Bluetooth Not Available — Fixed
If you have a Macbook, and at some point, you get “Bluetooth not available” from your laptop, and “No information found” in your System Information app for Bluetooth, it might help if you try to reset the Macbook SMC, as described in Resetting MacBook and MacBook Pro System Management Controller (SMC). I had this problem for the past couple days, and doing this fixed it for me.
(This article is largely published so that others searching for “Bluetooth Not Available” may be able to find it before taking their Mac into the shop.)
July 20th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Here is another possible solution that solved it for me: http://www.windley.com/archives/2007/10/fixing_macbook_pro_sleep_problems.shtml
August 24th, 2008 at 6:52 am
I have been having the bluetooth problem and also on and off problems getting online using airport. they said they couldn’t reproduce my airport problems in store….i’m wondering if the bluetooth thing is connected.
September 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Hi everyone
I found a simple and easy fix for the “bluetooth not available” open the energy saver menu, and put the “sleep options to never”, it has worked for myself and 3 others. It takes an hour to kick in, however the bluetooth still cuts out temporarily for short periods of time.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
SMC reset worked for me, fortunately. it was the first thing I tried… the bluetooth crapped out after I had my mbpro for about a month, was using a2dp a lot (which works great btw except for the occasional bsod).
September 25th, 2008 at 5:04 am
My Macbook won’t work too. Tried to installed back the new Bluetooth module. pls help….
October 25th, 2008 at 1:32 am
I also have the bluetooth not available problem all ready
form some time. The point is that bluetooth comes back
randomly, so that is way there are some many “fix solutions”
I THINK THERE IS REALY ONLY ONE AND THAT IS
THAT APPLE SPEAKS UP AND GET US OUT OF THE
COULD BY FIXING THIS UGLY THING, BECAUSE
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE!!!
By the way my DVD driver is also not working
spitting out disks right away (Macbook 1.83 2 Core 2 DUO)
APPLE WATH IS GOING ON!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 15th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Hi ,
Ive got a 15″ Mcbook pro and started seeing this also, i rebooted and somtimes this would work and then not at all.
So tired the solution of unplug AC, shut down wait a few mins and restart under battery power and it seems to work but time will tell.
Something that might be worth a note though a suggest folks to check…
My Case of the macbook pro has a Electrical charge on it, no shit it does, running the tips of my fingers over the case i can feel the charge, i even unpluged my AC to be sure and it then disappeared. So im wondering if this is a Electrical thing?
Try it your self as I hadnt noticed in for ages its that slight, but if you run your fingers along the case ( top/Bottom doesnt matter) and if you feel something unplug the ac and see if you can still feel it? Thats an electrical charge going through it and might be related?
Anyway, im now doing a Disk permissions check and will report back here to let you know if the issue returns…
All very annoying i have to say…
thanks
Mac
November 26th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Same problem with everyone here, went to Mac store today and the “GENIUS” told me it’s because the Bluetooth module has gone South. $150CAD to replace the module! This is my first mac product and it’s not impressive at all. The battery is another pain in the neck.
Anyway, the bluetooth on my 5-yr-old sonyericsson cellphone has never raised any issues.
December 13th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Hi Thought Id give an update since my last one to help…
Since my last post ive discovered that if you unplug ur AC , and shutdown and start your MAC up again it seems to do the trick 8 times out of 10… it works for me so far on my Macbook Pro, Old version, 2.33GHZ intel , 2GB RAM
Hope that helps someone.
MAC
December 28th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
So i brought my macbook in before christmas to the so called “geniuses” and the guy told me an erase and reload would fix all the problems. I told him it wasn’t sleeping consistently, and the fan would start going rediculously fast for no reason sometimes. After being told it would be fixed that day I never got a call so I called two days after and it was done. I also had to have my keyboard replaced for the second time in a year. I’ve only had this macbook since august 2006 and I’m not impressed at all. I will be bringing it in again tomorrow since it started no sleep and i finally realized it has something to do with the bluetooth. I will see what this next genius thinks will fix it.
