Back in August when Android 13 was still in the beta stage, a user on Google Issue Tracker had reported that the saved Bluetooth devices on his Android 13 phone get removed as soon as he turned off the Bluetooth. The same day this bug was passed on to the product and engineering team, and guess what, it is still left unaddressed. To make the matter worse, Google completely ignored that bug and when ahead with its schedule to release the stable Android 13 update.
As expected, it has created havoc and resulted in a great deal of inconvenience to many users. This time around, we aren’t just talking about the inability to connect Bluetooth headphones but the issue has also affected Car/Android Auto and more concerningly users who use Bluetooth-connected glucose monitors [Freestyle Libre 2 (EM9304 SoC) Freestyle Libre 3, and DEXCOM sensors] and hearing aids.
Moreover, the bug hasn’t only affected the latest Pixel 7 series, but the older Pixel [4, 5, and 6 series] and even Samsung devices running One UI 5. So all this begs an important question- is there a fix? Well, there do exist numerous workarounds that might help you rectify this issue. So without further ado, let’s give them a try right away.
Fix Android 13 Bluetooth Devices are not being Saved
It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success for you. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
FIX 1: Restart Device
While it may sound like a generic statement, but trust us, a simple reboot is more than enough to rectify most of the underlying issues. So restart your smartphone as well as the device that you are trying to connect and then check out the results.
FIX 2: Toggle Bluetooth
Next up, try re-establishing a connection with the concerned device after disabling and then re-enabling the Bluetooth on your phone. Here’s how it could be done:
FIX 3: Forget Bluetooth Device
You should forget the device from your smartphone and then try to reconnect it. This is different from the above fix as it will remove the saved settings of that device from your phone. In other words, you will be creating a fresh connection from scratch. [Do note that this feature will only be visible if you have connected your device with your phone at least once in the past].
FIX 4: Verify Bluetooth Permissions
In some instances, the issue might also arise because the Bluetooth device has not been given the required permission set to function properly. For example, if your wireless earbuds haven’t been granted the phone Calls permission then it’s obvious that you wouldn’t be able to place or pick up calls. So let’s check and then grant the device the required permission.
FIX 5: Remove Bluetooth Battery Restrictions
By default, Bluetooth is allocated an optimized level of battery usage. While it works in most cases, however, some devices require an additional amount of battery consumption which the default’s Bluetooth settings wouldn’t be able to provide. Therefore, you should consider giving unrestricted battery usage to the concerned Bluetooth device and then check out the results.
FIX 6: Remove Other Connected Devices
In some instances, other connected devices could also conflict with the pairing process. Therefore, it is recommended that you disconnect all the other connected devices and then try establishing a fresh connection with the concerned device.
FIX 7: Boot to Safe Mode
Sometimes, a third-party app or service might also conflict with the normal functioning of your device. Therefore, you should consider booting your device to Safe Mode and then re-establish the Bluetooth connection. In this mode, all the third-party apps and services stand disabled and you will only get the stock system apps to work with. If you are able to successfully connect to your Bluetooth device in this mode, then the culprit is indeed a third-party app, which needs to be identified and removed at the earliest. Here’s how all of these could be carried out.
FIX 8: Reset Bluetooth
In case the Bluetooth settings or its configuration have got corrupted, then it could result in your inability to establish a successful connection. Therefore, you should consider testing the wireless connection to its factory default state and then re-try with the connection setup. [Do note that this will also remove all the saved WiFi passwords as well as a paired device, so sync them with your Google account beforehand].
FIX 9: Update Firmware
In recent years, the frequency of an OEM rolling out a buggy update has increased quite drastically. And this could well the be case behind the inability of your phone to connect with a Bluetooth device. The good thing is that the OEM tends to release a subsequent update/patch that usually ends up rectifying this issue. So verify if your phone as well as your Bluetooth device has an update available or not. If it does, then make sure to download and install it right away.
FIX 10: Reset Device
If none of the aforementioned methods managed to spell out success, then your last course of action should be to reset your device back to the factory default state. Do note that doing so will erase all the data from your device, so take a complete data backup beforehand and then only proceed with the below steps:
FIX 11: Downgrade to Android 12
As of now, this workaround comes with a maximum success rate, but not without its fair share of caveats. First off, not only is it somewhat technical in nature, but it requires an unlocked bootloader, which not only will reset your device, but might also nullify its warranty [in Samsung devices, it will trip Knox, which makes the matter even worse].
Moreover, it goes without saying that this fix is only applicable for those devices that shipped with Android 12 or earlier OS version, [unfortunately, leaving out the Pixel 7/Pro users]. So if you are ready to give it a try, then do check out our below-listed guides to perform this downgrade:
How to Downgrade Pixel Devices via Android Flash ToolHow to Downgrade Pixel Devices via Fastboot CommandsDowngrade Samsung One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0: Android 13 to Android 12
That’s it. These were the various methods that shall help you fix the Bluetooth devices not being saved issue on Android 13. As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, the developers are aware of this issue, but they haven’t given out any ETA for the rollout of a fix [and judging by the current scenario, you shouldn’t expect one either]. As and when that happens, we will update this guide accordingly. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds are your best bet.
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