How to Fix Bluetooth Not Working on macOS Monterey

macOS Monterey features some good upgrades in terms of features and functions. It’s not as drastic a change to the macOS as Big Sur but improves upon an already solid system. 

Being a newly released version always means that some glitches and bugs will appear after installing macOS Monterey. One issue that some people are reporting is trouble with the Bluetooth connection.

This article will provide you with a few quick fixes to address the problem. 

Why Is Bluetooth Not Working After Installing macOS Monterey?

There isn’t necessarily a specific reason why you might be having problems with your Bluetooth connection after installing macOS Monterey. 

You could be experiencing some internal issue within the computer, or it may just be a bug that hasn’t been fixed within the OS itself. 

Regardless of why, if you follow the fixes mentioned here, you should be able to get it working. 

Fix #1: Check Your Bluetooth Connection

If you are having trouble connecting a specific device after the update, it may be caused by the computer forgetting the device. If your computer and Bluetooth device have not yet been paired, you’ll need to set that up to get the connection working. 

To connect a Bluetooth device to your computer, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bluetooth window by either selecting the icon from the top right of the window or going into System Preferences and then clicking on Bluetooth
2. A list of all the available devices will appear
3. If you don’t see the device you are trying to connect appear in this list, you need to pair it with the computer by pressing the pair button on that device. 
4. Once the device appears in the list, click on it to connect

Fix #2: Reset Bluetooth Module

If your Bluetooth is still not working after the standard method for connecting devices, you might need to reset the Bluetooth module. This is another quick fix that is worth trying before moving to the next steps. 

To reset the Bluetooth module, follow these steps:

1. Hold down the Shift and Option keys simultaneously, and then click on the Bluetooth icon in the top right of your window. 
2. Select Reset the Bluetooth module from the drop-down menu
3. Click OK
4. Repeat the steps from Fix #1 above to pair your device to your computer

Fix #3: Update macOS Monterey and Restart Computer

If you have been using macOS Monterey for a while and have started to experience Bluetooth issues, you might need to update the OS to the latest version. New updates will help fix bugs and improve performance, and you should try to stay up to date. 

To update macOS Monterey, follow these steps: 

1. Click on the Apple icon on the top left of your window
2. Select System Preferences from the drop-down menu
3. Click on Software Update and follow the directions from there
4. Make sure to restart your computer after performing an update

Fix #4: Reset SMC (for Intel Macs Only)

If your Bluetooth doesn’t seem to be turning on at all, an SMC reset might be in order. This stands for System Management Controller, and it controls many of the hardware settings within your computer – Bluetooth being one of these.

To reset the SMC on a Mac Laptop, follow these steps:

1. Shut down your computer
2. Press the Control, Option, Shift, and Power buttons at the same time for around ten seconds
3. Let go of the keys and power on your computer

To reset the SMC on a Mac desktop, follow these steps:

1. Shutdown your computer
2. Pull out the power cord from the computer
3. Wait for 15-20 seconds
4. Plug the power cable back in
5. Wait another 5-10 seconds
6. Power on the computer

Fix #5: Reset Bluetooth plist File

If you see an error message saying something like Bluetooth is not available, it could be caused by a bad plist file. To fix this issue, you’ll need to reset the plist file. This sounds technical, but it’s really not that bad if you follow the steps below. 

To reset the Bluetooth plist file, follow these steps:

1. Close out of any program or app that might be trying to use Bluetooth on your computer
2. Open up the Finder 
3. Hold down the Option key and then click on Go on the top of your window
4. Keep holding down the option key and then select Library from the drop-down menu
5. Open the Preferences folder
6. Locate this file apple.com.Bluetooth.plist
7. Delete that file
8. Restart your computer

Final Thoughts

Bluetooth is a handy feature – when it works. If you are experiencing any issues with the Bluetooth function on your computer after installing macOS Monterey, go through all the fixes mentioned here, and the problem should be resolved quickly.