January 4th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Macbook, 2GHz Core 2 Duo, Leopard 10.5.6, same problem, “Bluetooth Unavailable”. Solution for me was to disconnect Magsafe power adapter, shutdown, wait a minute, start up. Bluetooth now available! Reconnect Magsafe at this time.
January 4th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Well it just stopped working again, just randomly while I was web surfing. The “Lost Connection” overlay graphic appeared and faded out. ARGH.
February 16th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Hi, I’ve got the same problem on my Mac Mini running on Leopard 10.5.6 as I am losing my connection to my Logitec bluetooth keyboard every time. I am not sure when it occurs and can’t reproduce it but it happens every day when I am not using the Mac. I have tried putting it to sleep and waking it up with my keyboard but that all works fine. It is when I am not there when it happens? Note that it has been stable for more than a year and this problems started several weeks ago (maybe a software update?).
March 29th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
It is amazing that the Bluetooth problems with “It just works” computers is still happening without Apple acknowledging that there is an issue. I found that taking the Macbook apart, and untwisting the usb connector and antenna wires from their placements resolved this issue on a Late 2006 (white) and a 2007 (black) Macbook.
April 15th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I’m using macbook w/ Leopard here and I am also experiencing the same bluetooth (BT) intermittent connection problem. I strongly believe it is related with the system temperature.
I used to have the BT connection going up and down all the time (if you use hardwaregrowler you know exactly what I mean), until I found some workaround solution that consisted in increasing the fan speed to lower the temperature (smcFanControl).
However, the problem was not solved, just delayed… More recently (and this is the reason I re-googled), I have also experienced the icon disappearing altogether. I guess faulty components (the BT module doesn’t withstand well high temp??) have the bad habit of getting worse.
June 14th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Simply shutting down the MacBook and rebooting with the AC cord unattached worked for me. BlueTooth is back. Wireless mouse and keyboard are responding. Rebooting with the AC attached did NOT fix the problem.
Hope BT stays available.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Resetting the SMU solved my bluetooth issue! Thanks!
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:50 am
If you use VMWare Fusion, and you have a VM open, it’s possible that the VM is set to autoconnect to USB devices. The Bluetooth device is a USB device, so the VM will then try to auto-bind to the bluetooth port, which makes it unavailable to OS X. If you tell the VM to disconnect from the device, voila, you have bluetooth available again.
August 30th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I have a Macbook, 2.4ghz, Core 2 duo, Leopard 10.5.7
The above has solved my bluetooth issue. All Good now (-:
Bluetooth had totally vanished, no symbol icon on the task pane or system preferences VANISHED. So i disconnected mag safe power cord, shut down (not restarted) and then next time i powered up… all was back to normal and is fine now. (i had not shut down mac for 2 weeks, as i usually just sleep it, but thats fine and many ppl do this)
It is mentioned that Apple engineers have interconnected the USB & Bluetooth somehow. This could be so, as i first encountered this problem when i had my Mobile phone synced up via USB cable and then i also tried to connect the same device via Bluetooth simultaneously to “see what would happen” haha and you guessed it, soon after is where it went weird…
This probably crashed the bluetooth hardware i’m guessing.
But all good now, thanks to what was mentioned in this thread, thanks guys!
***So…maybe Don’t try to bluetooth something that is already actively connected via USB***
kind regards mac people
Phil
August 31st, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Hello there,
I am a victim as well. I have tried all of the methods available on this page, including opening my computer and reseating the airport card. Nothing worked. As I was trying to clear out space on my computer, I ran Onyx and cleared out all of the recommended cache on my system, and after I restarted my bluetooth was back. I am at work and can’t check to see if connecting my bluetooth mouse will cause it to malfunction again like usual, but I will test this when I get home and update.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:09 pm
It’s me again,
Well, my bluetooth worked for about 24 hours. I even brought my mouse to work today, very excited to use it after a full night of problem free net-surfing. And just like before, “connection lost,” “bluetooth not available.”
I wonder if installing snow leopard would help?
I’m surely not going to be able to take it in for repairs, because I live in Japan, and I’m about 5 hours from the nearest apple store.
