CONNECT WITH BLUETOOTH
Get to grips with how Bluetooth works and what it can do to help you
Get to grips with Bluetooth connectivity
You might be familiar with Bluetooth without realising
it: it’s how the Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 all talk to your Mac, if you use them. The technology sends signals over radio waves, with the majority of devices able to transmit over distances up to 10m (33ft).
Technically, you can connect up to seven Bluetooth devices to your Mac, but Apple recommends a practical limit of three or four at once. Here’s how to set up and use your Bluetooth devices.
1 Set it up
It’s best to have the Bluetooth menu visible in your Mac’s menu bar. If you can’t see it, go to > System Prefs > Bluetooth and tick ‘Show Bluetooth in menu bar’. The icon will appear to the right of the menu bar. To alter its position, hold and drag it. Click the icon and turn on Bluetooth.
2 Input devices
Let’s start by pairing an input device. Make sure the kit is switched on and in pairing mode. If it’s an Apple keyboard, mouse or trackpad that isn’t currently paired to anything else, it’ll enter pairing mode almost as soon as you switch it on, indicated by a blinking light. Click the Bluetooth menu bar icon and select Open Bluetooth Preferences… You’ll be able to see a list of Bluetooth devices that can be paired. If nothing appears, double-check that the device is in pairing mode and that it’s positioned close enough to your Mac (within 10m).
Once you’ve found the device, click Pair to its right. If it’s a keyboard, you’ll be asked to type in a code on the keyboard as a security measure. Do this and hit . You’ll need to do this fairly quickly or the device may leave pairing mode. Once paired, you may be asked to identify the keyboard’s layout – the Keyboard Setup Assistant will guide you If your Bluetooth device is in pairing mode, you will see it listed when you go into System Preferences > Bluetooth. Devices in bold are connected. through this. Once that’s done, you’ll be returned to Bluetooth preferences.
3 The menu bar icon
Now that you’ve paired something to your Mac, look at the Bluetooth menu bar icon and you’ll see a row of dots across it – this indicates that something is connected to your Mac over Bluetooth and the two are actively talking.
If you now switch off your keyboard or mouse, you’ll see the icon change and a message appear on your screen telling you the connection has been lost. To get things working again, simply switch on the device and it should reconnect. If a device doesn’t reconnect, connect it manually by selecting it in the Bluetooth menu.
If you’ve got several Bluetooth devices paired and want to know which ones are currently connected, click the Bluetooth menu and look under Devices. The ones listed in bold are connected.
4 Headsets & speakers
You can get Bluetooth speakers and headsets that connect to your Mac. Pair your headset or speaker set as before. To change audio settings, go to System Preferences > Sound. If your headset has a microphone as well as speakers and supports the correct profile for voice, it’ll appear under Output and Input.
5 iPhone options
One of the ways you can use your iPhone’s internet connection on your Mac (if your data plan allows) is to pair over Bluetooth. Pair your iPhone with your Mac by going to Settings > Bluetooth on the iPhone. Then go to Settings > Personal Hotspot and ensure this is also turned on. Next, select your iPhone in your Mac’s Bluetooth preferences pane, right-click and then
click on Connect to Network. If that doesn’t work, go to System Preferences > Network > Bluetooth PAN. Pick your iPhone from the Devices list, then click Connect. 6 Share files with other devices If you have a non-Apple mobile, you can pair it to your Mac to transfer files between the two. To send a file to your mobile, pair the mobile, then doubleclick on its entry in the list of Bluetooth devices to open the Select File To Send window. To get anything off the device, select Browse Device…You’ll now be able to browse the phone’s files on your Mac.