What to do if your Google Pixel's Bluetooth is not working

You've made the perfect playlist for a long flight, but when you find your seat, your Bluetooth® headphones won't connect to your Google Pixel™. Talk about frustrating.

Before you reach for that airline magazine to entertain yourself, remember, we've got your back. At Asurion, our experts have the know-how to help you with all of your tech care needs, from how to fix common Android Auto issues to how to fix no service or signal on your phone. Here's what they suggest you do if Bluetooth isn't working on your Pixel phone.

Keep your Bluetooth device close to your phone

Having your Bluetooth device nearby might seem like a given, but it's easy to forget how far the Bluetooth connection range goes—only about 30 feet. Try connecting to the device while being as close to it as possible.

Make sure Bluetooth is turned on

It may sound silly, but it's easy to forget to turn Bluetooth on. Here's how to check to make sure it is:

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Connected devices > Connection preferences > Bluetooth.
3. If Bluetooth is off, tap the switch to turn it on.

If it's already on, tap the switch to turn it off and then back on again. This quick reset can often solve your connection issues.

Don’t waste time scrolling

Life is short. Ask our experts and get answers now.

Ask an expert

Reconnect your device to your phone

When a Bluetooth device gives you problems, you may need to disconnect it from your device then link it up again. To disconnect your device, you'll follow these steps:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Make sure Bluetooth is on (if it's not, tap the Bluetooth tile), then press and hold the Bluetooth tile.
3. Tap the name of the device you want to connect. If it's already connected, tap the gear icon to the right of the device name, tap Disconnect, then tap Connect.
4. Try using the device to see if it's now working.

If disconnecting and re-connecting doesn't help, you can remove the Bluetooth device from your Pixel completely and then re-establish a new connection to it. This process is called pairing and unpairing. Here's how it works:

• Pull down from the top of your phone's screen twice to open Quick Settings and make sure Bluetooth is on—if it's not, tap the tile to turn it on. .
• Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
• Tap Connected Devices and select Previously connected devices > Forget Device.
• Once you've removed your Bluetooth device, you'll reconnect it from the same settings page. Tap Pair new device.

Make sure the device you want to connect to is in pairing mode, tap the name of the Bluetooth device, and follow any on-screen steps to finish.

Test different Bluetooth devices

Try to connect another Bluetooth device to see if the issue is with your device or Bluetooth in general.

Restart your phone

Turning your Pixel off and on not only resets the device, it also forces your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to reset and try and reconnect. Here's how to do it:

Reset a Pixel 5a and earlier:

Press and hold the Power button, then tap Power off.

Reset a Pixel 6, Pixel 7, or Pixel 8:

Press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons, then tap Power off.

To turn your Pixel back on, press and hold the Power button.

Reset your network settings

This step will reset your phone's Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth settings without erasing your photos, videos, apps, and other content.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings, and select System.
2. Tap Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. The phone won't restart—instead, you'll see a message at the bottom of the screen saying the network reset has been finished.
3. Head back to the Bluetooth settings page from the previous steps, and try to connect the device to your Pixel.

Clear the Bluetooth cache

All of the apps and features on your phone—like Bluetooth or voicemail—store their data on your device. Some of that data can interfere with your favorite features, and clearing your cache is an easy way of getting rid of it, without erasing any of the content you love.

Here's how to clear your Bluetooth cache:

1. Open Settings > Apps.
2. Tap See all apps.
3. Scroll through the apps and select Bluetooth > Storage. That app's storage might be listed as Storage & Cache as well.
4. Tap Clear Cache. Then, turn your phone off and on.
5. Try to connect your Bluetooth device again.

Update your software

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth not working? It could be a software issue. Follow these steps to perform a software update:

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap System > System update. If there's an update available, follow the steps on the screen.

Try a factory reset

If these troubleshooting steps didn't work, the last thing you can try is a factory reset. This step erases all the content on your device and returns it to its factory default settings. Before starting a factory reset, you'll want to make sure you have backed up your phone recently and that you have your Google® account information and your phone's security code on hand.

For help backing up your Pixel, check out our guide. To begin a factory reset, follow these steps:

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Tap System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
3. To erase all data from your phone's internal storage, tap Erase all data. If you use a security PIN to access your phone, enter your PIN and then tap Erase all data.
4. When your phone finishes the reset, pick the option to restart. Set up your phone and restore your backed-up data.