Android, like any operating system, is no stranger to Bluetooth issues. Luckily, most of these problems are simple to fix. Here are some troubleshooting tips if your Android phone’s Bluetooth is not finding nearby devices.
1. Turn Bluetooth Off and Back On
Before trying any advanced fixes, refresh your phone’s Bluetooth connection. For that, open the Settings app and tap on Connections. Toggle off the switch next to Bluetooth and turn it back on after a few moments.
If it’s just a one-off glitch, this should help resolve it and save you time.
2. Make Sure the Bluetooth Device Is in Pairing Mode
If your Android only fails to locate a specific Bluetooth device, ensure that the device is discoverable and close. For example, if you’re trying to connect to an audio device like speakers or headphones, you may need to hold down certain buttons to activate the pairing mode. You can refer to the device’s manual to check how to set it up for pairing.
3. Restart Your Phone and the Bluetooth Device
Sometimes, OS-related glitches can prevent your Android from detecting nearby Bluetooth devices. Restarting your Android is an effective way to resolve such issues. Press and hold the power button on your phone and select Restart from the power menu. While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to restart the Bluetooth device that you’re trying to use.
4. Make Sure Both Devices Have Enough Charge
Is the battery on your Android running low? That could prevent Bluetooth from working correctly on your phone. The same holds true for your Bluetooth device as well. Hence, you’ll need to ensure your phone and the Bluetooth device have enough charge.
5. Unpair Old Devices
Another thing you can do to fix such Bluetooth-related issues is to delete old or unwanted paired devices from your phone. Here are the steps for the same. Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on Connections.
Step 2: Tap on Bluetooth.
Step 3: Tap the gear icon next to the device you no longer use and select the Unpair option from the following menu. Repeat this step to delete all the unwanted paired devices.
6. Clear Bluetooth Cache
Corrupt or outdated Bluetooth cache data on your Android can also cause Bluetooth to stop working. If that’s the case, clearing the Bluetooth cache should help. Don’t worry, this process will not remove any of your paired devices or other Bluetooth configurations. To clear Bluetooth cache on Android: Step 1: Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Apps.
Step 2: Tap the filter and sort icon and enable the toggle next to Show system apps.
Step 3: Scroll through the list to locate Bluetooth, and tap on it.
Step 4: Go to Storage and tap the Clear cache option at the bottom.
7. Reset Network Settings
If your Android is still not finding nearby Bluetooth devices, consider resetting the network settings. Doing so will erase all paired Bluetooth devices and restore customized Bluetooth configurations to their default settings. Step 1: Open up the Settings app and scroll down to select General management.
Step 2: Tap Reset and then select Reset network settings.
Step 3: Hit the Reset settings button and enter your device PIN if required.
After resetting the network settings, see if your Android can detect Bluetooth devices.
8. Install Android Updates
Keeping your phone updated to the latest Android version is always a good idea. Besides new features, these updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements. If the issue occurs due to a bug within Android, installing the latest updates should help resolve the problem. Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Software update. Tap on Download, install, and follow the on-screen prompts to install pending updates. Following this, your Android should locate nearby Bluetooth devices.
Connect Without the Wires
Dealing with Bluetooth connectivity issues is never fun. Hopefully, fixing this particular issue took little time with the solutions outlined above, and you can use your favorite Bluetooth devices again. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
