I come to you having exhausted each choice I can consider to attempt.
The conduct I see is as follows:
I can (re)pair the AirPods efficiently with the Mac Mini 2018. After, I click on their identify from the Bluetooth menu. I get the spinner. It spins. It lastly stops. The AirPods don’t grow to be out there as an audio system, or they do for 1 second, then instantly disappear. This conduct is constant about 99% of the time; On a couple of situations, they do grow to be out there as an audio system, however no sound emits from them.
The setup:
- AirPods 2nd Gen (current pair, plus new pair from right now to check)
- Mac Mini 2018, newest OS X
- MBP 2015
- MBP 2023 M2Pro
- iPhone Mini 12
I purchased the unique pair of AirPods in late 2021, and so they labored flawlessly between the iPhone and MBP 2015, and Mac Mini, as you’d anticipate.
Someday prior to now two or three months, I did not understand how massive an issue this might be, or I’d have written it down, the AirPods ceased to connect with the Mac Mini 2018. This occurred previous to shifting to 13.5.1, and I used to be on a model of 12, as a result of I normally delay upgrading for a very long time.
I’ve spent many hours on the cellphone with Apple, and we have carried out all the standard troubleshooting steps, together with:
- Un-pairing and re-pairing on Mac Mini
- Unplug any connected peripherals reminiscent of USB drives which may intrude with BT
- {Hardware} resetting Airpods, then repairing
- Booting into Secure Mode and attempting
- Resetting the NVRAM and SMC
- Creating a brand new consumer, and repeating the above with this consumer
- Putting in a profile, and logging the conduct whereas a tier two help individual watched, then importing full log dumps and a video of the conduct
I not too long ago heard again, and nobody at Apple knew something, however would get again to me in the event that they ever determine it out.
So I purchased a brand new pair of AirPods, hoping that is the issue. It’s not. The brand new pair exhibit the identical conduct on the Mac Mini 2018; They work flawlessly on the opposite Mac {hardware}, simply as the prevailing pair from 2021 do.
I’ve additionally finished a whole format and reinstall of MacOS, signed into my Apple ID, then instantly tried pairing; This additionally doesn’t work. No cube.
I’ve additionally disabled Bluetooth/turned off different Apple units. I get this identical conduct whatever the standing of the opposite units.
Earlier than this started, each Apple system together with the Mac Mini 2018 fortunately paired with the AirPods I purchased in 2021, with out incident; I by no means needed to do something odd, like disable Bluetooth; I would just click on their identify within the Bluetooth menu on the system I am utilizing, and so they’d jump over from the place ever else they could have been related to at the moment, be it MBP, or iPhone.
At this level, I am unable to consider any additional debugging to try; I’d purchase a non-Apple Bluetooth headset, and see if that works.
The Mac Mini 2018 handed diagnostics, and nothing was discovered incorrect. I am additionally in a position to make use of a Bluetooth speaker, different Apple peripherals which might be Bluetooth, and Continuity Digital camera works as properly.
Solely each units of AirPods 2nd Gen don’t join, or in the event that they do, instantly disconnect after 1 second. (Join tone, then instant disconnect tone.)
I’ve exhausted seemingly all choices at this level; I’d attempt Home windows 10/11 beneath BootCamp to see if I’ve any luck there?
Any recommendation is appreciated. Thanks.