How to connect a Bluetooth accessory to your iPhone or iPad

Now that Bluetooth accessories are becoming more important — and better! — how do you connect them all to your iPhone or iPad? Like this!

Headphones, portable speakers, keyboards, even your car — these are just a few out of the many things that can connect wirelessly to your iPhone and iPad using Bluetooth. Modern Bluetooth is also easier to use than ever. As long as everything is charged, a Bluetooth device can broadcast that it's available, so it's easy to connect. Then in can stay ready, in a lower-power state, to ensure long battery life, but also burst incredibly fast to transfer data, including audio, when you need it.

How to turn Bluetooth on/off on iPhone and iPad

Before you can connect anything via Bluetooth, you need to make sure you have Bluetooth enabled. The easiest way is to use Control Center:

Alternatively, you can also use Control Center to turn Bluetooth on or off.

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up Control Center

  2. Tap on the Bluetooth button. It's the middle button in the top row.

    Swpe up from the bottom of your screen to pull up Control Center, and then tap the Bluetooth button.

You can also do it in Settings, if you prefer:

  1. Launch the Settings app.
  2. Tap Bluetooth

  3. Switch Bluetooth to On.

    Launch the Settings app, tap Bluetooth and then tap on the Bluetooth switch.

To disable Bluetooth, complete the same steps and switch Bluetooth to Off.

How to pair a Bluetooth device to your iPhone or iPad

Note: Before you start make should you have enabled Bluetooth on your iPhone and iPad

  1. Make sure your Bluetooth accessory is powered on and in "Discoverable" mode. How to do this will vary from device to device, so consult the instructions that came with your particular device.
  2. Launch the Settings app
  3. Tap Bluetooth.

  4. Tap the name of the device you want to pair with.

    Launch Settings app, tap Bluetooth, and then tap on the device you want to pair.

How to unpair a Bluetooth device to your iPhone or iPad

  1. Launch the Settings app
  2. Tap Bluetooth.
  3. Tap the information button beside the device you want to unpair.

  4. Tap Disconnect

How to forget a Bluetooth device on iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Settings app
  2. Tap Bluetooth.
  3. Tap the information button beside the device you want to unpair.

  4. Tap Forget this device.

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