Bluetooth!!!

[Darran]

So I cannot for the life of me get bluetooth to discover any of my iOS devices!

I have bluetooth turned on for my iphone 6, iPad mini and Apple TV and they're all a few feet from each other and not one can see the other!! Help!

I've tried a hard reboot, airplane mode toggle, wifi on and off. Bluetooth off and on too many times I've had them sitting on top of each other in and out of their cases and on the otherside of the room and still nothing! In a fluke when I first tried I got my iphone and my iPad connected but when I toggled it off and on it hasn't recognised anything! It says it's discoverable on each device but neither finds the other!

iPhone and iPad both running 8.1.1 and Apple TV is on 6.2.1

Help!? What on earth can I do apart from throw them all out of the window?

 

[gordol]

What are you trying to do? For example, AirPlay is done over WiFi, not BlueTooth.

 

[Darran]

I didn't mention AirPlay.

I'm just trying to get my iPhone, iPad or Apple TV to discover each other via Bluetooth.

When I turn bluetooth on for each device it states its discoverable and lists the name its discoverable as but never actually finds another iOS device. I can immediately find third party Bluetooth devices in the list but not any of my iOS devices. This initially started as a means of getting handoff working and the first time I tried the iPhone and iPad DID connect from just turning Bluetooth on and nothing else but once I toggled Bluetooth off and back on I've been unable to get any of them to discover another iOS device in the list. The only way I've managed is to turn personal hotspot on my iphone and with Bluetooth turned on it shows the name of the other iOS device in the list as connected but also shows the device again in the other section as not connected so I tap the second instance and it prompts to pair which I do on both and it states connected. Then I turn personal hotspot off and once of the Bluetooth instances disappears and the remaining one just then won't connect. When I tap in on either device it says unable to connect and ensure both devices are within range which they are and are just inches apart and the same distance they were when they connected seconds earlier whilst personal hotspot was on.

I've tried forgetting the profiles and resetting network settings and setting up as a new device and rebooting each device and the router just incase and nothing! Tried changing the device names and still no means of connecting. It's not interference as it connects to another non iOS device within seconds and if I turn personal hotspot on it connects immediately. The purpose of Apple TV was just to use another iOS device to discover either the iPhone or iPad which it doesn't!

 

[Darran]

Well initially I was trying to connect the iPhone and iPad via Bluetooth so I could use handoff. Handoff actually requires Bluetooth to be on AND both devices connected. It took me some time to work out why handoff wasn't working then I read on the apple support page that Bluetooth needed to be on aswell. I put Bluetooth on both my iphone and iPad and still nothing then all of a sudden they connected and I had the solid Bluetooth logo to show they were connected and handoff worked! I then turned Bluetooth off and back on to recheck and that's where I am now with not one of my iOS devices recognising the other! The only way they actually recognise each other is if I turn personal hotspot on which isn't the way handoff actually works. There's no continuity with having to swap to a 4G tethered connection in order to handoff to another device!

 

[gordol]

I didn't mention AirPlay.

I'm just trying to get my iPhone, iPad or Apple TV to discover each other via Bluetooth.

I know, but you did not say WHY. I gave AirPlay as an example, nothing more. Now that you have said why, someone should be able to help you.

 

[Darran]

Yes Bluetooth needs to be on for Handoff to work. But you don't need to go into Bluetooth settings and explicitly pair the devices.

Sadly you do on mine! Handoff only works between my iPhone and iPad if there's a connected Bluetooth connection between the two. Took me ages to work out why handoff wasn't working then suddenly the Bluetooth connection connected and handoff worked for the first time I then stupidly toggled Bluetooth off and on and now they won't connect or recognise again!

I can fudge it by turning on personal hotspot and for some reason tis turns on Bluetooth and actually created a solid connection between my iphone and iPad and then handoff works but I should be able to use handoff over wifi aswell and with personal hotspot on my wireless router is not in use as its using my 4G data as expected. It's just all really flaky and annoying. I have no idea how or why it connected that one time and worked great for the few mins I left it alone before turning bt off!

 

[Darran]

Yes Bluetooth needs to be on for Handoff to work. But you don't need to go into Bluetooth settings and explicitly pair the devices.

Try this out. If handoff is working between your iphone and iPad then go into Bluetooth and see if the other device is listed and status connected. If so then tap the i and forget this device and try handoff with Bluetooth on but not connected to the other device.

 

[Darran]

Haha this is ridiculous!

So I've now managed after playing with hotspot for a while in Bluetooth mode to get my iphone and iPad recognised over Bluetooth but as soon as I turn hotspot off the devices can no longer connect via Bluetooth. They show in the list as not connected and when I tap on them it just says unable to connect make sure device is within range even though they're inches apart and worked perfect via BT when hotspot was on. Now for some strange reason I've managed to get my iPad to recognise my iPhone but then is says pairing unsuccessful. I did force it to forget the device but that makes no difference. I don't know how all of a sudden it started recognising the iPhone by displaying it as a device although still cannot connect haha!

This is so poor from Apple. I mean what can I be doing wrong when there's only one button! Bluetooth off or on and that's it!

 

[Darran]

Finally solved it! So simple

Aswell as needing handoff and Bluetooth turn on for both devices you need to leave the message/email open on screen for handoff to work on the other device! Doesn't mention this anywhere which is crazy! I was previously returning to the home screen or settings to view Bluetooth connections. All you have to do is keep it open and visible on screen and it works perfectly AND once handoff picks up your document the Bluetooth settings show both devices listed as connected automatically without needing to manually pair or connect them as I was expecting to do!