Open Settings > Bluetooth, tap the information button beside a paired accessory, and choose Forget This Device. This removes the saved pairing. You will need to pair the accessory again if you want to use it with this iPhone later.
Remove a paired device
- Put the accessory nearby and turn it on if needed so it is easy to identify.
- On the iPhone, open Settings > Bluetooth.
- Find the correct accessory under My Devices and tap its i button.
- Tap Forget This Device, then confirm.
Check the device name carefully when several headphones, speakers, watches, or car systems have similar names. Forgetting a device is different from switching Bluetooth off. It removes the pairing record rather than merely interrupting the current connection.
Disconnect without forgetting
If you want a temporary break, disconnect from the device in Settings > Bluetooth or turn the accessory off. The Bluetooth button in Control Center can temporarily disconnect accessories, but it does not necessarily remove the pairing or turn the radio off permanently. Use Forget This Device when you are giving an accessory away, troubleshooting a pairing, or deliberately starting fresh.
If it is an AirPods set
Apple notes that removing AirPods from the iPhone can also remove them from other Apple devices signed in to the same account. Check the device and account before confirming. If an accessory will not reconnect after being forgotten, put it into pairing mode according to its maker's instructions, then select it again under Other Devices. If it does not appear, check power, range, and whether it is connected to another device.
Choose between disconnecting and forgetting
Use Disconnect when you want to stop using a speaker or headset for now but expect to reconnect later. Use Forget This Device when you want the phone to remove the pairing record. Turning Bluetooth off in Settings is broader: it prevents Bluetooth accessory connections until you turn it on again. Tapping Bluetooth in Control Center is a temporary disconnect, and Apple notes that Bluetooth remains available for some system features. These choices solve different problems, so try the least disruptive one that fits your goal.
For example, if audio is playing through the wrong speaker, select a different output or disconnect the speaker. If a headset repeatedly fails to pair, forgetting it and pairing from the beginning is more useful. If you are selling or giving away the accessory, remove its pairing from your phone and follow the maker's reset instructions if it has its own stored accounts or settings.
Pair the accessory again after forgetting it
- Turn on the accessory and put it into pairing mode using its own instructions. Merely powering it on may reconnect to another phone rather than make it discoverable.
- On the iPhone, open Settings > Bluetooth and make sure Bluetooth is on.
- Wait for the accessory under Other Devices, then tap its name.
- Follow any pairing or permission prompt. When the process succeeds, the device should appear under My Devices.
If it never appears, move the accessory close to the iPhone, charge it, and check whether it is already connected to another device. Turn the accessory off and on before retrying. A headset's pairing button, indicator light, and reset method vary by manufacturer; use its manual rather than assuming an AirPods sequence works for every product.
Special case: AirPods
AirPods can appear near the top of Settings under their own name when connected. Apple provides Forget This Device there as well as in Bluetooth. Unpairing AirPods can remove them from other devices signed in to the same Apple Account. That makes forgetting a broader action than it is for many ordinary accessories. If your only goal is to use another speaker briefly, switch audio output instead. If AirPods still fail after unpairing, Apple's AirPods instructions separate a restart, an unpair, and a factory reset; do not jump to reset unless needed.
If the Forget option is absent or does not help
Verify that the item is in My Devices, not simply listed under Other Devices. The latter list shows available accessories that may not have a saved pairing to forget. Turn Bluetooth on if the device list is hidden. If a car or speaker continues to remember the iPhone after you forget it on the phone, remove the phone from the accessory's own pairing list too. Each side can keep a separate record.
Will forgetting delete photos or other iPhone data? No. It removes the Bluetooth pairing for that accessory. It does not erase the iPhone. The accessory itself may have its own stored settings, which are governed by its manufacturer.
Will a forgotten device reconnect automatically? Not until you pair it again. After a successful new pairing, normal automatic connection behavior may resume when the accessory is powered on and in range.
See how to connect Bluetooth headphones to iPhone for a pairing walkthrough, or change your iPhone's Bluetooth name if the phone name is what needs fixing. If your AirPods keep jumping to another Apple device, see how to make AirPods connect to your iPhone automatically.
Apple's Bluetooth accessory guide covers pairing, disconnecting, and forgetting accessories.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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