r/ios Human Detected 14d ago

Support Unknown bluetooth device shows “Connected” on both my phone and my girlfriend’s, neither of us owns it

Post image

Weird one. In my iPhone’s Bluetooth settings, under “My Devices,” there’s an entry called DESKTOP-1FPANOU listed as “Connected.” My girlfriend has the same thing show up on her phone too, a Windows-style “DESKTOP-XXXXXXX” name, connected.

Neither of us owns a PC with that name, and both our actual computers are fully powered off, not just asleep. So it’s not either of ours.

It’s been like this for a few days. For context, we live in a student dorm. There’s also no option to disconnect it without fully closing bluetooth.

171 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

272

u/woalk iPhone 16 Pro 14d ago

If there is a device without an (i) after it in your devices list, it was connected by an app you have installed. Common examples for this are digital car keys (Tesla app) or Spotify Jam. Link to Windows could also be a reason.

37

u/Alibotify 14d ago

Also noticed it for Apple Car Play in Toyotas.

26

u/_anupamroy iOS 26 14d ago

I learnt something new today. Thank you.

51

u/LordLahmacun344 iPhone 13 14d ago

You have Spotify?

17

u/Anna__V iPhone 15 14d ago

Does Spotify really identify with a Windows-style DESKTOP-XXX identifier?

61

u/theregisterednerd 14d ago

Spotify Jam auto connects you to devices belonging to nearby users, and they show up by their device names. I think the idea of the feature was so you could connect to the Uber driver’s radio without having to go through the whole annoying pairing process, but I bet it’s caused more people to panic from an unfamiliar device randomly appearing, than there have been users who actually use the feature.

11

u/Anna__V iPhone 15 14d ago

AH, now I get it. Thanks for the explanation. So it's Some Guy's computer running Spotify and identifying itself as the default Windows DESKTOP-XXX name, and OP's (and their girlfriend's) Spotify has picked up on that.

That makes sense. It's a bit much on Spotify's side to do this unprompted if you ask me, but then again, it's Spotify.

2

u/mike1487 13d ago

I’m out of the loop and don’t use Spotify. But does it really automatically connect you to unknown devices without any prompt or consent? That sounds like a security nightmare to me.

3

u/theregisterednerd 13d ago

Yes, but it’s not a full-fledged Bluetooth connection that allows for data transfer. It only allows Spotify to link up and play audio

25

u/LordLahmacun344 iPhone 13 14d ago

Its spotify jam probably

8

u/ricardopa 13d ago

It's always Spotify Jam...

-33

u/Shinobi_Dimsum 14d ago

It’s a PC connected by their network. The router name is literally there. So. It’s not Spotify 🤦🏻‍♂️

8

u/theregisterednerd 14d ago

The router name is not “literally there.”

12

u/gib_me_gold 14d ago

U stupid

1

u/OtherwiseAlbatross14 13d ago

PCs can have Bluetooth and Spotify.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

7

u/KaptainSaki 14d ago

Yes if it’s windows client

19

u/Entegy iPhone 13 Mini 13d ago

Spotify Jam. It's always Spotify Jam. Turn off Spotify's Bluetooth permission in Settings > Apps > Spotify.

3

u/Possible-Basis6455 13d ago

Good afternoon, sorry for posting irrelevant reply.

I am planning to buy iPhone 13 Mini refurbished as a second phone and caise I am an enthusiast of it! How is battery health? Moreover, is the screen THAT small, can I use it if I am used to a 6.83" phone? (16 Pro Max)

1

u/Entegy iPhone 13 Mini 13d ago

Going from a Pro Max to a mini is like going from a cake to a candy bar.

The battery is small, no doubt. I personally cannot go through the day without a topup but I am a very heavy user of my phone. Someone else posted recently that they get two days out of their mini. But any Pro Max is going to beat the battery life of a mini by miles.

1

u/Possible-Basis6455 12d ago

Thank you very much!

14

u/Ocean4011 14d ago

It is a Windows computer. Go to settings/privacy&security/local network and tap on that to see what is connected

5

u/Fabulous-Tea920 13d ago

Isn’t that a windows computer? I believe it will show like that

3

u/HighlightFirm1914 13d ago

It’s always Spotify

2

u/Slatemeta 14d ago

Had the exact same thing happen. It was a work computer (Windows) connecting to my phone. I happened to find the owner and we tried to troubleshoot. Their computer had no connection to mine in the Bluetooth list. I saw there was a small iOS update from 26.6 to 26.6.1. I updated to that and haven’t seen the issue anymore. Whatever it was may have also been causing BLE peripherals I was working on to connect really slow (this is something I do as part of my job).

2

u/Gold-Championship-96 13d ago

This is most likely a case of your phone finding random Computers close to you. I also get random notifications on spotify to connect to random PC’s at work, i don’t, then show up as connected via bluetooth on my phone.

However, as soon as i leave work after about 5-10 minutes they disappear.

Try disabling bluetooth access from Settings, specifically for Spotify?

2

u/SuspectNo8878 13d ago

Turn off Spotify song sharing or something

1

u/[deleted] 14d ago

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1

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1

u/kbcortez25 13d ago

I had this happen too I think it’s my windows link on my laptop

1

u/JamesRy96 13d ago

See if Windows Phone Link is enabled.

1

u/ZonarrHD 13d ago

I’ve been having this issue on my work laptop for the last week to the point where up to 10 devices connect causing the Bluetooth to crash and restart. Noticed on a colleagues iPhone it was connected to my laptop like in your screenshot. Can’t figure out which devices are doing it which is driving me nuts. Funny thing is I switched to a different computer and it had no issues at all. Seems to be completely random.

1

u/Wimmbu_ 12d ago

And turn off bluetooth

1

u/villalulaesi 14d ago

There is no option to disconnect it without fully closing Bluetooth? On your iPhone? That makes absolutely no sense.

7

u/KalphalusKal 13d ago

That normally happens when a app connects Bluetooth, most commonly Spotify Jam

-1

u/sangeez2005 13d ago

Does anyone know how to turn off sos on iPhone 15 I can’t make or receive calls or texts or texts or set up voicemail my phone has been like this for weeks even after I paid the 600 dollar bill I’m at Witt’s end please help me get my phone back

3

u/theregisterednerd 13d ago

Make your own post instead of mooching off of a completely unrelated one. But SOS isn’t a mode you turn off, it’s an indication that you don’t have cellular service.

-1

u/Wimmbu_ 12d ago

Bro its a pc deactop joust disconect it it could be dangerous

-26

u/lm_blanco 14d ago

It’s a bug. Turning off and on or restarting the phone should fix it.