Fix wireless earphones not appearing in Mac Bluetooth settings

To connect a wireless audio device to your Mac, put it into pairing mode and then select it from the “Nearby Devices” section in your Mac’s Bluetooth settings.

However, if your third-party Bluetooth earphones, headphones, or wireless speakers don’t show up for connection in Mac’s System Settings and your computer is stuck “Searching…,” the following solutions will help fix the issue.

Make sure both devices are near

All Bluetooth devices have a limited range (around 33 feet or 10 meters), and cheap ones can have even less. So, make sure your third-party Bluetooth earphones are close to your Mac. Then, connect them from macOS Bluetooth settings.

Disconnect the headphones from the other device

Many Bluetooth earphones and accessories can only connect to one device at a time. So, if your wireless headphones are connected to your smartphone or television, for example, they may not appear in the Bluetooth settings of your Mac.

To fix this, turn off Bluetooth on your phone or TV to disconnect the earphones. Then, retry reconnecting them to your Mac from the Nearby Devices section.

If your wireless headphones support multi-device pairing, check the manual to see if you need to press some keys to connect them to more than one phone or computer.

Put the headphones in pairing mode

Your Bluetooth headphones will appear under the “Nearby Devices” heading only when they’re in pairing mode.

The steps to enter pairing mode differ based on the build, company, and model of your wireless headphones. Check the documentation that came with the headphones or find it on the manufacturer’s official website. Usually, it involves holding the power or volume buttons for 3 to 5 seconds. You may also notice a tiny light (if available) flash when the earphones are in pairing mode.

Charge your earphones for 15 minutes

If you just unboxed your new earphones or are using them after a while, it could happen that the battery is discharged because of which you can’t pair them with your Mac or iPhone. Leave the earphones to charge for 15 minutes and then retry the pairing process.

Refresh Mac’s Bluetooth

Turn off Bluetooth from MacBook’s System Settings, and then turn it back on after 20 seconds.

Note that you may not be able to turn off Bluetooth on your Mac mini, Mac Studio, iMac, or Mac Pro if only a wireless keyboard and mouse are connected to it. In that case, restart your computer.

Quit and reopen System Settings

With System Settings open, click its name from the top left corner and choose the quit option.

Turn off and on your earphones

If your wireless headphones have a power button, use it to turn the device off and then back on. If the earphones in question have a charging case, place the buds inside and leave them for 5 minutes.

Restart your computer

Your Mac may fail to detect new Bluetooth devices in its vicinity due to system glitches. Restart it, and the problem should be resolved.

Try connecting from the menu bar (if previously connected)

If you had previously connected these earphones to your Mac, you don’t need to go through the pairing process again. Just click the Bluetooth icon in your Mac’s top menu bar or Control Center and select your earphones.

Forget the device if you had connected it previously

1. Go to Mac’s System Settings > Bluetooth and check if you see the earphones here. In some cases, they may appear here even if your previous attempts to pair them failed.
2. Click the info button ⓘ next to the device, followed by Forget This Device.
3. Now, put the earphones back in pairing mode and reconnect by clicking the Connect button next to their name under the “Nearby Devices” heading of Mac’s Bluetooth Settings.

Factory reset the earphones and try again

Check the documentation that came with your specific earphones and look for instructions on how to reset them. Then, activate pairing mode and try connecting again.

Reset Mac’s Bluetooth

If you still can’t connect your wireless earphones to your Mac, try connecting them to a different device, such as your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or Windows PC. If you’re successful there, that means the problem is specific to your Mac. Here are some steps to take:

• Check if your earphones support macOS. Nearly all Bluetooth devices do, but still take a moment to confirm.
• Use the earphone manufacturer’s app on your smartphone to update its firmware. Then, retry connecting it to your Mac.
• Update your Mac.
• Reset Mac’s Bluetooth module.

In case the earphones don’t connect to any device, the problem may be with that specific unit. Have it checked at an authorized service center or request a replacement if you purchased it recently.

Which solution worked for you to fix this issue?

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/10/02/fix-wireless-earphone-issues-mac/