Bluetooth not connecting? Crade walks you through the fix
Headphones, mouse, keyboard, AirPods. Bluetooth fails in the same handful of ways. Crade reads what is on your screen and gives you the fix in the right order.
My AirPods will not pair. What should I try?
Quick fix order, highest-success first: 1. Forget the device, re-pair . Click (i) next to AirPods. Forget This Device . put in case, hold setup button 10 sec. 2. Toggle Bluetooth off . wait 10 sec . on 3. Reset the Bluetooth module . Option+Shift+click Bluetooth menu icon . Reset 4. Restart your Mac Battery check: AirPods need >20% to pair from a fresh case open. Charge first if low. If still nothing after all 4: check Software Update . a recent macOS patch broke pairing for a window of users.
Bluetooth fails in maybe 8 different ways. The fixes are well-known but the order matters. Restart everything is the lazy answer, and it works half the time. The other half, you need to actually diagnose. Crade reads your Bluetooth panel and tells you exactly what to try, in priority order.
What you put on your screen
- macOS: System Settings → Bluetooth panel
- Windows: Settings → Bluetooth & devices
- The device you are pairing with (powered on, in pairing mode if it has one)
What you say to Crade
Mention the device type if it is not obvious. Crade reads your Bluetooth panel and gives you the diagnostic flow.
Step-by-step
Open the Bluetooth settings
Make the panel visible so Crade can read the current state (connected, paired but not connected, not visible).
Click the Crade icon
Expand Crade. Floats over Settings.
Describe the problem
"AirPods do not show up", "keyboard connects but disconnects after 2 minutes", "mouse paired but no input". Specific symptoms = specific fix.
Try the first fix
Crade gives the highest-success fix first. Bluetooth off + on, forget device + re-pair, reset Bluetooth module. Depends on your symptom.
Verify the result
Did it work? Show Crade the new state if not. "Still does not show up" tells Crade to try the next thing.
Escalate if needed
If everything fails and the device works on another machine, the issue is your Bluetooth hardware (rare). If the device fails on multiple machines, it is the device. Crade tells you which is which.
Common fixes in priority order
- Make sure Bluetooth is on (sounds obvious; it is the answer 20% of the time)
- Make the device discoverable (put earbuds in pairing mode, check the device's instructions if unclear)
- Toggle Bluetooth off + on, wait 10 seconds between
- Forget the device, re-pair from scratch
- Restart your computer (last resort but often the fix)
- Reset the Bluetooth module (Mac: hold Option+Shift while clicking Bluetooth menu → Reset)
- Check device battery (low battery often blocks pairing)
- Distance: Bluetooth range is ~10m line-of-sight. Walls and microwaves break it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my AirPods connect to one device but not another?
AirPods remember their last-connected device. Open Settings on the target device, manually select the AirPods in the Bluetooth list to force a switch.
What if a device is paired but no audio plays?
Output device is wrong. MacOS: Sound settings → Output → pick the Bluetooth device. Windows: same flow under Sound settings.
Bluetooth keyboard keeps disconnecting. Why?
Usually low battery or interference. Charge the keyboard first. If it still drops, move away from Wi-Fi routers and USB-3 devices (both share the 2.4GHz band).
Can Crade actually reset my Bluetooth?
On Pro Agent mode, Crade can run the reset command for you (after you confirm). For UI-level fixes, Crade tells you where to click; you click yourself.
What if my computer has no Bluetooth?
Add a USB Bluetooth adapter. Or use the wired version of your device. Bluetooth-less older PCs are the most common cause of "Bluetooth simply does not work".
The whole loop in one sentence
Bluetooth panel on screen, one prompt with the symptom, exact fix back. Most Bluetooth issues clear up in two minutes once you stop guessing.
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