The prompt is not under the VC and when it displays and you tap it, it “rolls up” and disappears – there is nothing to pull back down. This is not my first rodeo connecting things via bluetooth. Between other solar controllers, batteries, water valves, blinds, ear buds, power monitors, t-stats, you name it I’ve probably paired it via bluetooth a one time or another. As Brian mentions earlier in this thread, how are the Premium Victron devices the only thing having issues and Victron’s response is to factory reset the phone? That’s just not the answer.
Maybe it is ???
To be clear, no one from Victron has at any time suggested a factory reset of the phone. That was a hyperbolic statement from an upset end-user.
It is evident, from multiple reports, that some phones on a specific Android OS version are having issues with the app - this indicates that something between the phone, the OS version, and the app is experiencing difficulties.
It’s not a direct problem with the app alone, of course, since it’s working for everyone else with different phones and different OS versions, and different phones running the same OS version, which means that’s it’s a very narrow and specific issue and Victron is making a sincere attempt to gather information regarding these specific difficulties to see what they may be able to do to help resolve the issue.
Hyperbole and other unhelpful or inaccurate commentary (this is directed at more than one person in this thread) will not help in resolving the current issue.
2 Likes
Nobody else here with this phone that could give it a try ?
If I where at home I’d order one from Amazon…
Btw, entering “pixel 9 bluetooth problems” in google gives back a multitude of answers…
@thiemovanengelen Some additional info on this issue:
Both my Pixel phone and Tablet are running the same Android 15 with security update (March 5th, 2025).
Since I was able to connect with the tablet, I’ve updated all the firmware on the MPPT
Tried resetting the PUK code to 000000
None of these efforts resulted in the ability to input the PIN from the Phone – If it would help I can do a short screen recording of the behavior and upload it here.
@Ludo – I appreciate your help – but googling “samsung bluetooth problems” yields just as many results – I don’t believe its just a bluetooth problem, I believe its some combination or order of operations
Yes, but Samsung has sold way more phones then Google 
I just saw a lot of Pixel / Android 15 problems pairing with car radios and headsets, and a workaround resetting the bluetooth cache ( I didn’t know one existed )
Might be helpful for you
Here’s how to clear your Bluetooth cache:
- Open Settings > Apps.
- Tap See all apps.
- Scroll through the apps and select Bluetooth > Storage. That app’s storage might be listed as Storage & Cache as well.
- Tap Clear Cache. Then, turn your phone off and on.
- Try to connect your Bluetooth device again.
That would definitely help, I think, that way one of the software engineers can have a look at the behavior. I’m running Android 15 on a Nokia XR21 and have no issues pairing, so I think you’re correct - it’s none of the individual elements alone (OS/app/device), but some combination of all of the above.
As soon as I’m back in town, I’ll record the process/outcome. I’m also going to try connecting in safemode – that may shed some light on the situation. – side note – since the connection issues with Victron got my Eco-Worthy batteries delivered. Installed their app and connected via bluetooth first time, no issues.
Hi,
Did this also involve pairing where you had to provide a pincode in the Android pincode entry dialog?
Kind regards,
Thiemo van Engelen
It did not. No pincode for this type of connection.
I may be well off the mark here, but what about location.
I have to have my location on as well as bluetooth.
Hi,
Location permission is only needed during scanning (so for detecting the products and the instant readout) and not for pairing. And even then should it only be necessary for Android 11 and lower. Under Android 12 and upwards, “Nearby devices” permission is needed.
Kind regards,
Thiemo van Engelen
Hi,
Then it not really surprising that it not failed in the same way for these devices as the problem with the Victron products is with the pincode pairing / entry.
With kind regards,
Thiemo van Engelen
Guys, I just spent hours with the same problem and I finally resolved my problem.
What I have:
Victron SmartShunt IP65
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 on Android 14
Samsung Galaxy S9+ on Android 10
Samsung Galaxy S9 on Android 10
Problem: Unable to pair Victron Connect app with SmartShunt IP65
Symptoms: When trying to pair with my Fold 5 or my S9+, the bluetooth PIN code pop-up occasionally appears and goes away before getting a chance to enter. In the odd chance that it stays up, it doesn’t succeed. However, Victron Connect worked flawlessly on my S9. So what gives?
Troubleshooting: I started going though the installed apps list between all three devices. Apps that were on the Fold 5 and S9+ that weren’t on the S9, I uninstalled and retried connecting the app to the SmartShunt. This was a bit tedious but I eventually got both my Fold 5 and S9+ working!
Root Cause: On my Fold 5 & S9+, I had an app called Topdon TopScan which is a bluetooth OBD2 code reader. Somehow the app simply being installed but not in use was causing issues with the bluetooth PIN pop-up and pairing functionality. My guess is there is a vulnerability in the Android bluetooth source code that perhaps other apps (either maliciously or inadvertently) interfering with the pairing functions.
I might also add that the Topdon TopScan app has “Alibaba”-vibes written all over it based on appearance. I didn’t get a good feeling of this app when I installed it especially when it required location-access permissions just to pair with the OBD2 code reader.
Anyway it seems it is an “app” issue and not a “phone” make/model issue.
I hope the software developers at Victron can investigate into this further.
What is the Topdon TopScan app doing to interfere with the Victron Connect app pairing?
If they do find out, to add the details to their troubleshooting documentation.
5 Likes
That’s, it’s working! Delit topdon. Thanks!!!
1 Like
Hi,
On Android, any app can provide a pincode to Android once pairing has started, even if that app was not the one that caused the phone to connect or pair. So this app probably waits for a internal broadcast from Android that pairing has started and then probably provides some fixed pincode. This causes Android to use that for the pairing.
I will check whether we mention this in our troubleshooting guide and make sure that this app is specifically mentioned.
Kind regards,
Thiemo van Engelen
1 Like
Hi
I also found during initial bluetooth pairing with a Cerbo GX on an Android 15 phone that it would fail due to an active bluetooth connection between my phone and my Garmin Venu 3 watch. Solution was to turn off the Venu 3 for a few minutes whilst l completed the initial pairing. Once Cerbo GX paired in Victron Connect all subsequent bluetooth connections work fine with Garmin Venu 3 also connected to the phone. I recommend when performing the initial bluetooth pairing, make sure there are no other active bluetooth connections with the phone.
So I finally got back in town and was able to screen record the behavior, came here to upload and found the additions to the thread. Searched my phone and low and behold I too had the TopDon app (not sure from when or what). Uninstalled the app and was able to connect w/o issue. Thanks so much @azian_advanced for figuring this out.
I’ve gone ahead and uploaded my screen record as a visual for others who might be experiencing this issue.
2 Likes
Hi,
Thank you for confirming that it was indeed this app that was causing these problems.
With kind regards,
Thiemo van Engelen
I have found that even without other apps (as far as i know) that aggressively “hook” the Bluetooth pairing process, my android device (i.e. the OS itself) seems to get in the way.
If I connect to a Cerbo, and then immediately setup the wifi, all is fine.
If i connect to a Cerbo, and then tab away, and tab back, i can’t reconnect to the Cerbo.
In the 2nd case, going into bluetooth, finding the Cerbo, and telling the OS to “Forget device” enables me to start again and provided i don’t tab away from VictronConnect all is well.
It might be handy to start a list of known and suspected “problematic” apps that aggressively get in the way.
It sounds like so far;
-
Known to be problematic
TopDon -
Suspected
Eebms
“Solar Guardian” (Epever’s latest app, which takes over from Epever Pair)
Please comment and add to the list if you have at least once had a problem, disabled an app, and then succeded.