Pairing a Bluetooth accessory with a Chromebook for the first time takes just a couple of minutes once the device is in pairing mode. Here’s the full process, plus a few device-specific notes for mice, keyboards, and headphones.
Step 1: Put your accessory into pairing mode
This varies by device, but usually involves holding a dedicated Bluetooth or power button for a few seconds until an LED starts blinking. Check your accessory’s manual if you’re not sure — most mice and keyboards have a small button on the underside, while headphones typically use a long-press of the power button.
Step 2: Open Bluetooth settings on your Chromebook
- Select the time in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings.
- Select the Bluetooth icon, or go to Settings > Bluetooth if it’s not visible in Quick Settings.
- Make sure Bluetooth is toggled on.
Step 3: Find and select your device
Your Chromebook scans for nearby devices automatically. Once your accessory appears in the list (by its device name, like “AirPods” or “MX Master 3”), click it and confirm the pairing if prompted. Some devices, especially keyboards, may ask you to type a PIN code shown on screen using the keyboard itself to confirm the pairing.
Reconnecting later
Once paired, most Bluetooth accessories reconnect automatically the next time both devices are on and in range, with no need to pair again. If a device doesn’t reconnect automatically, open Bluetooth settings, select the device from your paired list, and click Connect.
Connecting multiple devices at once
A Chromebook can maintain several active Bluetooth connections simultaneously — a mouse, keyboard, and headphones all at once, for example — though audio quality can occasionally suffer if you’re also streaming to a Bluetooth speaker while using a Bluetooth mouse, since both compete for the same wireless bandwidth.
If pairing fails
Make sure the accessory isn’t still connected to another device (like your phone) at the same time, since most Bluetooth accessories can only maintain one active audio or input connection at once even if they support “multipoint” pairing with several devices. Also confirm the accessory has enough battery charge — low battery is a common, easy-to-miss cause of failed pairing attempts. If pairing continues to fail after that, our Chromebook Bluetooth not working guide covers deeper fixes, including resetting the Bluetooth adapter and clearing previously paired device data.