September 27th, 2009 at 8:39 am
This seemed to fix it for me.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I just love the close knit Apple community and how helpful everyone is and there is always a solution to any problem I have had.
I salute all the Apple pioneers and thank you for all your sweet and tears to provide the solutions.
This worked great! The issues were so different and sporadic that I was grasping at straws when I found this and was so happy to have this be the fix.
Thanks!
October 25th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
:/ I got the same problem, it will work for a while if i reboot and reset. But I should not have to do this once a day… apple sucks sometimes.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
This worked for me!
Thanks!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
[…] Technical Ramblings and Mac […]
November 30th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I tried this before — it did not work for me.
My own guess is that the bluetooth problem is temperature-related — it seems to start when my Mac is really hot from running a lot of programs at one time.
When I turn my Mac off completely and leave it off for over an hour, it seems that Bluetooth works again when I turn it on — that’s the only reasonably reliable “fix” I’ve found.
Honestly, Apple has not been helpful in resolving this. I’ve called for tech support on it twice and not gotten good advice and also gotten the sense that the technicians were unfamiliar with the problem.
I have tried many things — archive installing the OS, resetting the PRAM, resetting the SMU — and none of them has provided any lasting relief. I’ve just ended up going down the rabbit-hole of casting around the internet for articles like this one, with no real satisfaction.
For myself, I’m replacing my 3 and a half year old MacBook with a new MacBook Pro, hoping that this is the cure I need and that having a latest-model computer will have many other speed and hard-drive-size benefits.
Yay Mac! But boo how Mac has dealt with this bluetooth problem, which seems to affect enough people that I wish they had better tech support on it.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Oh, also, other things I’ve tried with no lasting success — throwing out bluetooth preference files, changing bluetooth Settings (when bluetooth is working) so that bluetooth does not wake the computer, deleting and then re-adding device pairings.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Had same problem. Cause was heat. When bluetooth module gets at a certain temp, it fails. You can fix by downloading “smcFanControl” (do a search) and set the minimum fan speed a little higher. Fixed my problem immediately.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Have tried everything nothing is working I have Leopard 10.6.3 mac mini late 2009.
So far Mac os reinstall will temporarily get back the Bluetooth for about 30 minutes and the back to the drawing board. I already changed the bluetooth once and the apple store. I am about to give up
December 12th, 2009 at 10:11 am
MBP 15″ Intel early 2008: tried everything from shut down and reboot, to SCM reset, NVRAM reset, scmFanControl: since updating to OSX 10.6.2, I have a strike-through BT symbol in the menubar and nothing will fix it 🙁
Sys Info>Hardware> Bluetooth says “No device found”.
I’ll continue googling for other solutions…
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 am
Well, I was having the same problem until I found a magical solution. I unplugged my USB mouse from my Macbook and started up fine… Bluetooth and all. Hope it helps.
-bmart
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
Oh yes and I forgot to add that I am running Snow Leopard (10.7) lastest update. I need restart a lot but didn’t reset the PRAM or reinstall the OS.
– bmart
January 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Worked like a charm. Thanks!
January 20th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Just got the newest update this week and it killed my bluetooth! Did the SMC reset and everything works perfectly. Before that I reset the PRAM/NVRAM but that did nothing. I’m running 10.6.2 on an aluminum Macbook. Hope that helps. Peace.
January 22nd, 2010 at 3:35 am
Tried all suggestions here and nothing worked until I reset my PRAM (hold down control option P and R as the machine starts) which fixed the issue (at least for now anyway)
January 30th, 2010 at 1:59 am
it worked well for me. im running a 2008 white macbook.
thanks
February 25th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Apple fu*king sucks… they have NO support.. this issue keeps happening with zero resolution.
March 5th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Chalk another one up for me. My black Macbook has working BT again!
