Mac mini 2018 Bluetooth issues?

[N9JIG]

My 2018 Mac Mini has frustrated me from day one with the Bluetooth issue. I had to stop using the Magic Mouse (which I love despite its poor design of the charging port). I also cannot use my AirPods with my livestreams I do every week as they cut out constantly. I had less problems with the magic keyboard but even that loses connection from time to time. I have nice wired headphones but the cord gets tangled during streams.

I went all Logitech on it and bought the MX Keys keyboard and MX Trackball mouse as well as the Logitech H800 wireless headset. The mouse and KB use the Unifying Transceiver but the headset has its own transceiver.

I also have a Logitech G502 Hero wired mouse that I have been using for a while. While I like it the cord was always getting in the way during streams, often getting tangled with the headset.

While I don't anticipate using the built-in mic on the headset since my Samson works great I will give it a shot just to see how it works.

I had to remap the keyboard, for whatever reason the CMD and OPT buttons are reversed but otherwise so far am happy with it.

I am going to have to get use to the trackball mouse, it is challenging but I think in a week or so I will be OK.

My other option is to switch my WFH setup to my MBP but it only has 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD compared to 32GB/2TB on the Mini. I could offload files to external storage but the RAM might be an issue as I run Parallels for our Windows apps. BT works great on the MBP.

I am looking forward to the next version of the M1X or M2 Mini, now that Parallels runs on the AS platform I can run our phone apps so it might be the next step. BT seems to work fine on my wife's M1 Mini so I assume it will continue as such on the next one.

 

[chobochobo]

UPdate on my situation ie after switching off wifi. I had a few issues with lag/ stuttering a few days later and in the end I chose to use a physical plug in lead for my headphones which I only use at night or early morning to avoid disturbing others. Thankfully the OS/ mini allows you to choose your sound output even with the headphones plugged in, so I can keep the phones plugged in all the time and switch as needed. My mini is hidden behind my monitor and I was worried that if the headphone output 'took precedence' over everything else when plugged in, I'd have to fuss around trying to plug it in and out each time. So far doing ok with it. So I gave up on BT audio lol

 

[Mrggg]

Many people here seem to have success using a BT dongle. I have tried that too, and everything works except automatic unlocking of my 2018 Mac Mini with the Apple watch. Has anyone got the autounlock with Watch to work with a BT dongle? I apologize in advance if I missed that when reading all 27 pages of these posts. I also could not find this with a lot of Goggle searches.

 

[aviegas]

Just as a comment, my bluettooth works way much betteer when using Monterey. Only a few sporadic mouses hangs (once every 3 to 4 days). No more keyboard problems (Keychron). Mouse is Logitech (MX Anywhere 3). Much better now. Ah, I'm no longer using the USB-A ports on the mini, for what's worth.

 

[Squuiid]

Just as a comment, my bluettooth works way much betteer when using Monterey. Only a few sporadic mouses hangs (once every 3 to 4 days). No more keyboard problems (Keychron). Mouse is Logitech (MX Anywhere 3). Much better now. Ah, I'm no longer using the USB-A ports on the mini, for what's worth.

Same here. Don’t use USB-A and install Monterey.
Zero Bluetooth issues.

 

[aviegas]

Same here. Don’t use USB-A and install Monterey.
Zero Bluetooth issues.

To get by without using the USB-A ports, I've added a fantastic Juiced USB-C dock (https://juicedsystems.com/products/vertexhub-usb-c-hub-data-and-charging-hub-usb-3-1-gen2) that takes 1 USB-C port and giver 3 USB-A (3.1gen2 at 10Gbps) and 4 extra USB-C USB3.1g2 (also 10Gbps).

 

[Ben J.]

Just as a comment, my bluettooth works way much betteer when using Monterey. Only a few sporadic mouses hangs (once every 3 to 4 days). No more keyboard problems (Keychron). Mouse is Logitech (MX Anywhere 3). Much better now. Ah, I'm no longer using the USB-A ports on the mini, for what's worth.

I really think there's little chance that Monterey is the reason for the improvement you see. What ports are in use, however, has been reported many times that it affects bluetooth functionality. I've confirmed that 100% for myself. In essence, no ports in use: full BT functionality. Then, as you add devices to the thunderbolt and USB ports, BT range and stability drops. More noticably with high-speed/bandwidth devices, and a little more obvious on usb ports than TB ports.

As Aviegas reported; using as few of the ports as possible by using dongle(s) is the solution.

 

[aviegas]

I'm using all 4 USB-C/Thunderbolt ports (2 monitors, 1 NVMe SSD and a USB-C/USB-A hub). Using any of the USB-A ports would cause a severe degradation. Under Big Sur not using the USB-A provided an improvement, but the keyboard and mouse would eventually disconnect and take a good time to reconnect. With Monterey, with the same port setup it's way much better: keyboard sleeps and wakes (battery saving), wake-up on bluetooth works, and no more disconnects (as I said before only one quick mouse hang once a week if not less frequently). So, not using the USB-A and moving to Monterey seems to be the solution.

