Interactive fix flowchart
Bluetooth won’t connect
Fix Bluetooth headphones, speakers, keyboards, mice, cars, phones, Windows PCs, Macs, and devices that are paired but not connecting.
All fixes in this guide
Fix: Bluetooth headphones not showing up
Bluetooth headphones usually do not appear when they are not in pairing mode, are already connected to another device, have low battery, or need to be reset.
Fix: Bluetooth headphones won’t connect
Headphones that appear but will not connect usually have a corrupted saved pairing, are connected to another device, or need Bluetooth restarted.
Fix: Bluetooth connected but no sound
Bluetooth can connect successfully but play no sound when the wrong audio output is selected, volume is muted, the app is using another device, or the Bluetooth audio profile is stuck.
Fix: Only one Bluetooth earbud works
One earbud usually stops working when the earbuds are out of sync, one side has low battery, the case contacts are dirty, or the earbuds need to be reset.
Fix: Bluetooth speaker not showing up
A Bluetooth speaker usually does not show up when it is not in pairing mode, is already connected to another device, has low battery, or Bluetooth discovery is stuck.
Fix: Bluetooth speaker won’t connect
A speaker that appears but will not connect usually has a broken saved pairing, is already connected somewhere else, or has reached its device memory limit.
Fix: Bluetooth audio stutters or cuts out
Bluetooth audio usually stutters because of distance, interference, low battery, a crowded 2.4 GHz area, app issues, or the device switching audio profiles.
Fix: Car Bluetooth won’t pair
Car Bluetooth pairing often fails because the car is not in pairing mode, the phone is already paired badly, the car memory is full, or the phone is connected to another Bluetooth device.
Fix: Car Bluetooth connected but no audio
Car Bluetooth can connect but play no audio when the car is on the wrong source, media audio is disabled, volume is low, or the phone connected only for calls.
Fix: Car Bluetooth calls work but music does not
If calls work but music does not, the phone is probably connected for call audio but not media audio, or the car is not set to the Bluetooth media source.
Fix: Car Bluetooth connects to the wrong phone
A car often connects to the wrong phone when multiple saved phones are nearby and the car automatically chooses the first available or last-used device.
Fix: Bluetooth keyboard won’t connect
A Bluetooth keyboard usually will not connect because it is not in pairing mode, the batteries are low, it is paired to another device, or the saved pairing is broken.
Fix: Bluetooth mouse won’t connect
A Bluetooth mouse usually will not connect because the battery is low, it is not in pairing mode, it is connected to another device, or Bluetooth is stuck.
Fix: Bluetooth accessory won’t connect
Most Bluetooth accessories fail to connect because they are not in pairing mode, have low battery, are connected to another device, or have a broken saved pairing.
Fix: Bluetooth paired but not connected
A paired Bluetooth device is remembered but not actively connected. This usually happens when the device is off, out of range, connected elsewhere, or the saved pairing is broken.
Fix: Bluetooth missing or not showing
If Bluetooth is missing completely, the device may have Bluetooth turned off, airplane mode enabled, a missing driver, disabled hardware, or no Bluetooth adapter.
FAQ
Why won’t Bluetooth connect?
The most common causes are the device not being in pairing mode, the device already being connected somewhere else, Bluetooth being stuck, low battery, distance, interference, or a corrupted saved pairing.
What should I try first when Bluetooth will not connect?
Turn Bluetooth off and on, restart both devices, make sure the accessory is in pairing mode, then forget the device and pair it again.
Why does my Bluetooth device say paired but not connected?
Paired means the devices remember each other. Connected means they are actively linked. A device can be paired but not connected if it is off, connected to another device, out of range, or stuck.
Can Bluetooth connect to two devices at once?
Some newer headphones, speakers, and cars support multipoint Bluetooth, but many devices can only actively connect to one phone, laptop, or tablet at a time.