After waiting a few months, Apple finally began releasing the official public beta of iOS 16 for its eligible iPhone users by signing up for Apple’s Beta Software Program. So if you haven’t installed the iOS 16 Beta Profile yet, you can check here. Although the Developer Beta Program started initially, the public beta still has a fair amount of issues. Several users are faced with the iOS 16 Bluetooth not working or pairing issues.
Bluetooth not connecting or not pairing with other Bluetooth devices on iOS is not a new issue. It is one of the common problems that most users of the iOS beta program encounter daily when connecting to other devices. Although the number of errors or problems is less on iOS than on Android, the solutions to fix these problems can be almost the same depending on the operating system. So, you don’t have to worry.
iOS 16 Bluetooth not working or pairing issue, how to fix it?
The iOS 16 Public Beta update began rolling out on July 11, 2022, and the Public Beta 2 version is running widely now. According to Apple, the official stable version of iOS 16 will start arriving in “autumn” 2022, as every year, but there is no specific date yet. So, we can consider that there are a couple of months left and we will have to wait for the stable release to get the most error-free experience.
There are many chances that the device’s network or connectivity system will go wrong, the system software will get corrupted or outdated, the list of Bluetooth-paired devices will fill up, and more. Fortunately, here we have shared a couple of possible solutions that should be useful. Now, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.
1. Turn Bluetooth off and on
It is strongly recommended to turn off Bluetooth on the iOS 16 device, then wait a couple of seconds and turn Bluetooth back on. This simple and common trick can easily fix temporary iPhone Bluetooth connectivity failures or cache data issues. To do so:
- Go to the Settings app > Tap Bluetooth.
- Tap on the Toggle Bluetooth to turn it off.
- Now, be sure to turn it on again to check if that fixes the problem or not.
2. Force restart your iPhone (hard reset)
Apple offers the simple hard reset method for iOS devices that restarts the device on the system by force to update the system failure quite effectively. Although hard reset indicates a complete process of erasing system data on Android OS, that is not the case. You can consider it as a force restart for your iPhone. To do so:
- Make sure the iPhone is turned on and unlock the lock screen.
- Now, quickly press the Volume Up (+) key and release it, then quickly press the Volume Down (-) key and release it, then quickly press and hold the power button (side key) for a few seconds until the Apple boot logo appears on the screen.
- Once the Apple logo appears, you can release the power button (side key) and wait for the device to boot into the system.
This specific method will help update the system of the temporary fault device. So, you don’t need to perform a factory reset every time there is some conflict on your iPhone.
3. Forget about linked devices and reconnect
Make sure you forget the paired Bluetooth device on your iPhone and then try pairing again because sometimes it can cause other devices to sync. If in this case, your list of paired Bluetooth devices is quite large, be sure to remove or forget some not-so-necessary Bluetooth devices from the list.
- Go to the Settings app > Tap Bluetooth.
- Tap on the Toggle Bluetooth to turn it on > If other Bluetooth devices are already turned on, your iPhone will connect automatically.
- In that case, you will need to tap the (me) icon next to the connected device from the list.
- Here tap Forget this device and select Forget Device when prompted to remove it.
- If there are already multiple Bluetooth devices connected, simply forget or turn them off.
- Now, you should try to turn on the specific Bluetooth device that is causing you problems.
- Find the device on your iPhone and connect it.
4. Check for iOS 16 build updates
Needless to say, you should always look for the software update available on your iPhone and install it immediately. An outdated version or build of the system may become faulty and incompatible with applications or connections to make them work properly. While the new update consists of bug fixes, improvements, additional features, security patches and more, which will help.
- Go to the Settings app > Tap General.
- Tap Software Update > Be sure to select Automatic Updates to On for your convenience.
- At the same time, the system will automatically start checking for the available software update.
- If available, it will notify you and then you can tap Download and Install. [It will also ask you to enter the device passcode]
- If it is not available, you will see the ‘iOS is updated’ notification on the screen.
