Continued Mac Bluetooth Problems

I have a bluetooth speaker, and sometimes the Mac stops being able to connect to it when it's turned on. One thing I found that helps is to take my iPhone and try to share something (I usually use a web page) via AirDrop with the Mac. It sometimes takes two or three tries, but once AirDrop properly shows the Mac as an option, suddenly the computer will connect to the speaker.

Me too. High Sierra is the first version of macOS I've ever used which has trouble keeping a Bluetooth mouse connected.

Me a few minutes ago: Huh, I can't say I've had any issues. *attempts and fails multiple times to connect AirPods* Ah ok.

Bluetooth is one of those technologies that promised ease of use and completely frictionless connections, yet here we are 10+ years after its mass adoption and it is still REALLY buggy. The only great implementation I have seen is AirPods, and that is because Apple had to create a whole transport layer (which, naturally, is proprietary) to have it work so well.

If I were the Bluetooth consortium, I would come up with a new, rock-solid standard, brand it something really good (not just Bluetooth 4 or whatever the next version number is) and make it WORK. Enforce the standards, authenticate devices that follow the protocol perfectly, etc. It has so much promise but ugh, STILL a hot mess here in 2018.

@Eric Kind of like USB…

One newer standard is Bluetooth LE, which is mostly used for sensor type devices, with quite different APIs and user experience. Bluetooth LE mice do exist; I have one primarily for iOS usage, but it's impossibly flaky on the macOS. On Windows 10 (dual-booted on the exact same Mac hardware), the experience is terrific - it starts working within less than a second of me turning the mouse on, essentially instantaneous.

One of the issues when Bluetooth is flaky on the Mac is that you can't easily control your Mac remotely to reset things. I handle this in part by exposing my Mac's Bluetooth state through HomeKit, Homebridge and blueutil:

{
[...]
    "platforms": [
        {
            "platform": "cmdSwitch2",
            "name": "CMD Switch",
            "switches": [
[...]
                {
                        "name": "Mary Bluetooth",
                        "on_cmd": "/usr/local/bin/blueutil on",
                        "off_cmd": "/usr/local/bin/blueutil off",
                        "state_cmd": "/usr/local/bin/blueutil status | /usr/bin/grep -q 'Status: on'"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Note that VMware Fusion 10.1.3 has been released which supposedly resolves the issue of earlier versions sometimes causing USB devices to disconnect when exiting the app.

Definitely have had the "Air Pods" no longer connect to Macs if they were connected to an iPhone. Both my wife and I faced this with different computers and phones. Only started happening with the last update of OSX.

I have a magic mouse on my desk at home and another one one my desk at work. Almost every day when moving from one location to another I have to restart my 2017 Macbook Pro to get it to connect to the Magic Mouse at the new location. I've tried just restarting bluetooth, but that doesn't work - asking Mac OS to "Turn off bluetooth" results in nothing happening - bluetooth stays enabled, and not working. A full reboot is the only think I have found that fixes it (and I've tried everything, killing background processes, re-pairing all devices, resetting the NVRAM, resetting the bluetooth module, etc).

My 2018 iMac keeps dropping keyboard, mouse and AirPods blutooth connection. I have blutooth status in menu bar and noticed that macOS is connecting to my wife’s iphone while I am working on th iMac. However, when I check blutooth system preferences her phone is not listed as a connected device.

> it is still REALLY buggy

At this point, this is mainly a MacBook problem, as far as I can tell. I haven't had a bluetooth issue with my Android phones in years, even when using cheap 20$ bluetooth headsets, 10$ keychain fobs, 10$ bluetooth audio adaptors, etc.

I fixed all the Audio problems I was having with my AirPods by permanently connecting my Magic Track pad via USB. On two different iMa setups with Magic Keyboard, Mouse & AirPods if I also have a track pad connected via bluetooth audio playback is terrible - as soon as I connect the trackpad to USB/lighting all is great.

Had this problem, created a bug report, it was marked as a dupe.

The dupe was recently closed and as of the latest Mojave beta I no longer have this issue.

[…] High Sierra has well complained issues with bluetooth. My Logitech MX Master mouse also suffers from random disconnection. Today when I tried to disable […]

This could explain the lag-problems I had recently with my Microsoft Sculpt ergonomic Bluetooth-keyboard under High Sierra.

But is the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard really using Bluetooth? AFAIK it is using Microsofts USB dongle and their own proprietary wireless technology:

When I asked why it went with a proprietary wireless technology, Microsoft told me it found that Bluetooth imposed an unacceptable lags when Bluetooth devices wake back up after idle periods:

Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard uses a 2.4 GHz USB connection, which is better suited for desktop computing where a person may periodically step away from their computer. The 2.4 GHz USB connection instantly reconnects as soon as you touch the mouse.

