How to Turn on Bluetooth on Your iPhone or Android: 4 Easy Methods

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How to enable Bluetooth on an iPhone or Android device

Written by Luigi Oppido | Edited by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: January 19, 2024 Fact Checked

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• iPhone Control Center
|
• iPhone Settings
|
• Android Quick Settings
|
• Android Settings
|
• Troubleshooting your Device
|
• Q&A
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

Bluetooth is a wireless method used to connect a variety of electronic devices together. It has become the most popular method of connecting wireless devices. Can't find Bluetooth on your phone? There are many different types of operating systems, which all have different methods of enabling Bluetooth. This wikiHow article teaches you how to enable Bluetooth on Android and iOS phones.

Things You Should Know

• On an iPhone, you can enable Bluetooth by tapping the Bluetooth icon in the Control Center or by going to "Settings > Bluetooth."
• On an Android, you can enable Bluetooth by tapping the Bluetooth icon in the Quick Settings menu or by going to "Settings > Bluetooth."
• If your Bluetooth isn't working, consider restarting your phone or checking for an update.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

iPhone Control Center

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1. 
   1
   Swipe down from the top-right corner of your phone. This will open the Control Center, which allows you to easily adjust some settings on your iPhone without having to open the Settings app.
2. 
   2
   Tap the Bluetooth button in the upper-left corner. In the section in the upper-left corner of the Control Center, the Bluetooth button is in the bottom-right. The icon looks like a "B".

   • The Bluetooth button will turn blue once it is active.
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Section 2 of 5:

iPhone Settings

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1. 
   1
   Open your Settings app. The Settings application gives you various options to modify your phone and change other application settings.
2. 
   2
   Click Bluetooth. This should be your third option within settings.
3. 
   3
   Tap the switch next to Bluetooth. This will turn on Bluetooth and automatically search for devices that are near enough to connect to.
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Section 3 of 5:

Android Quick Settings

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1. 
   1
   Swipe down from the top-left of your screen. This will open the Quick Settings menu.
2. 
   2
   Tap the Bluetooth icon. Depending on your phone model, the Bluetooth icon may be in a different location, but the icon looks like a "B".

   • Once you tap the Bluetooth icon, the background will turn blue to show that it's active.
3. 
   3
   Swipe down again if you don't see the Bluetooth option. Swiping down a second time will expand the Quick Settings menu. From this menu you should be able to enable Bluetooth.
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Section 4 of 5:

Android Settings

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1. 
   1
   Locate and open your settings menu. The logo for the settings menu is a cogwheel.
2. 
   2
   Find your connection settings. The name of this menu item varies depending on what phone model you have. On a Google Pixel you'll want to look for Connected devices and on Samsung you'll want to look for Connections.

   • On a Google Pixel, you must also select the Connection preferences option after selecting Connected devices.
3. 
   3
   Toggle on Bluetooth. After you turn on Bluetooth, your phone will start searching for nearby Bluetooth devices.
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Section 5 of 5:

Troubleshooting your Device

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1. 
   1
   Restart your device. Many times your phone, like a computer, can overheat or just be running for too long of a period. Sometimes we don't think of our phones as a computer, but phones can benefit from a simple reboot. After turning off your device, wait one minute before restarting it.
2. 
   2
   Turn airplane mode on and off. This is known as a "soft reset" and can help fix some network and connection problems.
3. 
   3
   Perform an update. If your phone's operating system is out of date, you could be missing out on an important bug fix for Bluetooth.

   • You'll often need to either be connected to a computer or Wi-Fi to perform an update. This process takes some time, so be ready with your charger nearby.
4. 
   4
   Delete a device from your Bluetooth list. If you are having trouble with a device you've already paired your phone with, try starting from scratch.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  My Bluetooth always turns off and I cannot open it. What can I do?

  

  Community Answer

  If the Bluetooth function does not turn on at all, contact your cell phone provider for assistance.

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Warnings

• Best practice is to turn Bluetooth off when you're finished. Bluetooth is known to deplete your battery life if you leave it on for an extended period of time.
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