5. Make sure the Bluetooth device is close enough
Another thing you should consider is that you have kept your Bluetooth device close to your iPhone because it will help both Bluetooth devices discover it and connect quickly. In general, the range of the Bluetooth signal is about 10 meters, but you can try to keep the device close enough for better connectivity and low signal interruption. Also, make sure there are no walls or obstacles between the devices to reduce interference.
6. Try restarting the Bluetooth device
Make sure to turn off the problematic Bluetooth device that you are trying to connect to your iOS 16 device. Once turned off, just wait a few seconds to update the connectivity flaw and then turn it on. Now, you can turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone. You should also check whether the problematic Bluetooth device is in pairing mode or not. No matter what colour is displayed on the LED indicator, it should flash continuously in pairing mode.
Once the device is paired and connected, the LED indicator stops flashing and remains fixed. In general, most Bluetooth devices have a red or red/blue flicker during pairing. So keep in mind that unless the device goes into pairing mode, it won’t be discoverable or will not connect with another Bluetooth device.
7. Turn on airplane mode and turn it off again
It is also suggested to turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone for a few seconds and then turn it off to update the temporary connectivity/network failure on the phone. Not only for Bluetooth pairing, but Airplane Mode also fixes Internet connectivity, cellular network failures, etc. To do so:
- Go to the Settings app > Tap on the Airplane Mode switch to turn it on.
- Once turned on, just wait 5 seconds and turn it off again.
You can also open the Control Center menu by lowering the screen from the top right corner and tapping the Airplane Mode icon to do the same.
8. Reset network settings
In some cases, there’s a good chance that the above methods won’t work for you, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to handle it for long. You can try to reset network settings by following the steps below to restore the default factory mode for network settings on your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app > Tap General.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Restart > Select Reset Network Settings.
- Now, it will ask you to enter your device’s password.
- Once entered, be sure to tap on Restart again to confirm it.
- Wait for the restart process to complete and then restart the iPhone to apply the changes.
- Finally, reconnect to the Wi-Fi network to check the problem.
9. Restore iPhone from iCloud or iTunes Backup
Sometimes, you may need to restore your iPhone to recover the system from iCloud Backup or iTunes Backup. However, keep in mind that this method will completely reset the iPhone system and you may lose some data if a proper backup is not made. Therefore, be sure to perform a full backup before performing this method.
Note: This method will only apply if you have previously backed up your data to iTunes or iCloud. If a previous backup has not been made, you can skip this method.
Restore iPhone with iTunes:
- Open iTunes on your computer> Now, connect your iPhone to Windows or Mac via the USB cable.
- Connect iTunes to iPhone and the device will be detected.
- Next, click the iPhone icon from the left panel> Click Restore Backup.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restore process.
- Once done, your iPhone will boot into the system automatically. It will take some time, so be patient.
- Finally, your device will boot into iOS, disconnect the iPhone, and then complete the initial setup process.
- You are good to go.
Restore iPhone with iCloud:
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone> Tap on General.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page > Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Restart > Select Erase All Content and Settings.
- Confirm the task (if prompted)> Your iPhone will restart automatically.
- The restart process may take some time to complete. So, have a little patience.
- Once the iPhone boots into the system, go through the initial setup process.
- Next, sign in with your Apple ID > Here, you’ll need to select Restore from iCloud Backup.
- Once the backup data is selected to restore, confirm the task to continue.
- Wait for the process to complete> Finally, your iPhone will restart again to load the backup.
- Enjoy!
10. Downgrade to stable iOS 15
Last but not least, if none of the methods worked for you, be sure to manually downgrade or revert the iOS 16 version to the stable version of iOS 15 by following this detailed guide. Whether you are using the stable or beta edition of iOS 16, the guide will help you switch to an older version. Upgrading to the latest stable version of iOS should completely fix many bugs or issues related to the software.
That’s it, guys. We assume you found this guide helpful. For more inquiries, you can comment below.