I didn't know this.

However:

- the same keyboard worked flawlessly with my iMac until High Sierra
- the very same keyboard works flawlessly with my PC at work
- an identical Microsoft Sculpt keyboard, that works absolutely fine with the PC at work, doesn't work with the iMac & High Sierra at home.

This is weird. I have two identical MS Sculpt keyboard at two different offices (with separate USB Bluetooth dongle). Yesterday I was puzzled that the keyboard at my other office had stopped working and today I have the same problem at the main office. This can't be a coincidence. I use a MacBook Pro 2017 and haven't updated the OS in the last couple of weeks so I can't really say what made this happen.

I had the same problem with Magic Mouse and Keyboard disconnections, and solved by disabling Handoff.

I noticed that every time that Magic Mouse and Keyboard disconnect there was a hidden weird bluetooth connection: my wife's iPhone!
I say "hidden" because it is not shown in the Bluetooth preferences panel (System Preferences – Bluetooth) but in Menu bar on the top, by clicking on the Bluetooth icon (which can be enable from the previous panel). So, it is shown there that my wife's iPhone is connected, but actually it is not voluntarily paired! (it doesn't appear such a connection in the iPhone settings).

Anyway, the iPhone can be disconnected from the Mac (through the option from the icon) and the connection of the mouse and keyboard become stable, but... only temporary, as the iPhone keeps trying connecting (or Mac is trying iPhone to be connected). So, every time that these connections are automatically set, the mouse and the keyboard connection becomes unstable.

My wife has her own account in Sierra, so she loggin and found the same problem, but this time the device which makes this disconnection to happen is... my iPhone!

I don't know why these bluetooth connections are set (why by different accounts devices and not the own??), but it has to be related with Handoff, as if I disable it there is no problem at all with the bluetooth mouse and keyboard.

It hasn't solved my problem.

However I discovered there a BT Magic Mouse and an Apple BT keyboard.
Even after I've deleted them the problem with my both Sculpt keyboards still persist.

Had bluetooth problems since my Imac 2017 was new. Resetting bluetooth module and everything that is written on the internet trying to resolve Magic Mouse and keyboard disconnecting. Even contacted apple support and reinstalled the whole system. Nothing helps...:(

Yes It's really annoying why such a important function such as bluetooth becomes a nightmare on Mojave
My logitech bluetooth k380 and m337 mouse can't reconnect if the mac goes to sleep.

OMGOSH are you guys having the same problem also? My Bluetooth stops working after the Mac goes to sleep. Now my iMac 2017 can't ready my Blue Yeti and its saying that "USB Accessories Disabled" and it was working fine 1-2 days ago.

Do you guys have a solution? This iMac is a replacement unit and I was planning to turn this into the Apple Store for repairs or replacement.

I have had issues with my Magic Mouse recently just getting worse. The BT connection dropped every say 10-15 seconds. I searched forums and was guided to factory reset my devices and reset the bluetooth module. To no help.

Somewhere I read about the batteries loosing their connection inside the mouse. It sounded ridiculous. My batteries did not seem to be out of position in the battery slot.

As a last desperate attempt I did fold a post-it note and stick it between the batteries and the battery cover. NOW MY MOUSE WORKS!!

I know some of the issues mentioned in this thread are different than what I have experienced, but my hope is that some will find this page from a Google search.

I started experiencing keyboard, mouse and trackpad on my iMac simultaneously dropping out recently. Sometimes it was for a few seconds, sometimes much longer and quickest way to resolve tended to be reboot. Apple support failed to diagnose the problem but then I stumbled across a comment on the internet that an app called Android File Transfer was a potential cause. Since deleting this app my Mac has been fine. SO beware this app (used to backup my wife's phone).

Thanks to @Keith it seems my problem got solved! My disconnects of both keyboard and mouse started when I installed that "Android File Transfer" app. Now that I've removed it and restarted the iMac bluetooth after sleep->wake cycle seems to be working without hick-ups! Also unlocking with Apple watch works again, which it didn't for the last couple of days (since I installed this damn app). Does anyone else have the same experience? Maybe someone else has a different app that interferes with bluetooth like this?

Thanks to @Keith & @Sinisa also can confirm the Android File Transfer app was giving me this same issue with Bluetooth / Logitech MX Master Mouse. Not connecting after sleep. All seems fine now. Thanks!

I have the Android File Transfer app and I also have the same Bluetooth issues with mouse and keyboard disconnects & failing to wake up the Mac.

Worth a try to see if removing this useless/worthless garbage app will fix my issues. If so - great tip. Have not seen this mentioned anywhere else as a possible cause.

