Clean up old Bluetooth pairings on your Mac

Why it happens

Your Mac remembers every Bluetooth device it has paired with. Old headphones, speakers and keyboards in that list can try to reconnect and get in the way of the devices you use now. There's no button to forget them all at once, so you remove them one by one.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Bluetooth.

   Bluetooth

2. Under My Devices, Control-click (or right-click) a device you no longer use and choose Forget. Confirm if your Mac asks.

   Bluetooth

3. Repeat for each old device. On a desktop Mac, leave your wireless keyboard, mouse or trackpad alone, or you could lose control of the Mac.

4. Restart your Mac from the Apple menu.

5. Pair the devices you still use: put each one in pairing mode, hold the pointer over it in the Bluetooth list and click Connect.

Still not fixed?

1. If a forgotten device keeps reconnecting, reset it using its maker's instructions, which usually clears its own list of paired computers.

2. If Bluetooth still misbehaves, turn it off and on again with the switch at the top of Bluetooth settings.

   Bluetooth

3. Too many devices connected at once can also cause trouble. Disconnect the ones you aren't using right now before connecting a new one.

4. If no devices will connect at all, or Bluetooth is greyed out or missing, contact Apple Support. The Mac's Bluetooth hardware may need checking.