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The Tech Grandkid · thetechgrandkid.com/guides/mac-bluetooth/

Connect Bluetooth headphones, a speaker or a mouse to a Mac

For: Mac computer

Last checked October 14, 2026 against official help from Apple. Written for macOS 27.

Bluetooth connects headphones, speakers, a keyboard or a mouse to your Mac without a cord. You pair each one once, and it should connect on its own after that.

This page is for you if

  • New headphones or a speaker won't show up
  • A Bluetooth keyboard or mouse won't connect
  • Sound still comes out of the Mac after you connect headphones

Do these steps

  1. Put the accessory in pairing mode

    Turn the accessory on and make it ready to pair. Its instructions say how. This is often called pairing mode or discoverable mode.

  2. Open Bluetooth settings

    Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and choose System Settings. Click Bluetooth in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to find it.

  3. Click Connect

    Hold the pointer over the accessory in the list, then click Connect.

  4. Accept if asked

    If the Mac asks, click Accept. Some keyboards ask you to type a few numbers, then press Enter.

If the sound still comes out of the Mac

  1. Open Sound settings

    Click the Apple menu, choose System Settings, then click Sound in the sidebar.

  2. Pick your headphones or speaker

    Click Output, then click your headphones or speaker in the list. For a headset with a microphone, also click Input and pick it there.

Good to know

  • If the accessory doesn't show up, turn it off and on, charge it or put in fresh batteries, and move it closer to the Mac.
  • To stop the Mac from connecting to something on its own, hold the Control key and click the accessory's name in Bluetooth settings. Then click Forget. You'll need to pair it again to use it later.
  • Apple's own Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad pair when you plug them into the Mac with their cable.

Check it with the source

We wrote these steps from these official pages. If your screen looks different, the official page is always right.

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