[…] Previously: Most of the Web Really Sucks If You Have a Slow Connection, Continued Mac Bluetooth Problems. […]

I saw your question on apple support forums, I used to have a similar issue. Occasionally my bluetooth would also get stuck on, as in, I was unable to power off bluetooth either in the menu or from blueutil.

Apple iOS devices with bluetooth turned on, periodically scan for other devices broadcasting a BTLE signal. When another device is discovered, a connection is established and some basic metadata is exchanged (device model, manufacturer, mac address, battery level, device local time). The process which handles these interactions is wirelessproxyd, and you can see in your console log that it is running and discovered an apple device and exchanged some metadata..

default 17:19:26.132582 +0100 sharingd Nearby didDiscoverType 1 UUID FA623829-B7AA-4B73-948B-8FB0ED4D8FBD info {

WPNearbyKeyDeviceAddress = ;

WPNearbyKeyManufacturerData = ;

WPNearbyKeyPaired = 0;

WPNearbyKeyRSSI = "-18";

kDeviceChannel = 37;

}

There are several ways in which this information is used by your device, most notable is geolocation when no GPS satellite signal is available. Ie. When your inside your house and look at your location in maps, it knows straight away that you are home because it can see that a familiar fixed device is nearby (ie. appletv, or iMac). Similarly, those fixed devices detect your phone and make the assumption that you are at home and feed the information to homekit for location based smart device control and location based reminders, handoff etc.

There are also some nefarious ways this information is used also. There are devices which exist which scan and log all nearby wireless signals (bluetooth, wifi RFID etc.) to glean device information. They're marketed to shopping centres, retail stores and hotels for the purpose of targeted advertising and analytics. They're also used by governments/law enforcement for surveillance purposes in places like airports and other transportation hubs.

It also worth noting that BTLE has been actively exploted in the past by malware and hackers, and many vulnerabilities existed in many devices which allowed an attacker to gain access and execute malicious code. These were actively exploited in the wild by the BlueBorne and BlueJack malware and HackingTeam's RCS surveillance platform, which is used by law enforcement around the world. Those particular vulnerabilities have since been patched on all recent Apple devices.

Now i'm sure the following solution is probably not recommended by the Apple support community, which is why I gave you the background information above, so you can consider your particular situation and decide for yourself whether this solution is right for you. I have had the wirelessproxyd process disabled on my iMac now for over a year, I have not noticed any negative side effects. I only use one bluetooth device with my iMac, a magic mouse 2, its operation has been perfect since. I don't use airdrop or any other bluetooth features.

to disable, enter this command in terminal:
sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.wirelessproxd.plist

to re-enable:
sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.wirelessproxd.plist

Give it a go and see if you notice a difference.

FYI - I also disabled bluetoothaudiod, wifivelocityd, AirplayXPCHelper, I figured that the less funtions using the broadcom wireless chip the less wireless interference and less bluetooth bandwidth in use etc.

@Keith I managed to trash Android File Transfer I hope it'll be a definite fix. Fingers crossed

just noticed the range of AirPod2 is much worse when connecting to MacBook Pro 2108 than iPhone X.
Not sure why but connected to MacBook Pro 2018, the AirPods signal drops at about 20 feet already at home.
The connection with iPhone (same location as the Macbook Pro) seems to be much solid. No clue why.

I am having Bluetooth disconnects continuously throughout the day on my MBP 2018. Apple Magic Mouse disconnects and reconnects. The mouse is literally within 6 to 8 inches of the laptop when this happens. I switched it out with a new Magic Mouse and still have the same problem. The issue occurs both at the office and at home. MacBookPro15,1 Intel Core i7, 2.6 GHz. I don't really use any other Bluetooth devices other than occasional hotspot from my iPhone. Whenever it happens, the mouse will disconnect for 2 seconds, then immediately reconnect, then disconnect for another 2 seconds and reconnect. I have reset the BT module, and Factory Reset Apple Devices from the Bluetooth Debug menu. Not sure what else to try as it seems to be a hardware issue. Seems like a very expensive computer to have such a fault.

I also have the same problem with my iMac 27 (late 2013) with Mojave 10.14.6 (public beta). I have reported to Apple Support.

I was experiencing the same BT audio dropouts that many people have reported. After much googling and crawling through logs, it looks like possibly some timeout issue between wirelessproxd (which scans for nearby BTLE devices) and sharingd (AirDrop and Handoff). I have read one report of solving the problem by disabling Handoff, but that didn't work for me. What did work was disabling AirDrop (defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser DisableAirDrop -bool YES; reset the bluetooth module).

[…] Disable Handoff. […]