Apple’s latest iPhone series, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus already entrenched an advanced Bluetooth connectivity feature with Bluetooth version 5.0. It offers a more enhanced Bluetooth functionality with four times range, two times speed, and eight times broadcasting message capacity. You can also expect to have twice the data transfer speed of the prior Bluetooth version.
All these enhancements brought forth by Bluetooth 5.0 will allow you to do more with your new iPhone and Bluetooth devices. However, this does denote that Bluetooth problems are no more. In fact, some of the first few people to own the new iPhones already bumped into different issues with Bluetooth connectivity. Some of them couldn’t get to pair or connect their iPhone to a car Bluetooth, Bluetooth speaker, headset, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices. And this is the main issue to be addressed in this post, particularly with the Apple iPhone 8 Plus. If you too are dealing with a similar issue with Bluetooth connectivity on your new iPhone 8 Plus, then this content might be able to help. Just keep reading to find out the possible causes as well as potential solutions for you to try on later.
Drop by our iPhone 8 Plus troubleshooting page if you have other issues with your phone as we’ve already addressed the most common problems. If you need more help, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.
Possible reasons why your iPhone 8 Plus Bluetooth is not working as intended?
Supposedly all you have to do is turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone, place both devices within proximity, pair then connect. Once you’ve done that, you are all set to share or redirect some of your iPhone functions to your other Bluetooth-enabled devices like a Bluetooth stereo in your car. But for some reasons this could not happen. And so you wonder why these things happen.
In this case, consider the distance between your Bluetooth devices. While Bluetooth 5 covers wider proximity (100 meters), the farther the distance could also mean slower Bluetooth connection between the Bluetooth devices even up to the point of them being unable to communicate with each other. Obstructions like walls, furniture, and the like can also be among the other culprits. Metal elements including metal frames of the windows or wall can also bar or interfere with the Bluetooth signal.
Other factors that can trigger problems with Bluetooth connectivity aside from misconfigured Bluetooth settings are software glitches, faulty updates, and worst, hardware damage on the iPhone or the other Bluetooth device or accessories in use. While this rarely happens, it can happen especially if you happen to drop your iPhone so hard and that has damaged the Bluetooth antenna on the device. The same thing can happen if your iPhone got soaked in some liquid. But if none of these things happened in your case, then consider yourself lucky because you still can try to work on some things to make your iPhone 8 Plus Bluetooth work as intended. Find out your options then.
Potential solutions to Bluetooth problems on your iPhone 8 Plus
Before you start doing anything, make sure that your devices are within range or at least 100 meters away from each other. Also care to double check if Bluetooth is turned on and the other Bluetooth device is turned on too. Once you’ve got all these done and still you couldn’t get to pair or connect your iPhone 8 Plus with your Bluetooth device(s), proceed with this troubleshooter.
Check the other Bluetooth device
Try to connect your iPhone 8 Plus to your other Bluetooth devices (if available). If it successfully connects to one device while the other doesn’t, then the problem is isolated to one of your Bluetooth devices. It is possible that the other device is not compatible with your iPhone 8 Plus in the first place. Should this be the case, no need to troubleshoot your iPhone any further. You may contact the manufacturer of your other Bluetooth device, like car Bluetooth for more information on Bluetooth specifications and compatibility. Or you can also visit Apple’s support page to find out which devices are supported by your iPhone’s Bluetooth functions.
Reboot your iPhone 8 Plus (soft reset)
As mentioned earlier, many device issues that are software-related are often resolved by a soft reset. So if you haven’t already, get to your iPhone to restart with these steps:
- Press and hold the Side button or Power button for a few seconds.
- When you see the Slide to Power off screen, drag the slider to power off your iPhone completely.
- After 30 seconds, press the Side button or Power button again until the Apple logo appears.
- Wait until your iPhone boots up completely then try to use Bluetooth again.
A soft reset is considered the simplest yet most effective solution to minor issues that are triggered by software glitches in mobile devices. It does not affect any of your iPhone data so it’s definitely a safe process to begin with.
