How to fix Apple iPhone XR Bluetooth pairing that suddenly stopped working, cannot pair with other Bluetooth accessories [Troubleshooting Guide]

Bluetooth is now becoming both a trend and demand in smartphones and electronics market. And as Bluetooth technology continues to advance, more and more Bluetooth accessories are being rolled out from Bluetooth speakers, headsets, keyboards, mouse, and even Bluetooth cars. New smartphones like Apple’s recently released iPhone XR are rigorously schemed to offer ultimate Bluetooth experience to every user.

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But just recently, reports have it that a small number of iPhone XS and iPhone XR owners are experiencing Bluetooth connectivity issues in which the phones fail to connect to the car’s entertainment system and some third-party accessories. If you’re also enduring the same problem on your iPhone XR, then you can refer to the walkthroughs I demonstrate below. Keep reading and learn what to do when your new iPhone suddenly failed to pair with or connect to a Bluetooth device.

For those who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, contact us anytime through our iPhone issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot iPhone XR with Bluetooth problem

Before performing any of the following solutions, make sure both devices are within the specified Bluetooth range. To make sure distance isn’t the problem, place both devices close to each other and then retry pairing. Also check your other Bluetooth device and make sure it’s turned on and in discoverable mode. On your iPhone XR, confirm if Bluetooth is enabled. Most importantly, make sure that both devices are compatible. To ensure Bluetooth compatibility, contact the manufacturer of your Bluetooth device to confirm if it works with the iOS 12 platform. You can also view the list of Bluetooth devices supported by iPhone XR from the Apple website. If all these requirements are met but Bluetooth pairing issues persist, identify the root cause and fix the problem with any of these subsequent methods.

First solution: Turn Bluetooth off and on then restart devices.

Bluetooth functions of your iPhone sometimes may fail or stop working due to random system errors and glitches. To clear this out, turning Bluetooth off and then back on and restarting the iPhone can help. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Navigate to Settings-> Bluetooth menu.
  2. Then toggle the Bluetooth switch to turn the feature off.
  3. Restart your iPhone XR (soft reset).
  4. Go back to Settings-> Bluetooth menu.
  5. Then tap the Bluetooth switch again to re-enable the feature.
  6. Restart your Bluetooth accessory.

Make sure your other Bluetooth device is turned on and in discoverable mode for your iPhone to pair with and connect.

Second solution: Forget Bluetooth pairing then pair again.

If your iPhone XR was able to pair with or connect to the same Bluetooth device but suddenly failed, chances are that the Bluetooth connection was corrupted. In that case, you may need to remove the Bluetooth device from your phone’s memory and then attempt to pair again. Just follow these steps to reset Bluetooth connections on your iPhone XR:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Bluetooth.
  3. Then tap  on the blue i (information icon) next to the Bluetooth device.
  4. Then tap the option to Forget This Device.

The selected Bluetooth device will then be removed from your iPhone’s Bluetooth list. To pair with and connect your iPhone XR, restart both devices then continue with these steps:

  1. Navigate to Settings-> Bluetooth menu on your iPhone XR.
  2. Toggle the switch to turn Bluetooth on, if necessary.
  3. Then view the list of available Bluetooth devices in range.
  4. Select your preferred Bluetooth device to start pairing again.

If the pairing is successful, it denotes that the problem is fixed and therefore you’re all set to use your Bluetooth device with your iPhone XR. Otherwise, continue to troubleshoot.

Third solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone XR.

Network problems are also among the underlying causes as to why Bluetooth pairing suddenly failed. To rule this out, try resetting your iPhone’s network settings to eliminate network errors from invalid network settings or main server problems. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Open the Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap on Reset.
  4. Select Reset network settings option.
  5. Enter your device passcode when asked to proceed.
  6. Tap the option to confirm network settings reset.

After the reset, your iPhone reboots by itself and then restores the default network settings on the phone. This means that you need to enable both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features on your iPhone XR and then retry pairing with or connecting to your Bluetooth accessory.

Fourth solution: Restore factory default settings on your iPhone XR.

Your last option and possibly the ultimate solution to try on if your iPhone XR still failed to connect to or pair with your Bluetooth accessory after exhausting all prior methods would be a factory reset or master reset. This will wipe everything from your phone system including major data corruption that might have disrupted your iPhone’s Bluetooth functions. But before you begin, be sure to back up all your important files because they will also be deleted in the process. Then follow these steps whenever you’re all set for a master reset:

  1. Tap to open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. Select the option to Reset All Content and Settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode to proceed.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm full system reset.

Wait for your iPhone to finish wiping all system data and then restores the factory default settings. An indication that everything is done is when your iPhone restarts by itself. After it boots up, you can continue with the initial setup process and set up your phone as new. Don’t forget to enable Bluetooth before reattempting to pair with your Bluetooth device.

If the problem persists after performing a master reset, you may opt to continue troubleshooting and resort to restoring iOS. Otherwise, consider other options like finding other alternative devices to use.

Seek more help

Contact the manufacturer of your Bluetooth device if pairing problem persists and you’re keen on finding out why and how to fix it. The fact that you’ve already applied all possible solutions to deal with software problems affecting Bluetooth functions of your iPhone XR increases the chance that the problem is with the Bluetooth device and not your iPhone. In that case, verify and confirm that the device is compatible with your iPhone XR and iOS 12.

If the manufacturer confirms that the accessory is working correctly and your iPhone XR is supported, contact Apple Support for further assistance. Major data corruption or fatal system errors could be the main reason why Bluetooth pairing suddenly failed to work on your iPhone XR. In that case, more advanced solutions would be necessary.

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If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XR smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XR. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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