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Samsung

Samsung: Turn Nearby Device Scanning On or Off

If your Samsung phone keeps popping up connection suggestions for earbuds, watches or trackers you never paired, Nearby device scanning is running in the background. This search works independently from Bluetooth, so switching Bluetooth off alone will not stop it. The toggle sits in a separate connection menu and is easy to overlook.

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Step 1 of 4: Tap on **Settings**

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Tap on Settings

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Turn Nearby Device Scanning On or Off – One UI 3: step 1 – Tap on Settings
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Samsung

Turn Nearby Device Scanning On or Off auf Samsung

Samsung phones running One UI scan for nearby Bluetooth accessories even when Bluetooth itself sits in the off position. This background search is handled by a separate connection feature, and it is the reason unfamiliar earbuds, watches or trackers keep showing up in a pairing pop-up.

The scanning happens because the radio hardware stays partially active to detect Fast Pair-style devices nearby. It saves you a few taps when you actually want to connect something new, but it also means the phone is listening in the background even if you never open the Bluetooth menu yourself.

To change this behavior, open SettingsConnectionsMore connection settings and look for Nearby device scanning. Switching it off stops the background pop-ups; switching it on lets the phone suggest new devices automatically again.

If you only want to silence one specific accessory instead of the whole feature, dismissing that device from the pop-up list is a faster fix and leaves scanning active for everything else.

Turning the setting off has no effect on regular Bluetooth pairing you start manually. It only removes the automatic detection prompts that appear in the background.

Frequently asked questions

No. Bluetooth keeps working as usual for pairing headphones or speakers you connect manually. Only the automatic background pop-ups from Nearby device scanning disappear.

Compatible devices

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Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.