6 ways to troubleshoot if a Bluetooth device freezes your Mac computer

Publish date: 2024-07-11

2022-04-04T15:47:17Z

If you suspect your Bluetooth device freezes your Mac, there are some things you can check to troubleshoot.
Make sure that your MacOS is up to date because it can contain updates to your Bluetooth drivers and resolve potential issues.
You can also toggle your Bluetooth controls, re-pair your devices, and make sure your WiFi isn't conflicting with Bluetooth.

Everyone knows your Mac is supposed to "just work." Usually, it does. But sometimes your computer can misbehave, especially when wireless technology like Bluetooth causes issues. Some users find that Bluetooth can even cause their MacBook or other Apple computer to freeze at startup, or Bluetooth itself to freeze up or perform slowly. If you're having a problem with your Mac because of Bluetooth, here are a few common ways to troubleshoot and solve the issue.

Make sure your Bluetooth devices are fully charged

If you're experiencing problems with Bluetooth performance on your Mac, the easiest thing to check is to make sure any Bluetooth device you're using — whether it's your headphones, keyboard, mouse, or any other device — is fully charged.

Update your MacOS

It's possible that you're using an older version of MacOS, and it has a critical bug that is affecting your Bluetooth connections. To check, click the Apple logo in the menu bar, then About this Mac. On the MacOS About screen, click Software Update… If there are any updates available, click Update Now.

Check for system updates that might solve your Bluetooth problems. Dave Johnson/Insider

Reboot your Mac

If you haven't restarted your Mac in a while, a clean start might be all it takes to eliminate Bluetooth glitches. Click the Apple logo in the menu bar, then Restart… Let your Mac reboot, which will reset your computer's working memory and device drivers.

Restart your Mac to flush out your computer's memory and reset erratic drivers. Dave Johnson/Insider

Toggle Bluetooth on your Mac

Another easy way to reset your Bluetooth radio and clear potential issues is to turn Bluetooth off and then back on again. Click the Apple logo in the menu bar, then System Preferences… Double-click Bluetooth. On the left side of the Bluetooth window, click Turn Bluetooth Off. Wait about 30 seconds and then click Turn Bluetooth On.

You can solve many common Bluetooth issues by toggling Bluetooth off and on again. Dave Johnson/Insider

Re-pair your Bluetooth devices

If you think the problem is related to a specific Bluetooth device, you might be able to get it working properly again by un-pairing the device from your Mac and then pairing it all over again. Click the Apple logo in the menu bar, then System Preferences… Double-click Bluetooth. Find the potentially problematic device in the list, and then click the X on the right side of the window. In the pop-up window, click Remove. Then pair that device with your Mac again and see if the performance has improved.

Fix a problematic Bluetooth driver by removing and then re-pairing a Bluetooth device. Dave Johnson/Insider

Improve your Bluetooth signal

Finally, you should make sure that your Bluetooth devices have the best possible opportunity to communicate with your computer. If you're using a Bluetooth device near the limit of its range from the Mac, move closer. Keep the device as close as possible to your computer.

In addition, make sure there are no other sources of potential interference operating nearby. If you have a WiFi device connected to your Mac using the slower 2.4GHz network, reconnect it using the 5GHz WiFi network if possible, to avoid interference with Bluetooth. Disable any Bluetooth and 2.4GHz WiFi devices you don't need. And move any USB hubs away from your computer so they're not directly on top of or adjacent to it.

spanDave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider./span

Dave Johnson Freelance Writer Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider. Read more Read less

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