Chromebook Bluetooth keeps disconnecting? Try these solutions

In general, Chromebooks might not be the best for gaming or extensive workload, but that’s not what the majority of them are made for. In terms of connectivity, though, they never fell behind Windows devices. Since we’re in a Bluetooth-dominant era where users rely on wireless peripherals, speakers, and headsets more than ever, Chromebooks are on par with any device that comes to mind. Except, some user reports talk about a variety of Bluetooth-related issues on their Chromebooks. If your Chromebook Bluetooth keeps disconnecting, too, check the instructions we provided below.

Table of contents:

1. Reset hardware
2. Stick with the Stable Channel
3. Unpair devices and pair them again
4. Check the hardware

Why does Bluetooth keep disabling itself on my Chromebook?

Bluetooth might keep dropping or auto-disabling on your Chromebook because of (most likely) a system bug. If that’s not the case and there’s nothing wrong with the device you want to pair, it’s probably a hardware problem.

You can start with a hardware reset and then remove pairing and pair the device again. If that does nothing, consider leaving the Beta channel for the Stable one. Finally, you can take your device to service and let them look into it.

1. Reset hardware

The first thing you can try is something called Hard Reset or Hardware refresh. Unlike the standard reboot, the purpose of a Hard reset is to reset hardware peripherals, modules, or antennas. And, in this case, the Bluetooth antenna might need a fresh start.

To perform a Hardware refresh or Hard Reset, you’ll need to power off your Chromebook first. Once you’ve done that, press and hold the Refresh button and Power button simultaneously. You can release the Refresh button once the splash screen appears.

2. Stick with the Stable Channel

Some reports about this problem are quite dated, but the most recent ones talk almost exclusively about Bluetooth issues on Beta Channel. The affected users fixed the problem by switching to the Stable channel. Usually, Beta Channel is much closer to Stable in terms of stability, unlike Developer Channel which isn’t recommended on primary devices that you rely on daily. However, we definitely recommend going back to Stable and giving it another go. Just make sure to back up everything because switching channels in reverse (from Dev or Beta to Stable) requires Powerwash (factory reset).

Follow these instructions to switch back to the Stable channel from the Beta channel on your Chromebook:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose About ChromeOS.
3. Select Additional details.
4. Click Change channel.
5. Select Stable channel and click Change channel and Powerwash.

3. Unpair devices and pair them again

This step is something you’ve probably tried already but, if you didn’t, give it a go. If your Chromebook Bluetooth keeps disconnecting, removing and adding the device again should help. It’s worth a shot to reset your earbuds/headphones/speakers to factory settings before you pair them again with your Chromebook.

To remove Bluetooth devices on your Chromebook, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth. Once there, click or tap on the device you want to remove from the Previously connected list. Click Forget. After that, restart your Chromebook, enable Bluetooth, and pair devices once again.

4. Check the hardware

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked, you can try inspecting the hardware. Ideally, you would take your device to a professional service to check it out. However, if you have some elementary knowledge and the required tools, you can inspect the Bluetooth antenna yourself. Some users mention the possible looseness of the Bluetooth module so you might just need to plug it in again and the problem should be solved. Still, if you are not sure about it, you better talk to professionals.

Thank you for reading and we hope that some of the aforementioned steps helped you address the problem. If the issues persist, report the problem to Google or the OEM. Also, feel free to share alternative solutions or ask questions in the comments section below.

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in July 2022. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.

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