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EugW

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 18, 2017
14,878
12,855
I have a Bluetooth trackpad in my Bluetooth device list, but I can't delete it. How do I do it?

Screen Shot 2020-08-14 at 10.49.52 PM.png


Normally, when I right click on a Bluetooth device entry, I get the option to remove it.

Screen Shot 2020-08-14 at 10.53.10 PM.png


However, for this trackpad, I don't have that option. Right clicking just allows me to try to pair it.

Screen Shot 2020-08-14 at 10.53.37 PM.png


I'm currently using a Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard. How do I delete the trackpad?

System Preferences shows the trackpad options but of course can't find it because I have no trackpad paired.

Screen Shot 2020-08-14 at 10.58.22 PM.png
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 18, 2017
14,878
12,855
Search Results
Featured snippet from the web
From the menu, click System Preferences - Bluetooth to display the Bluetooth settings menu. If the Bluetooth function is set to Off, turn it On. The list of Bluetooth devices is displayed. Click the product you want to unpair, and then click (remove) displayed to the right
[automerge]1597465127[/automerge]
From the menu, click System Preferences - Bluetooth to display the Bluetooth settings menu. If the Bluetooth function is set to Off, turn it On. The list of Bluetooth devices is displayed. Click the product you want to unpair, and then click (remove) displayed to the right
Thanks but I don’t have the device and when I try to remove it, it just tries to pair it.
 

bill-p

macrumors 68030
Jul 23, 2011
2,929
1,589
You can nuke the Bluetooth device list and reconnect only the devices that you are using. Run this command in the terminal and it'll also restart your Mac for you:
sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist && sudo shutdown -r now

Or alternatively (HIGHLY not recommended), you can edit that plist file as well. It should be in:
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

But honestly, I'd nuke everything and start all over.
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 18, 2017
14,878
12,855
You can nuke the Bluetooth device list and reconnect only the devices that you are using. Run this command in the terminal and it'll also restart your Mac for you:
sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist && sudo shutdown -r now

Or alternatively (HIGHLY not recommended), you can edit that plist file as well. It should be in:
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

But honestly, I'd nuke everything and start all over.
Awesome. Ghost trackpad is now gone. :)

Interestingly, the keyboard and mouse paired themselves automatically, with no intervention from me. By the time the account login screen popped up, I had full function of the keyboard and mouse again.

Trackpadgone.png


If it makes a difference, they are the Apple Magic Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse.

The Magic Keyboard also still works at bootup for selecting drives, etc.
 
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bill-p

macrumors 68030
Jul 23, 2011
2,929
1,589
Yeah, the devices that haven't been unpaired will try to reconnect and you'll most likely get them back. At least Apple didn't mess that part up. :)

I think I ran into this Bluetooth config corruption problem only once... when I was connecting too many devices all at once. It's interesting that you're seeing it with only 3 devices connected.
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 18, 2017
14,878
12,855
Yeah, the devices that haven't been unpaired will try to reconnect and you'll most likely get them back. At least Apple didn't mess that part up. :)

I think I ran into this Bluetooth config corruption problem only once... when I was connecting too many devices all at once. It's interesting that you're seeing it with only 3 devices connected.
The trackpad was a leftover from before that for some reason could not be deleted. I don't actually have that trackpad, and the mouse and keyboard were added later.
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 18, 2017
14,878
12,855
You can nuke the Bluetooth device list and reconnect only the devices that you are using. Run this command in the terminal and it'll also restart your Mac for you:
sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist && sudo shutdown -r now

Or alternatively (HIGHLY not recommended), you can edit that plist file as well. It should be in:
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

But honestly, I'd nuke everything and start all over.
Could I achieve the same goal by simply dragging /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist to the trash?
 
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