing out about macOS Monterey. Recently, Bluetooth is not pairing or working on macOS Monterey for some users. This is a very annoying error as users face many issues due to this problem. The Bluetooth is not pairing, or the working error on macOS Monterey has been resolved, so no need to worry. check them out.

Bluetooth Not Pairing or Working on macOS Monterey, How To Fix?

How To Fix Bluetooth Not Pairing or Working on macOS Monterey

Hold on! No worries, it is fixable when Bluetooth won’t pair or doesn’t work on macOS Monterey; you can fix it. But, to do that, you must perform the fixes mentioned below. So, let’s have a look at those fixes.

Fix 1: Remove and Reconnect All Bluetooth Devices

It is necessary to remove and reconnect all Bluetooth devices if you experience Bluetooth connectivity issues after updating your Mac. If you’re experiencing any connectivity issues, it is most likely that initiating a fresh connection will resolve them.

  1. Tap on System Preferences from the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
  2. From the System Preferences window, click on Bluetooth to access Bluetooth settings.
  3. Select a Bluetooth device by hovering over it and clicking on the cross icon.
  4. In the confirmation prompt, click the Remove button to remove your Bluetooth device.Remove and Reconnect All Bluetooth Devices
  5. Connect all your Bluetooth devices by repeating the process.

This will surely help you resolve the Bluetooth not pairing issue, as many macOS Monterey users have reported that this helped them resolve it. 

Fix 2: Update macOS

You must be running macOS Monterey’s latest version before proceeding with troubleshooting. To fix bugs in macOS, Apple releases regular updates. Hence, if you haven’t updated your device, you could be experiencing Bluetooth connectivity issues.

  1. From the Apple Menu, select System Preferences in the top-left corner.
  2. Click on the Software Update setting in the System Preferences window.
  3. The new updates will be automatically downloaded. It will notify you if it finds any updates and shows the Update Now button. Click on it.Update macOS

You just have to wait until the Mac system OS gets updated. Once done, try to connect your Bluetooth device to check whether the Bluetooth is not pairing or working on the macOS Monterey issue gets resolved.  

Fix 3: Reset Bluetooth Module

A reset button for the Bluetooth module is no longer visible in macOS Monterey. Up to macOS Big Sur, users could reset the Bluetooth module by selecting the ‘Reset Bluetooth Module’ setting by option-clicking the Bluetooth icon. Unfortunately, it no longer exists in macOS Monterey. For this, you will need a Terminal.

  • You can launch Terminal using Spotlight.
  • In Finder, click Go and select Utilities. Moreover, you can use the keyboard shortcut CMD+Shift+U.
  •  Double-click Terminal to open it.
  • The Terminal command added below should be copied and pasted into the Terminal.
    sudo pkill bluetoothd

Reset Bluetooth Module

  • To run the command, you need to enter your desktop password. Once you have typed your password, hit enter.
  • Now, restart your device. 

That’s it. Now, simply check if the Bluetooth not pairing or working issue in macOS Monterey issue gets resolved or not.

Fix 4: Remove Bluetooth Plist File

The Bluetooth plist file can also be deleted in macOS Monterey to solve Bluetooth not pairing or working issues. You will be able to connect to Bluetooth after this is done, and you will be able to fix any connectivity issues.

  1. From the dock, open the Finder, click on the Go option at the top, then click on the Go to Folder option. Using the shortcut Cmd+Shift+G, you can do the same action quickly.Remove Bluetooth Plist File
  2. In the address bar, type /Library/Preferences and press Enter.
  3. You can delete a file called com.apple.Bluetooth.plist by pressing the command+delete shortcut on your keyboard. You can also delete the file by dragging it to the Trash.Remove Bluetooth Plist File
  4. Use the Cmd+Shift+G keyboard shortcut again to open the Go to Folder menu. Then, search for ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost and hit enter.
  5. You will need to find the file with the start-up com.apple.Bluetooth and delete or move it to Trash.
  6. In the top-left corner, select Apple menu > Restart > Restart your Mac.

Fix 5: Reset The System Management Controller

An SMC controls various hardware functions on a Mac, including status LEDs, cooling fans, system performance, etc. The SMC may need to be reset on Intel Macs built with Apple T2 chips, mostly those released after 2017. This might fix issues such as Bluetooth connectivity issues or a non-working keyboard backlight.

It should be noted that Apple Silicon-powered Macs do not feature SMCs. M1 Macs must be shut down, waited 30 seconds, then restarted. 

  1. In order to shut down your Mac, click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner and choose Shut Down.
  2. Then, press down the right Shift key for seven seconds while pressing the left Option, left Control, and left Shift keys.
  3. Hold these keys for seven seconds while pressing and holding the power button.
  4. Restart your Mac after waiting 30 seconds, releasing all the keys.

Fix 6: Restart Your Device

The Bluetooth not pairing or working problem can also be resolved by restarting your Mac’s Monterey. Therefore, you must reboot your Mac and check if it starts pairing with your Bluetooth device or not.

Fix 7: Go To Apple Service Center

Now, the last option to fix this problem is to head over to the nearest Apple service center. You should therefore take your mac to the nearest service center. After that, Apple engineers will surely fix this problem for you.

So, that’s all how to fix Bluetooth not pairing or working issue on macOS Monterey. We hope that you find this guide helpful. For more info, comment below and let us know.

Comments

  1. Tried all of the supposed fixes for getting bluetooth to connect to my (4 different kinds) of bluetooth headphones. No luck. Was fine until I updated the latest Monterey 12.5.1 software, and now no matter how many fixits I try, including deleting plist files and reprogramming via the terminal, Monterey 12.5.1 has completely screwed up my previously working computer. Can someone please recommend a real solution? I’ve also had to send this MacBook Air (M1, 2020) to Apple Care 3 times so they could fix hardware problems. They basically removed and re-installed the logic board, Touch ID, and IO board, which did NOTHING. I would appreciate anyone who can help with this problem, because apparently Apple has not idea.

  2. I too have tried all these “fixes” to no avail;. It is frankly outrageous that Apple, who charge a premium for just about everything have not fixed this – my work depends on it, and it is costing me dearly. Will I buy Apple again? I doubt it, it is just so frustrating.

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