Turn Pairing mode on your other Bluetooth device off and on
Should there be any software glitch that is preventing the other Bluetooth device from establishing a secure connection with your iPhone, turning the pairing mode off and then back on might be able to fix it. If you haven’t done it yet, then here’s how:
- Locate the switch button (Bluetooth button) on your other Bluetooth device. Every Bluetooth device must have a switch for you to be able to easily activate pairing mode on or off.
- Press and hold that switch or button for a few seconds to take it out of pairing mode.
- Wait for about 30 seconds then press that switch or button again to put it back into pairing mode.
After you do the above steps, try to connect it to your iPhone 8 Plus again.
Forget the Bluetooth device
Just like when you forget wireless networks on your device, forgetting the Bluetooth device on your iPhone 8 Plus can also solve any problem tied to Bluetooth connectivity. When you forget a Bluetooth device, all previous history of Bluetooth activities will be erased along with the Bluetooth device registered on your iPhone. So the next time you’ll add them, it will be like they are connecting for the first time. Here’s how to forget a Bluetooth device on your iPhone 8 Plus:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap Bluetooth.
- Tap the information (i) icon next to the Bluetooth device you want to forget.
- Tap the option to Forget This Device.
- If prompted, tap Forget Device to confirm action.
- If the selected device no longer appears under My Devices in Settings-> Bluetooth menu, then that denotes the device has been removed or forgotten.
Reboot your iPhone 8 Plus and your Bluetooth device then try to pair and connect them again.
- If you are trying to connect your iPhone to your car Bluetooth, go to your iPhone Settings-> Bluetooth-> Other Devices-> then look for the name of your car. If you find it, tap on it to pair it with your iPhone 8 Plus. After your car Bluetooth pairs with your iPhone, it will show under My Devices and with a label that says Connected.
If that won’t work, then it’s time to find remedy from software resets.
Reset network settings on your iPhone 8 Plus
A network error can also cause the same problem to occur with your iPhone’s Bluetooth connectivity. Often times, rebooting the network equipment (modem/wireless router) can take care of the problem but there are also other cases in which a reset is needed. Since what you’re dealing with is tagged among other network connectivity problems on the iPhone, performing a network settings reset can possibly fix it. But there are also some adverse outputs from doing so.
When you reset your network settings, data from all of your Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi networks, and VPN settings will be erased thus gives your iPhone a fresh start when attempting to connect to Bluetooth devices. Just be sure to take note of your Wi-Fi networks and passwords before you begin with the reset though. Once everything is set, follow these steps to reset your iPhone’s network settings:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Tap Reset.
- Select the option to Reset Network Settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode to confirm action.
Your iPhone will then reset the network settings and reboots by itself. After it restarts, set up your network connections including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth then try to connect your iPhone 8 Plus to your Bluetooth device again and see if it’s now able to work as intended.
DFU mode restore (optional)
If your iPhone 8 Plus still cannot be paired with or cannot connect to your other Bluetooth device, the problem might be too complex which means that a tougher solution is required. In this case, you may have to consider performing a DFU mode restore on your iPhone 8 Plus.
A DFU mode restore however, should only be considered the last resort in every situation because it can also cause possible damage to your iPhone system especially when done incorrectly. To give you some more views, there is a chance that your iPhone system can brick when the DFU mode restore does not complete or when the process gets interrupted. So instead of just having a problem using Bluetooth, you will end up having a totally useless iPhone when bad things happen in the process.
If you are willing to take the risks and give it a try, then go for it. We have outlined a step-by-step guide on how to perform a DFU mode restore on iPhone 8 Plus in a dedicated article posted on our Troubleshooting Page. Feel free to visit if you need help in the process.
Other Safer Options
If you are not confident of performing a DFU mode restore on your end, then you can always seek further assistance and escalate the problem to Apple Support or contact your carrier customer care. If you suspect that the problem is on your Bluetooth device or accessory and not your iPhone 8 Plus, then contact the device’s manufacturer for further assistance and recommendations. It is definitely a safer option than a DFU mode restore.
Connect with us
If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the new Apple iPhone 8 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 8. 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.