Is your iPhone 13 mini not finding Bluetooth devices? If so, most can be resolved with a simple troubleshooting step or two. Below I will explain a few possible fixes for iPhone 13 not discovering Bluetooth issue.
You want to pair or connect a Bluetooth speaker, car stereo, headphones or something else to your iPhone. However, something isn’t working right, and your iPhone 13 mini is not finding Bluetooth devices. Whether it’s your brand new iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max, there’s a lot you can do to troubleshoot before going to Apple or the manufacturer. Sure, sometimes there’s an issue with your headset, speaker, or in-car infotainment system, but often enough it’s a software issue that a few simple steps can fix. If so, follow along and we’ll get you back up and connected in no time!
The vast majority of iPhone owners use Bluetooth technology on a daily basis. As for those users, they cannot go on through their daily tasks without using accessories connected by Bluetooth. However, what if iPhone Bluetooth is not working?
If your iPhone 13 mini doesn’t recognize Bluetooth devices, you’re not alone. This article provides instructions on what you can do when your iPhone 13 mini won’t find Bluetooth devices. The instructions explain on this article applies to iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max that won’t find Bluetooth devices. Let’s dive in.
Here’s what to do when your iPhone 13 mini is not finding Bluetooth devices:
Toggle Bluetooth
The first solution simply involves turning Bluetooth off and back on. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and turn the switch off and back on.
Alternatively, swipe down from the upper right hand corner of your screen to launch the Control Centre and tap on the Bluetooth button to toggle it off and on. This resets all your Bluetooth connections and might fix the problem. You may have to manually tap on each device to connect it after performing this step.
Restart your iPhone and/or Bluetooth device
Sometimes, all it takes is restarting your iPhone Bluetooth device, or both to resolve the issue. Go to Settings > General > Shut Down and drag the power off slider to turn off your iPhone. Hold the button down again to turn it back on. Consult the manual for your Bluetooth device to figure out how to turn it off and back on. Restarting forces everything to load from scratch which often fixes strange issues in the software.
Force restart iPhone
The next thing to try is to force restart your iPhone. You can force reboot your iPhone 13 mini by following the steps below:
Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple Logo.
Charge and move closer
Sometimes, it helps to fully charge both devices. Also, move your iPhone 12 closer the device you’re trying to pair or connect to. These simple things can fix the Bluetooth issues you are experiencing.
Make sure your Bluetooth device is discoverable
One of the reason why your iPhone 13 mini is not finding Bluetooth is because the device’s own Bluetooth is switched off, or isn’t in pairing mode.
Check the manufacturere’s documentation to find out how to make it discoverable by turning on pairing mode. With some headphones, it’s a case of holding the power button down for longer, but with other devices there’s a dedicated Bluetooth button.
Some of the most frustrating devices have to be completely reset before they’ll be discoverable again.
Make sure your iPhone is discoverable
Even if Bluetooth is turned on, your iPhone 13 mini itself might not be ‘discoverable’. This means that a Bluetooth device you haven’t yet paired cannot see your iPhone 13 mini.
To make it visible to other devices, open the main Bluetooth settings. Your iPhone 13 mini will be discoverable when Bluetooth is turned on. It will search for Bluetooth devices available for pairing when you go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Try re-pairing
Sometimes the easiest solution when you’re having the problem of iPhone 13 mini not discovering Bluetooth devices is to forget your device and pair it again. You can do this by going to Settings > Bluetooth and select the more icon next to your Bluetooth device. From this screen, select forget this device. Once this is done, put your Bluetooth device in pairing mode and pair it to your device again.
Install the Latest iOS Update
If you are still experiencing the problem of iPhone 13 mini not finding Bluetooth devices, try updating iOS to the latest version. Updating the operating systems to the latest version often fixes bugs, and your iPhone 13 mini Bluetooth issue might be resolved with the updates. You can update iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The system will check for software updates and if any are found, you will be notified. Choose the download and install button and connect your device to a power source to prevent the battery from dying while the update is installing. Your device will download the update, prepare it, and then reboot to install it. Wait until your device reboots. Check your Bluetooth device and confirm everything is working as expected.
Broken Bluetooth?
It’s rare, but not impossible, for the issue to be that Bluetooth isn’t working properly or at all on your iPhone 13 mini. If you find that the Bluetooth toggle is greyed out in the iPhone’s settings, then you know the reason why your iPhone 13 mini is not discovering Bluetooth devices. Check the last solution on this article..
Reset Network Settings
If you find your iPhone 13 mini not discovering Bluetooth devices after trying the above steps, try to reset network settings. But beware: along with completely wiping all Bluetooth information on your iPhone, this will erase other network settings including known Wi-Fi networks and VPN configurations.
You can do this by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. On that page, select Reset Network Settings and type in your passcode. Then your iPhone will turn off and restart. After that, check if your iPhone 13 mini can find Bluetooth devices. If your problem still isn’t solved, move to the next solution.
Reset the Bluetooth Accessory
Are you still facing the problem of iPhone 13 mini not recognizing Bluetooth devices? Don’t worry, the problem could be with your Bluetooth accessory. So, try resetting the Bluetooth device. Keep in mind, the process varies from one device to the other. Therefore, take the help of the user manual or contact the manufacturer for help if you don’t know how to reset the device.
Restore and Setup as new iPhone
This is not ideal, but if you find your iPhone 13 mini not discovering Bluetooth devices after trying the above tips, the last resort is to restore your iPhone via iTunes or Finder in macOS Catalina/Big Sur and set it up as a new device. This way, you start afresh and get rid of possibly problematic customizations and settings on your device.
Visit an Apple Store
If none of the tricks are working for you then it’s a trip to the nearest Apple Store. Your iPhone 13 mini might be having an hardware issue.
iPhone 13 mini not discovering Bluetooth devices: Fixed!
While it’s never fun to troubleshoot, hopefully these fixes will help get your iPhone 13 mini finding Bluetooth devices again. Which trick helped you to resolve the issue? Drop a comment and let us know.
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