March 6th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Macbook Pro 15″, Latest system X. Same problem of the BT becoming unavailable spontaneously in the middle of a bunch of work. Not sure if this is the same as others have reported, but sounds similar. This happens every few days to me – of all the things I have tried, it always seems to get fixed if you shut down, disconnect power, and hold power button down for 10-20 seconds until it makes a noise…..then restart at it seems to be fine for a few more days. Why they cannot fix it? Who knows…
March 8th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
I have a Mac Mini and a wireless keyboard. It’s been working great for the last 2 years but I suddenly starting have this issue described in this thread. Resetting the SMC did the trick. I’ve noted all the other fixes in there and will keep them in my mental tool box of Mac fixes. Thank you everyone!
March 24th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
I found a fix! I tried the suggestions here, and before I also tried resetting the PRAM; restarting; fiddling with various settings in Energy Saver; turning Airport on and off; bringing the laptop to the Genius Bar (but then my Mac mysteriously was able to go to sleep at the store, so no fix then!); changing hibernation settings via Terminal; and repairing disk permissions. NONE of that worked.
I figured out that it must be the Bluetooth settings, which kept going to “Bluetooth not available.” What worked for me was downloading smcFanControl and upping the minimum fan speed to keep the computer’s temperature low (around 120 degrees F). When the temperature is at that level, the Bluetooth icon is lit up and it works, and then my mac goes to sleep! (By the way, plugging in an external Bluetooth dongle didn’t let my mac go to sleep, though it did make the icon light up.)
Might not work for everyone, but it did for me.
April 3rd, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Brand new 21″ iMac with the same issue.
The bluetooth icon is gone and nothing I do will fix it. I keep reading that its a heat issue. When I lost the connection I was using some heavy duty programs and the monitor was hotter than my 2nd brand new iMac (I have two).
April 7th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Same for me…. new macbook 15″ …. same problem! Woow 3 years and they didn’t solve the problem!!!!!
April 7th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Mackbook OSX 10.6.3
If you use USB Mighty Mouse, unplug it and shut down the Mackbook. Wait few seconds and start it back. Once the system is up you can plug in back the mouse.
My Bluetooth was not available under Windows XP as well, thought it looks like a hardware glitch.
Hope this simple trick will help you 🙂
April 13th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
IT WORKED! Thanks, I really didn’t want to go throuh all the trouble and money to get apple to fix it.
April 13th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
FYI, the bluetooth module is NOT USB related, it is I/O related obviously, but only because of the coding: if you are familiar with programming you will see in most of the I/O drivers bluetooth is mentioned. The I/O board itself is located on the left side (USB/line in, firewire, etc) of the logic board, the bluetooth module is located under the delete button on your keyboard, they are NOT in any way connected, at least not physically. USB connections do not affect bluetooth in any way it is physically impossible. After probing the bluetooth module with similar I/O testing I have come to the conclusion that this problem is either power/voltage related, or it is the I/O drivers causing the problem as they include non-bluetooth specific coding. It may or may not also depend on what you are using bluetooth for. Using bluetooth for internet (aka tethering) is not stable on any bluetooth enabled mac, and unfortunately is the most common of problems people seem to be having.
The best thing you could do (if you are desperate) is to buy an external bluetooth card/usb-to-bluetooth stick and you wont have any bluetooth problems (which again supports the theory that it is driver related). Hope this helps.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
This happened Jan 2009. Tried everything above and it kept happening. It also stopped my MacBook from sleeping properly. I took it into an Apple Store and they replaced the BT card and the logic board. All was well until last week when it has started to happen again. I have just spoke to AppleCare on the phone and I am going to take it back into the Apple Store. The fact that the length of time it runs before the fault appears is nearly the same, I would suggest that this is a manufacturing problem.
April 20th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
This just happened to me. I restarted my Macbook and BT was back again. It wouldn’t find the mouse so I had to do “set up Bluetooth device”. Hope this helps.
April 26th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Replacing the BATTERY did it!
PowerBook Pro 15″: I tried resetting the SMC and PRAM to no avail. But when I replaced the battery, I again had bluetooth. I did this with the system powered up and plugged in. I had booted from the old battery and System Profiler said “No information available” on bluetooth. With the system up & running, I removed the old battery and inserted the new (somewhat used) battery. I restarted the System Profiler and now it said I had bluetooth.
FYI, old battery had something like 320 power cycles. “New” battery had 120.