 

[DeeGee48]

I think the new 2022 Mac mini (pro?) with the plexiglass top will do away with the problem once and for all. I sure HOPE it does!

 

[harriska2]

I’m using one usbc port and a hub off the usba port. Since going from Mojave to Monterey, my airpods no longer drop constantly. Definitely an improvement.

 

[MikeDr206]

My solution to Bluetooth issues has been to turn off WiFi, and not to use the built-in RJ45 port for networking. Rather, I have a Thunderbolt dock, and use its RJ45 port. No issues with Bluetooth.

there’s some weird interference going on, which Apple seemingly is trying to deal with via software updates, but those measures can go only so far with what is inherently a design defect in my estimation.

 

[MikeDr206]

Another solution, particularly if you use a wired keyboard that has a USB port, is to get a Bluetooth dongle and plug it into the keyboard. I used to do that.

 

[robertjoe]

Using Satechi ST-BWSKMS and Magic Mouse 2 on Mac mini m1 with zero issues via BT dongle.
The Bluetooth issue of mac is like a common thing of mac users.
But It is now much easier to solve with a BT dongle. And I got the solution through the Hideez dongle.
Basically, I used it for Mouse, Keyboard, headphones, and speakers. And now it is working very well. Indeed satisfied.

 

[Mrggg]

The problem with bluetooth dongle is that it does not work if you want to unlock your Mac with the Apple watch. If someone knows how to get that working, I would love to know. I have a dongle, and can locate it far from the Mini at the end of a USB cable , and it does indeed work great for everything except unlocking.

 

[MrDoh]

Not a problem anymore here. I think that it was Big Sur, maybe, that fixed it for me on the 2018 mini. The internal bluetooth started working well after some particular macOS release, don't remember exactly which one *smile*. The bluetooth dongle worked well for me before that, plugged into the USB keyboard that I was using, but I don't worry about locking my mini. The only problem with the dongle was that when I updated or restarted the mini, had to switch to the external dongle and re-pair my mouse's bluetooth connection. Still have to do the re-pairing part using the internal bluetooth, though.

Anyways, the M-1 based mini that I have now has not had the problem, the internal bluetooth has worked well. Aside from the required re-pairing at restart.

I realize that this doesn't help anyone who has this problem, but I only found out that the internal bluetooth had started to work accidentally. At one point, I forgot to switch to the dongle, and somewhere down the line noticed that things were working fine with the internal bluetooth. Nice surprise *smile*.

 

[Tesla1856]

I realize that this doesn't help anyone who has this problem, but I only found out that the internal bluetooth had started to work accidentally. At one point, I forgot to switch to the dongle, and somewhere down the line noticed that things were working fine with the internal bluetooth. Nice surprise *smile*.

Actually, that does make sense. It is 3-4 years later and Apple has had plenty of time to address this.

To me, it was always seemed like a "hardware problem" anyway ... either with the Bluetooth radio, the antenna tuning, etc ... something like that. Correctable with a firmware upgrade (to either the Mac-Mini or the Bluetooth micro-controller) or possibly just macOS drivers.

 

[IngerMan]

I guess I am one of the lucky ones, I only experienced a little issue a few years back with my wireless mouse. Swapped the USBA cables in the back and it went away. I use to run my 2018 i7 MM on the desk, close to everything. I moved my office last month and have the MM on a lower shelf below the desk, 3x the distance away now. I have not had any issues. Using Apple wireless keyboard, Trackpad and Logitech wireless mouse. Also use my AirPods 2 occasionally. I have every port used in the back with hardware except the ethernet port now, since I moved the office.

 

[ivnj]

I got the m1 Mac mini last year around end of January. Bluetooth was fine on Big Sur but I installed 12.2.1 on an external drive and bluetooth won't connect to my amazon luna controller. I put it in pairing mode and nothing shows up. So it might be OS related also and not the model or year.

 

[arkitect]

In January I picked up a nice little Mac Mini 2018…
Lovely little machine… except for… yes you all know it. Bluetooth.

The only Bluetooth device I was using at the time was the Apple Magic Trackpad. It started acting up and losing connections and also just stuttering a lot.

That it was Bluetooth causing the issue didn't cross my mind, I replaced the (nearly 10 years old) Trackpad with a newer version but… aaaargh! Same old problem.

A few weeks ago I also ran into issues pairing my new Bluetooth headphones — and slowly I started to realise the issue is with the Mac's Bluetooth.

I found this thread — thanks MacRumours!

Problem solved (I think!)

