How to Fix iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Bluetooth Problems

BY Gautam Prabhu

Published 4 Oct 2018

Fix iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Bluetooth Problems

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are blowing away competition. DxOMark has already announced that iPhone XS Max has “the best smartphone cameras ever”, and DisplayMate has rated iPhone XS Max Display as the “Best Ever Smartphone” display. But like most iPhone models, it also comes with its own set of problems.

Users have been reporting problems such as beauty filter effect applied on selfies, device not charging automatically when plugged in, LTE Connectivity issues etc. Some users are also reporting problems connecting their shiny new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max to Bluetooth devices. They’re also reporting that their iPhone keeps disconnecting from the Bluetooth especially with car audio systems.

How to Fix iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Bluetooth Problems and Issues

If you find out that the problem lies with your iPhone, here are some time tested solutions you could try to fix the Bluetooth issues on your iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max:

#1. Check Bluetooth Device

The first thing you should do is to the problem is not with the Bluetooth accessory you’re trying to connect to. So try connecting to the accessory with your Mac, PC or any other device, and see if things work fine or not.

#1. Turn off Bluetooth and Hard Reset

The first thing to try is to turn off your Bluetooth and hard reset your iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max by following these steps:

  • Turn off Bluetooth by going to Settings > Bluetooth and turning off the Bluetooth toggle.
  • Follow these steps to force reset iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
    • Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
    • Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
    • Press and hold the Side button (Sleep/Wake button) till you see the Apple logo.
iPhone X Hard Reset Buttons
  • Now enable Bluetooth again from Control Center or Settings > Bluetooth.

Try connecting to the device now. If the problem still isn’t solved, try the next solution.

#2. Forget Device

If the previous tip didn’t work for you, you can try forgetting the Bluetooth device you paired with from Settings, and then try reconnecting:
  • Open Settings and go to Bluetooth.
  • Tap on the “i” icon against the device name you’re having problems connecting.
  • Tap on the “Forget This Device” button and confirm your action.
  • Now pair your iPhone or iPad with the Bluetooth device again, and see if the issue has been solved.

This solution has helped several readers in the past.

#3. Reset Network Settings

If none of the two tips worked, you could also try resetting your network settings. A side effect of doing this is that all your Wi-Fi settings will also be cleared, so you might have to rejoin Wi-Fi networks, and configure VPN all over again.

Here’s how to reset network settings:

  • Open Settings and navigate to General > Reset
  • Tap Reset Network Settings
  • You’ll be required to enter your passcode if you have one.
  • Confirm your action in the popup

Your iPhone will reboot. Once it starts up, try pairing with the Bluetooth device again. If your problem still isn’t solved, move to the next step.

#4. Restore and Setup as new iPhone

This is not ideal, but if none of these tips fix your issues, the last resort is to restore your iPhone or iPad via iTunes and set it up as a new device. This way, you start afresh and get rid of possibly problematic customizations and settings on your device. Follow the instructions in the post linked below to do a clean restore your iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max via iTunes.

#5. Visit an Apple Store

Even after performing all these steps, you’re still having problems, then you might want to visit your nearest Apple Store to know of any possible hardware related issues.

Have you faced problems connecting your iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max with Bluetooth accessories? Let us know in the comments below.