Bluetooth connection issues on iPhone 16 Pro

iphone16 only will connect to airpods pro2, it can see my M1 macbook pro 16 but macbook can't see the phone, and if I try to pair phone gives message"Mac's16 Macbook pro" is not supported. It fails to see any other BT devices I have, tried reset network, on off's etc, nothing. My old iphone 11 worked flawlessly, Phone and lappy are updated to latest Ios. NOT alone with this Apple and NOT HAPPY

I did some thinking about this, because the Bluetooth kit in my car doesn't have an unpair/forget function — but I realized I could accomplish the same thing by pairing it with a different device. (My car kit maintains only one paired device at a time.)

So I took a new iPad mini (A17 Pro) out there and paired it with the car kit to make it "forget" my iPhone 16 Pro Max. I then verified that the car kit was forgotten in the iPhone settings, too, and then reset network settings on the iPhone. When everything was up and running again, I tried forgetting the car kit in the iPad settings and paired the car kit with my iPhone again — and the iPhone still would not reconnect automatically when starting the car.

The new thing I learned during this process, tho', was that while the iPad was paired with the car kit, it did reconnect automatically. This now feels even more to me like an iPhone-specific problem, and possibly hardware-related?

I think I've mentioned this before, but it still seems important to me that if I have Bluetooth settings open on the iPhone when I start the car, I get a pop-up modal saying the car kit wants to pair (or connect, I forget the wording) and asking me to approve/deny. I don't think I've seen that modal on any other device, ever.

I have noticed bluetooth issues with connecting a xbox game controller. I always have to do forget device before I can actually pair the controller. On a side note, I use the xbox game controller on many devices (iPad, MacBook, iPhone) and I understand that I have to repair when switching devices, however, this happens even if I want to connect to the same device I had it connected to before...

“If the real bloody VPN is the cause, could you please let me know WHY there is no problem with my iPhone 11 Pro Max? My iPhone 11 Pro Max is running VPN 24/7.”

Sure, the iPhone Pro Max is using a different modem, running different firmware and different software. Yes, the version number is the same, but software is different of when required for specific hardware. For example the 11 PM is an Intel XMM7660 BT modem. You 16 PM is using USI Global Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Module 339S01463. One modem may be affected by VPN and the other has issues.

Also beta version iOS software is a problem choice when troubleshooting a perplexing issue. The engineers on the support side don’t necessarily know what the beta engineers are doing. You’re chasing your tail. Ditch the beta software and don’t make comparisons to different devices. It’s like saying my Ford Mustang doesn’t run like my Ford Explorer from 5 years ago. Pointless.

Berliquet wrote:

I knew you would react like that.

If you really read my writing, you would have seen [I've tried - Remove all VPN profiles].

VPN does not affect this issue at all.

If you don't know, don't tell like that.

There is no problem with my iPhone 11 Pro Max with VPN at all.

I tested all six VPNs in the Apple App Store.

If the real bloody VPN is the cause, could you please let me know WHY there is no problem with my iPhone 11 Pro Max?

My iPhone 11 Pro Max is running VPN 24/7.

It doesn't matter if it's turned on or off, OK?

Read Jeff Donald's answer. I don't have anything more to add than what he said.

I’d definitely leave a bug report at apple.com/feedback. If you’re still having the problem, tell them what you’ve tried so far; if you had this problem and think you’ve fixed it, let them know what you think did the trick.

Rebel Kell wrote:

This is NOT going to work for me. I will demand my money back. I have two pairs of earbuds, two headphones, my car and several speakers. I use my phone for music and for the ads I make for my business so I literally use several different types of music accessories and none of are discoverable on this new iPhone. I will pack five of my speakers, both headsets and earbuds and whatever else I find that won’t pair and I will sit at the Genius Bar until they fix it or give me a a phone that will. I didn’t pay $1500 for this phone just to have to go through a huge inconvenience to fix the issue. They are going to have to be nice and give me something nicer than a phone case for this. I’m MAD!

Without "quoting" who you are responding to, it's hard to know what didn't work. Please answer this simple question:

For any device which you say won't pair with your iPhone, did you put them in PAIRING MODE per the manufacturers directions for them to pair? I find it almost impossible to believe nothing will pair with your iPhone. And that would be true, if nothing was put in PAIRING MODE first, for your iPhone to be able to see and pair with.

Have you gone through this support article to learn more about how to pair Bluetooth devices to your iPhone --> Pair a third-party Bluetooth accessory with your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

PDL7 wrote:

Cpurinton,

Thank you for the video. I did that previously with a non-connectivity to a CD Boombox and it helped to connect to that but this does not help with my iPhone 16 connecting to my iPad. Any suggestions in that area?

Paul

Also, you CANNOT pair an iPhone and iPad via Bluetooth. It's NEVER been supported, so if this is your primary issue, there's a reason you can't pair your iPhone with your iPad via Bluetooth. Taking your iPad and iPhone to your Apple Store would be a waste of time when they aren't designed to pair via Bluetooth. This is why Apple has Continuity for moving from one device to another.

See this --> Use Continuity to work across Apple devices - Apple Support

mgrad92 wrote:

1. This is the Bluetooth pairing modal I referred to in my earlier posts.

It seems to appear only if I have Bluetooth settings open when I start the car.

2. The pairing connection won't be restored at all unless this modal appears and I tap "Pair".

If I don't have the Bluetooth settings screen open so this modal can appear, my only option is to forget the car to remove it from the My Devices list, wait for it to reappear under Other Devices, and then re‑pair.

Is anyone else seeing something like this?

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/72f740ed-4658-4ad2-8f18-d4e1d09c8f95

Nope. My phone connects with my car and every other of the now more than 8 Bluetooth devices I have paired to my phone, reliably every time.

This post is all over the place because multiple people have hijacked the thread from the OP. I can’t change that sorry.

My post is directed at ChrisMacEachen as noted in my post. Just like posted to me. See the fine print in your post.

As well as static and fading out all together on iPhone 16 Pro and AirPods 2nd gen while typing a text.

Same issue on my end with my Bluetooth earphones and speakers

problem still persists even after doing what you mentioned

Same for me. Reset didn’t help.

reset network settings doesn't work. All that does is lose all your wifi passwords.