To save space I stood the Mac mini on its side, power switch up, outputs facing the front of the desk and the round bottom facing me… Everything started working. If I lay the Mac mini down (round bottom on the wooden desk), my Bluetooth goes crazy. I have tried all directions lying down. As soon as I stand the Mac mini up with the round bottom facing the room. Everything works fine. I did try to place the Mac mini standing on its side with the outputs in other directions, but with so many times I need access it is most handy for the outputs to be accessible.

I have explored this for weeks now, as I have mice and keyboards both close and across the room. I've found that these things help the performance:
Place the mini so that there are no physical obstacles.
Turn it on it's side so that the underside faces front.
Turn off Wifi.
Don't use USB ports. Connect USB devices to adapters connected to the Thunderbolt ports instead.
These things combined helps so that I now can sit across the room, like four meters away, 12 feet, and magic mouse/keyboard works fully reliably.
I think the most important factor is the use of the ports. I'm now using none of the two USBs and just two of the TBs.

well I’ve experimented loads

the biggest difference ?
Place the mini on its side. The “top” facing towards you

My headphones would break up with all the other things I tried, but I’ve well mounted my mini, behind my monitor and it works so so well

not only do headphones not break up, they now work all around the house

Thank you all for suggesting this…

I tried it and… it works!
So simple. 👍

However I still have one USB port in use — but I moved it from the outer one to the inner one — so far so good.
But, adopting a belt and braces approach, I have a USB-C hub on order so maybe that may/will also help.

 

[Ashbash75]

Just updated to 12.5 it's worse than ever. The trackpad is ever so laggy at times. Less than 2m, clear line of sight.

 

[Tesla1856]

Just updated to 12.5 it's worse than ever. The trackpad is ever so laggy at times. Less than 2m, clear line of sight.

Have you tried totally disabling the WiFi (that also means using a real ethernet wire for a while).

 

[Ashbash75]

I'm going to put up with it for a bit longer before I go back to a NUC. Both my intel and M1 mini have the same issues.

I'm done with mac's! After 5 years of using them and all the little issues have mounted up. I guess I'm using them wrong 🤣🤣

 

[Tesla1856]

I'm going to put up with it for a bit longer before I go back to a NUC. Both my intel and M1 mini have the same issues.

I'm done with mac's! After 5 years of using them and all the little issues have mounted up. I guess I'm using them wrong 🤣🤣

It's a strange issue. It seems to be absent from my old Mac-Mini-2012, as my genuine Apple (iMac) BlueTooth keyboard and little iHome BT-3.0 mouse seem to work fine.

Yeah, Macs are neat (especially when all your mobile devices are Apple ... and you are fully in the Apple/iCloud ecosystem as we are). However, I've never managed to make it my "daily driver". The wife and I have always been Windows-users at work and home. This includes a bit of Windows gaming in our spare-time.

 

[Ashbash75]

Same here. It's me for sure. I'm more techie so I guess I am asking too much. My wife has an iphone and ipad and the only complaints I hear is about siri. She will be getting my old 2020 Ipad pro as I replaced it a windows ultrabook. Cant get on with ipados either 🤣

 

[Ben J.]

I've struggled with this now over the last couple of years, and across 3 mac minis: i5, i7, and M1. There is no one solution, but with much troubleshooting and testing I now have it working very well.

I have 3 'stations' to control my mac from, each with their own set of mouse and keyboard. One is close to the mac in front of my smaller screen. Another is in the middle of the room, where I stand when I'm mixing audio. The last one beside my comfy chair from where I watch the big screen, with the mac underneath, about 12 feet, 4 meters, away.

The two most important things are: no obstackles between the mac and devices, and most of all the bottom of the mac mini facing out. Other than that, I find using very busy, or USB3 type stuff in the USB ports quickly infuences BT performance. Thunderbolt ports, not so much.

So I have very basic stuff on the usb ports; a apple keyboard and my Olasonic DAC for audio. One Thunderbolt/USBC port have a dock with a PCIe sata ssd on it, ethernet internet, and lots of other stuff. The other, a slower ssd.

This works. But it's pretty fine-tuned; if I take my mouse and sit in a chair a little off axis in the room, it starts to misbehave, I can even notice if I cross my legs and get slightly in the way of the BT signal, it gets worse.

I use Wifi all the time, in addition to cabled net, and have never known that to be a problem.

It seems that this bluetooth thing w/macminis is with 2018 models and later, and I agree with those who say that it is likely to be related to the much more powerful ports crammed into those machines.

Anyway, I've managed to make my setup work very nicely, and I think I can say that this M1 mini is the most wonderful mac purchase I've done in my 30 years with them.

I wish anyone with this bluetooth issue good luck.

Added: I think a good way to troubleshoot this thing is to unplug everything except monitor, check how it works, over a distance, with obstacles etc, then plugging in stuff one by one and see what is making a difference.