How to Unforget a Bluetooth Device on Your iPhone: Easy Fixes

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Reconnect to Bluetooth headphones, speakers, and more

Co-authored by Stan Kats and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: March 16, 2026 Fact Checked

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Unforgetting a Bluetooth Device

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What "Forget" Does

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Troubleshooting

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Resetting Network Settings

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Video

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Expert Interview

Did you forget a Bluetooth device in your iPhone's Bluetooth settings while troubleshooting, or maybe by accident? While there is no option to "Unforget" a device, there are easy things you can do to reconnect to the forgotten Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other device. This wikiHow article will teach you how to unforget a Bluetooth device on your iPhone and troubleshoot common Bluetooth issues.

Unforgeting a Bluetooth Device on iOS

Forgetting a Bluetooth device removes it from your iPhone's remembered devices. To unforget it, just connect to it like a new device: Go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle on the Bluetooth switch, then tap the device under "Other Devices" to connect. If you don't see it, put the device into pairing mode first.

Section 1 of 4:

Unforgetting a Bluetooth Device

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It's the icon with gears on your home screen.^{[1]
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It's near the top of the Settings menu.^{[2]
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Turn on Bluetooth. If the Bluetooth toggle switch at the top is turned off, tap it to turn on Bluetooth now.^{[3]
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- At this point, you may see the forgotten device's name appear under "Other Devices" once you scroll past "My Devices." If you see it, tap it to reconnect, and you're all done! If not, continue to the next step.
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Put the forgotten Bluetooth device in pairing mode. If the forgotten device isn't showing up in your iPhone's Bluetooth settings under "Other devices," it needs to be put into pairing mode. The steps to put a Bluetooth device into pairing mode vary by device, but there will often be a Bluetooth button you need to press and hold (or just press once). Depending on the device, there may be a flashing light or audio cue to indicate that the device is in pairing mode.
- Consult the Bluetooth product's user manual or the manufacturer's website for specific instructions for your device.
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Tap the Bluetooth device you want to reconnect. If it is still in pairing mode, it should be listed below "Other Devices" at the bottom of the Bluetooth menu. This will establish a connection with the Bluetooth device.^{[4]
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- If you're still can't connect to the forgotten Bluetooth device, jump to our troubleshooting steps.

Section 2 of 4:

What happens when you forget a Bluetooth device?

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When you forget a device, it doesn't prevent you from reconnecting to it in the future, but it does delete the device from your iPhone's "My Devices" list in the Bluetooth settings. When you want to reconnect, you'll just need to put the device into pairing mode, then select it in Settings > Bluetooth from the "Other Devices" section. However, this does not prevent you from reconnecting the device to your iPhone.^{[5]
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Section 3 of 4:

Troubleshooting Bluetooth Connection Problems

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Bluetooth is a radio frequency that has a limited range. If the Bluetooth device is too far away from your iPhone, your iPhone will not be able to pick up the pairing signal. Make sure your Bluetooth device and iPhone are near each other.
Most Bluetooth devices will stay in pairing mode for just a few seconds. If you miss the device popping up in your settings before the device exits pairing mode, you'll need to put the device into pairing mode again. You may need to turn off and restart the Bluetooth device or press and hold its pairing button to get it back into pairing mode.^{[6]
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To do so, open Settings > Bluetooth, then tap the toggle switch at the top to turn Bluetooth off. Wait a few seconds, then tap the switch to turn Bluetooth back on. Then, check for the device's name under "Other Devices."^{[7]
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Restart your iPhone. If your iPhone is not picking up your Bluetooth device, restart it. Press and hold the side button and either volume button at the same time until the slider appears, then drag the slider to power off your phone. Once it turns off, press and hold the side button to turn it back on.^{[8]
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- If your phone has a home button, the steps to restart are a little different. Press and hold the side button, then drag the slider to power down your phone.
If your forgotten Bluetooth device still won't show up, it's possible another nearby device is connecting to it as soon as you put the device into pairing mode. For example, if you've previously paired your Bluetooth speaker with your Mac, your Mac may automatically connect to the speaker before it appears on your iPhone. In this case, you'd want to disconnect Bluetooth on your Mac, then put the device back into pairing mode to give your iPhone a chance to reconnect.
If the Bluetooth device doesn't have a charge or is low on battery, it may not be able to produce a strong enough Bluetooth signal to establish a connection. Make sure it has a fresh battery or a fully charged battery before trying to connect it to your iPhone.^{[9]
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If your iPhone is able to connect to other Bluetooth devices, this could be an indication that there is a problem with the particular Bluetooth device that you are trying to connect to. It could be that the Bluetooth device is malfunctioning.
If the Bluetooth device is able to connect to other devices, such as a computer, tablet, or another smartphone, but is not connecting to your iPhone. This could be an indication that there is a problem with your iPhone.
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Update your iPhone. Updating to the latest version of iOS may fix any connection issues your iPhone is having. Use the following steps to update your iPhone:^{[10]
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- Open the Settings menu.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update
- Tap Download and Install if a new version of iOS is found.
- If this doesn't solve the issue, jump to Reset Your iPhone's Network Settings if you cannot connect your iPhone to any Bluetooth devices.
Some Bluetooth devices may have firmware that needs updating from time to time. Generally, you will need to connect the device to a computer and download the updated firmware from the manufacturer's website. Consult the user's manual or manufacturer's website for more information about how to update the firmware on your Bluetooth device, if it needs updating.

Section 4 of 4:

Reset Your iPhone's Network Settings

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Open the Settings menu
. If you've tried everything and you still can't reconnect to the forgotten Bluetooth device, you may want to try resetting your network settings. This will restore your iPhone's network settings to their factory defaults.
- You will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and reconnect all Bluetooth devices and any VPNs or APNs you are using.
It's the icon of a single silver gear in the Settings menu.
It's the second option from the bottom of the General Settings menu.^{[11]
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Additional options will appear.
You will be prompted to enter your passcode.^{[12]
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Enter your passcode and tap Reset. This confirms that you want to reset your network settings and resets your network settings. This may take a few minutes. You will see the Apple logo once the process is finished. Then, reconnect to Wi-Fi and all your Bluetooth devices.
- If this doesn't work, you can hard reset your iPhone. This will erase all data on your iPhone and restore it to its factory settings. Only do this as a last resort. You may also want to see if your iPhone is under warranty so that it can be replaced.