Common Bluetooth Problems and How to Solve Them

Bluetooth might be an old technology by today’s standard but it is still quite useful when pairing different accessories with your android smartphone. Therefore, it is quite annoying when there are problems connecting your Bluetooth device to your smartphone. These are some common Bluetooth problems and how you can solve them easily.

Although the days of sharing data through Bluetooth are gone, it is still quite essential in many other tasks such as pairing wireless headphones, so it wouldn’t hurt to simply go through these problems just in case.

I own a fairly good quality Bluetooth speaker and sometimes it just refuses to pair with my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone for some reason. Same can be said for my Sony smartphone refusing to play well with your in-car stereo.

Thankfully, I have gathered some common Bluetooth problems and how they can be easily solved just by following some simple steps. Hopefully, your Bluetooth is not completely broken (this cannot happen, Bluetooth is air) and these solutions will help you listen to Celine Dion on your wireless headphones.

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1. Pairing Issues

This is one of the biggest issues Bluetooth devices may face and by far the most common. 90% of the problems you face when using a Bluetooth device is its inability to pair with other Bluetooth enabled devices. Naturally, I’ll be focusing on this issue for a big chunk of this article as well, let’s kick off the common Bluetooth problems and how to solve them with a chunky problem.

Solutions:

Turn it on: This one is a painfully obvious one but nonetheless quite important because a lot of people forget to actually turn on the Bluetooth. Double check if you have turned on Bluetooth or not, it is represented by a tiny Bluetooth symbol right at the top of the screen. If it’s not there, your Bluetooth is turned off.

Discoverable: Now that you have turned on your Bluetooth but it is still not being discovered by the other device, there is a chance that it is not in discovery mode. Going to the Bluetooth settings and turn on discovery, so that your smartphone or tablet is visible to the other device.

Security Method: You also need to determine what security method your device deploys, usually devices are easily paired but some require a code that is generated by the other device. So make sure you are entering the code right because otherwise you won’t be able to connect at all.

Proximity: This is another big issue, some devices have a slightly shorter range of connectivity, so make sure both devices are close to each other. If you remember the old infrared sharing habits, Bluetooth is a bit more forgiving than that but if need be, put the devices as close as you can.

Interference: This is a long shot but some older Bluetooth devices tend to get confused when paired with multiple devices. For example, if your friend has paired his smartphone with your Bluetooth speaker, it may try to establish that connection first. So, it would be wise to tell your friend to turn off his Bluetooth so that you can pair with ease.

Low Charge: Some devices like a Bluetooth speaker don’t have a battery indicator so your Bluetooth may be acting up due to low charge. It is highly advised that you charge both devices before trying to pair.

Restart: This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, restart both the devices and see if it works. There is a high chance that a simple restart would iron out all the kinks.

Recognized Device: In other solution to make Bluetooth work is to completely forget the saved connection. Then re-pair them in a new connection. This can usually help in strengthening the Bluetooth connectivity.

Avoid Signal Interference: Another reason for Bluetooth not work perfectly is electronic or radio interference. If you’re standing closely to a Wi-Fi router, try to move away a bit. Same goes for USB 3.0 devices, distance yourself with those as well to avoid any kind of interference.

Compatibility: As a last resort, check to see if both devices are compatible with each other or not. Some devices may have Bluetooth connectivity but they are not intended to be used with android devices. So, make sure both devices are fully compatible with each other.

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2. Bluetooth Not Working

If your Bluetooth is not turning on outright, there can be multiple things wrong with it. These are the steps that may help you in getting it in a working condition.

Restart it: Try starting the Bluetooth by going into the settings and pressing the button multiple times. Sometimes Bluetooth button takes a while to light up, so be patient with it after you press it.

Restart device: Restart your smartphone or tablet and see if anything changes. Sometimes the hardware fails to register after the device has remained on for an extended period of time.

Remove Battery: If your smartphone still comes with a removable battery, I recommend removing the battery and laying your smartphone down for 10 minutes. Sometimes the static electricity is the culprit in the malfunctioning Bluetooth.

Visit Repair Center: If all else fails, this is most likely a hardware issue and can only be repaired by a professional. If your devices have a warranty, I highly recommend taking it back to the manufacturer and getting it repaired. If not, you have to bear the expenses and take it to a repair center yourself.

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Conclusion

These are some of the common Bluetooth problems and how you can solve them, I hope this article has helped you in some way. In my experience, Bluetooth is a relatively reliable technology and usually doesn’t fail on android devices. Sure Bluetooth mice and keyboards tend to have more problems than android smartphones but that is also quite rare.

Have I missed any solution to the Bluetooth problems? Feel free to add on in the commands below and I’ll make sure to add it in the article. Until then, here is a list of some great Bluetooth speakers for android.

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