How to Fix iPhone 13 Bluetooth Problems

Looking for ways to fix iPhone 13 Bluetooth problems?

Released in 2021, iPhone 13 features Apple’s latest high-end specifications. Unfortunately, even the tech gods themselves can’t make it perfect and users still encounter issues with its basic functions such as Bluetooth.

Although iPhone 13 has the most advanced Bluetooth technology, several users have reported connectivity issues. Most of the complaints are related to pairing with headsets, speakers, and even the Apple Watch.

Fortunately, you can take the matter into your own hands. This guide contains several measures you can follow to work out the problem. At least one of them should get your iPhone 13’s Bluetooth working.

So, let’s get started right away!

1. Update to the Latest iOS Version.

A major OS update usually comes with certain problems, which are fixed in further patches soon after. If your iPhone 13 runs on the latest iOS 15 patch and you’re facing Bluetooth connectivity issues, wait for the next OS update to hopefully get rid of the bugs.

On the other hand, if you have Bluetooth issues on iOS 14, immediately update it to iOS 15. After the software updates, check if your Bluetooth is working properly already.

Here’s how to update your iPhone to its latest iOS version:

  1. Begin by opening the iPhone Settings app.
  2. Then, go to General.
  3. From there, tap on Software Update.
  4. Your iPhone should display information on the current iOS version as well as any version update available. From there, tap on the Download and Install option.
Software update for iOS 15

2. Check the Bluetooth Range.

A possible reason why your iPhone 13 is not pairing to another device via Bluetooth is that they’re not within the connectivity range. This distance varies with each Bluetooth version. For Bluetooth 5.0, both the devices must be 200 feet to 800 feet apart. 

So, if your connection keeps on lagging, bring the devices closer together for a stronger signal.

3. Turn Off Bluetooth and Restart Your Device.

You can turn the Bluetooth off and back on if it’s not correctly working. But you’ve probably already done that. What might prove helpful in addition is restarting your device after disabling the Bluetooth to get rid of the glitches causing this problem.

Here’s how to do so:

  1. First, turn off the Bluetooth by going to Settings, then tap on Bluetooth and turn the toggle off next to Bluetooth. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to open the Control Center and tap on the Bluetooth icon to turn it grey.
iPhone 13 Bluetooth Problems
  1. Next, you’ll need to force reboot your device. To do this on your iPhone 13, press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on your screen.
force reboot iPhone 13
  1. Upon restart, turn the Bluetooth back on from the Settings or Control Center.

After that, try to connect your device to the iPhone 13. If you continue to have any difficulty, try other methods discussed in this guide.

4. Re-pair With Your Device.

Similar to how reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network sometimes smoothens the connection if it wasn’t working previously, re-pairing a device might eliminate all iPhone 13 Bluetooth problems.

Below are the steps you need to follow:

  1. To begin, launch the Settings app.
  2. Then, go to Bluetooth.
  3. Now, tap on the information icon next to the device you’re having problems connecting to.
iPhone 13 Bluetooth Problems
  1. From there, tap on the Forget This Device button. Keep in mind that if your iPhone 13 is connected to AirPods, hitting this button will unpair the AirPods from all devices signed in with the same Apple ID.
Forget This Device on iPhone
  1. After that, re-pair your iPhone with the device.

5. Reset the Network Settings.

If none of the above methods worked for you, try resetting the network settings. Since this option brings your iPhone 13 back to its default settings, you’ll also lose all your saved Wi-Fi networks as well as any VPNs you may be connected to.

Here’s how to reset to your default Bluetooth settings:

  1. Start by going to the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Next, tap on General and then on Reset.
  3. From the options, choose Reset Network Settings.
Reset network settings on iPhone
  1. You’ll then be asked to enter your passcode.
  2. Finally, confirm your action by tapping on Reset one last time.

After that, your smartphone will restart, and you should be able to pair it with another device without any difficulty.

6. Reset Your iPhone 13.

If resetting the network settings doesn’t fix your Bluetooth connectivity, then your last option is to reset your smartphone completely. Although it’s not an ideal approach since you’ll lose all of your local data, it will do the job of resolving iPhone 13 Bluetooth problems.

To avoid the mentioned downside, make sure to back up your files before doing this method.

Follow the steps below to bring back the factory settings of your iPhone 13:

  1. First, launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Next, go to General.
  3. Now, tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone and then on Reset.
  4. From the options, choose Reset All Settings.
  5. You will then be asked to enter the device’s passcode.
  6. Confirm the action one last time by tapping on Reset All Settings.
iPhone Reset all settings


7. Downgrade to iOS 14.

Your iPhone 13 may be experiencing Bluetooth issues not because of the device’s specifications but because the new iOS 15 is still in its infancy. In that case, one way to tackle this situation would be to downgrade the iOS back to its old version. 

Doing so will delete all your previous data, so you should back up your important files. Then, follow the steps mentioned below:

  1. To begin, you need to first download iOS 14 on your computer.
  2. Then, use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to iTunes.
  3. Next, click on the device icon.
  4. From there, click on Restore iPhone while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard.
iPhone 13 Bluetooth Problems
  1. After that, select the IPSW file you downloaded earlier.
  2. Lastly, click on Restore to confirm the action.

This method can be treated as a temporary fix until Apple releases a new update to fix the bug.

8. Contact an Apple Store.

Are you still unable to fix your iPhone 13’s Bluetooth problems? You may want to visit the nearest Apple store to check if the issue is in your device’s hardware. There may be water contamination on the Bluetooth chip or even factory defects on the phone.

If your Bluetooth error persisted on iOS 15 from when you still had iOS 14, it’s likely that your hardware has some defects. With that, consider taking an expert’s help directly rather than trying to fix it on your own.

This is it! You’ve made it to the end of our guide on how to fix iPhone 13 Bluetooth problems. We’ve covered some of the possible methods that can resolve this issue. If you still face any issues, do not hesitate to let us know through the comments section below. We’ll be happy to help you out.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • Aimen Choudhry

    Aimen Choudhry is an architecture student who has always been fascinated by science. She now finds her therapy researching and writing about the latest technology and the issues that come alongside. Otherwise, you’ll find her playing video games, listening to music, or watching fantasy/sci-fi movies.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *