As iDownloadBlog recently reported, some owners of the new Mac computers powered by Apple silicon are experiencing Bluetooth connectivity issues. Apple is aware of the problem and working on a fix which should soon arrive via a macOS software update.
A fix is coming for your Bluetooth woes
These issues range from unreliable connections to intermittent disconnects to non-responsive peripherals. According to a tweet by The Atlantic reporter Ian Bogost, he has learned after reaching out to Apple that “a fix is in progress and forthcoming just about anytime.”
Ian was able to solve the Bluetooth issues he was experiencing on his M1 Mac mini by plugging in the keyboard and buying a Logitech mouse with its own Bluetooth dongle.
Apple is currently testing the ‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌ 11.2 update with its registered developers, but it’s not clear whether the software includes a fix for the Bluetooth issues.
A software problem rather than a hardware one
According to user complaints on Reddit and other forums, Mac mini‌ owners appear to be worst affected as many of them rely on wireless keyboards and mice to interact with their Mac. A certain number of Apple silicon Macs may have a faulty Bluetooth module because one user reported identical Bluetooth woes after receiving a replacement unit from Apple.
→ How to reset the Bluetooth module in your Mac
On the other hand, Ian and a few other affected customers were able to successfully connect their Logitech accessory using the included Unifying Receiver Bluetooth dongle. Because Apple has promised to fix the problem via a macOS software update, it would appear that this is a software problem after all rather than a hardware failure.
The Mac has a long history of Bluetooth problems, stemming partially from the underlying complexity of the Bluetooth protocol. It is no secret that the Bluetooth stack in macOS has always been a mixed bag plagued with reliability and connectivity issues.