A user's Android phone suddenly refuses to pair with any Bluetooth devices. Toggling Bluetooth, restarting the handset, and putting several headsets into pairing mode all result in the same on-screen message: "Couldn't pair-incorrect PIN or passkey." Before recommending a factory reset, which troubleshooting step should the technician try next?
Force the handset to use 2.4 GHz-only Wi-Fi mode.
Replace the SIM card to refresh carrier provisioning.
Clear the Bluetooth service's cache/data and then reboot the phone.
When Android cannot complete any new Bluetooth pairings, a corrupted Bluetooth service cache is a common culprit. Clearing the Bluetooth (and Bluetooth Share) app's cache/data forces the service to rebuild its pairing database, often resolving persistent PIN or passkey errors. Disabling Wi-Fi options, switching radio bands, or replacing the SIM card will not affect the Bluetooth stack and are unlikely to fix the pairing problem.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why does clearing the Bluetooth service cache/data help resolve pairing issues?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What is the Bluetooth stack, and how does it affect device connectivity?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why are other options, like disabling Wi-Fi scanning or replacing the SIM card, not effective for fixing this issue?