Neighbors or people nearby can hijack your Bluetooth devices and pair with them without your permission. So, how to stop it?
To stop unauthorized Bluetooth connection, turn the speakers off or move them outside of the Bluetooth range of your neighbors. If the speakers are turned off, devices won’t be able to pair with them.
You can also try to set up a password (or pin) for your Bluetooth devices. This way, only people who know that PIN can connect. But, only specific speakers allow you to set up a custom pin.
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How To Prevent Neighbors From Pairing With Your Bluetooth Devices?
You can do a few things to prevent others from pairing to your Bluetooth devices. There are brands that have custom settings that prevent it, but if your device doesn’t have it, don’t worry. Here’s what to do:
1. Move it out of the range
The Bluetooth range is 30 feet (10 meters), but if there are things between two devices, then its range will be smaller. For instance, if there’s a thick wall, router, or something that interferes with the connection, the range will be smaller.
So, to prevent others from pairing with your Bluetooth device, move it outside of the Bluetooth range. For instance, if the neighbor on the left side of your apartment is pairing with your speaker, move it further to the right side.
Since the speaker isn’t in the Bluetooth range of your neighbor, they won’t be able to find and pair to the device. You can also move the speaker away from the Bluetooth range, pair it with your phone, and then move it back to its place.
2. Hard Reset
Bluetooth devices will connect automatically to known devices (devices they have paired before). So, to prevent automatic connection, you must remove all the Bluetooth data from your headphones or speakers.
A hard reset will return the device back to its default mode and remove any known devices or data saved about previously connected devices.
To reset your Bluetooth device, read the user manual. The process is different for different brands, but it usually includes pressing and holding two specific buttons.
After the resetting process, other devices won’t automatically pair with your speakers, unless they manually do it.
3. Bluetooth Interference
Moving your speaker out of the Bluetooth range of your neighbors is a good way to prevent them from pairing. But, if for some reason you can’t move your speaker, then you can use different things to interfere (or lower) the range.
Wi-Fi routers, microwaves, 4 GHz cordless telephones, metallic bookshelves, etc, will interfere with the Bluetooth of your neighbors and prevent them from pairing to devices near these objects.
So, you can put the speakers or headphones behind these things and they won’t be able to find or pair with them.
4. Turn Them Off
.Turn your Bluetooth devices off if you aren’t using them. For instance, if you aren’t using your speakers or headphones, turn them off or exit pairing mode.
If the devices aren’t in pairing mode or turned on, no device can connect with them. This means, even if the neighbors try to pair with your devices, they won’t be able to since they are turned off.
When you want to pair with your speakers, turn them on and immediately pair them with your phone. This reduces the chances of someone else pairing with them. If the other devices automatically pair with your speakers, hard reset them to remove any saved data and prevent automatic pairing.
5. Use Password Protection (some Brands)
There are a few brands that allow you to set a password for your speakers. So, you must type the password in the Bluetooth settings before the devices pair. This will prevent people that don’t know it from pairing.
The default password for most Bluetooth devices is 0000 or 1234, but some brands allow you to change the password. And, if you forget it, you can always reset the speaker to return to the default password.
6. Use Aux Cord
Most Bluetooth devices still have an aux port that allows you to pair using an aux cord. So, if someone is hijacking your speakers once you turn them on, then turn off the pairing mode, and use an aux cord to listen to the music.
This will work best for headphones, or for speakers near your TV. You can use an aux cord and pair the TV with your speakers and listen to music.