The Pixel 4a with 5G has Bluetooth 5.1, and its Bluetooth faults are accessories that will not pair, drop out or give poor audio. Google's Bluetooth help page lists the sequence that works for most cases. Turn Bluetooth off and on in Quick Settings, restart the phone and put the accessory in pairing mode. For one that used to work, open Settings, Connected devices, Previously connected devices, tap the gear beside it and choose Forget, then pair again, since a stale record causes most dropouts. Charge the accessory, because a weak battery makes a weak signal.
Keep both within a few meters with no wall in the way. On an older phone, a pocket or bag that muffles the antenna can break the link to earbuds, so keep the phone on the same side of the body as the earbuds.
The checks in more detail
For a car, remove the phone from the car's list as well, pair again and tick Phone audio and Media audio in the gear menu, since a missing tick explains calls without music. If audio is poor, check the codec in Developer options, Bluetooth audio codec, and reset it to the system default. Interference from a busy 2.4 GHz network, a USB hub or a wireless charger can break the link, so test away from them.
Keep the phone updated to its last patch. If one accessory fails on every phone, replace it. If every accessory fails only here after the steps, reset Wi-Fi, mobile and Bluetooth in Settings, System, Reset options, which clears all pairings, then pair again. A phone that is several years old may have a weak antenna contact after drops, so if range is very short even with a new accessory, the phone may need repair.
Some old accessories only work with an older Bluetooth profile, so check the accessory's manual. Because the 4a 5G has reached the end of its update window, it does not have the newest Bluetooth audio features, so newer earbuds that rely on low-energy audio or multipoint may connect only in a basic mode. For sound problems rather than pairing problems, open Developer options and look at Bluetooth audio codec:
switching between the standard codec, AAC and one of the higher-quality options can fix stutter or a quiet stream on a particular headset, and a headset that sounds distorted often does better on the standard codec. Developer options is switched on by tapping Build number in About phone seven times. In a car, an older head unit may only accept the older phone profiles, so delete the car from the phone, delete the phone from the car and pair again with the car parked.
A watch or earbuds that disconnect when the phone sleeps usually need the battery optimization exemption described above. If the phone is carried in a pocket with the accessory on the other side of the body, the signal can be blocked by the body itself, so try wearing the phone on the same side as the earbud that carries the connection.
If your accessory is a smartwatch or fitness tracker, check that its companion app has permission to run in the background and is exempt from battery optimization, because the phone's power manager may stop the app and the link with it. Nearby location permission is also needed on Android for scanning, so allow it for the companion app. If the accessory pairs but shows no data, open the app, remove the device inside the app as well as in system settings and add it again.
Differential
Likely causes of “Google Pixel 4a (5G) will not pair or stay connected over Bluetooth”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A pairing the phone kept from months ago
What separates it The accessory shows but will not connect
How to confirm Forget the device in Connected devices and pair it again
- 2
An accessory battery that is nearly flat
What separates it Audio cuts out or the device disconnects at random
How to confirm Charge the accessory fully and try again
- 3
A battery optimization rule that stops the companion app
What separates it A watch or tracker stops syncing in the background
How to confirm Exempt the app from battery optimization
- 4
An audio codec the headset handles badly
What separates it Stutter or quiet sound only on one headset
How to confirm Change the Bluetooth audio codec in Developer options
- 5
Interference from a hub, charger or crowded Wi-Fi
What separates it Drops that follow where you stand
How to confirm Move away from the source and test again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which accessory fails and whether others work
- Whether the failure is pairing, dropouts or sound quality
- The Android version and the last patch date
- Whether the car or headset was paired before
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedToggle Bluetooth
ReversibleSwitch it off and on in Quick Settings.
Forget and pair again
ReversibleRemove the device, then pair with it in pairing mode.
Charge the accessory
ReversibleA weak battery causes odd drops.
Check app battery rules
ReversibleFor watches and trackers.
Try another codec
ReversibleIn Developer options.
Reset network settings
ReversibleOnly after the steps above.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Bluetooth 5.1
- The Pixel 4a 5G supports it.
- Same side
- Keep the phone on the earbuds' side.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If every accessory fails after resetting network settings, the phone's radio may be failing, so ask the maker or a repair shop
- !If one accessory fails with every phone, replace that accessory
- !Back up the phone before a reset
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Bluetooth diagnostics and forgetting a device.
Mute, Bluetooth and restart checks for a Pixel microphone.
Screen protectors, Safe mode and restarts for touch faults.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Pixel 4a 5G lose Bluetooth connections?+
A stale pairing, a weak accessory battery or interference.
Does the phone support the newest Bluetooth audio?+
No, it is older, so new earbuds may connect in a basic mode.
How do I change the audio codec?+
In Developer options, under Bluetooth audio codec.
Why does my watch stop syncing?+
Battery optimization can stop its app from running.
Why will the car not reconnect?+
Delete the pairing on both sides and pair again with the car parked.
Does resetting network settings erase my data?+
It clears Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings, not photos or apps.