BluetoothLeScanner.startScan with Android 6.0 does not discover devices

Question

I\'m trying to use the function BluatoothLeScanner.startScan instead of the deprecated one BluetoothAdapter.startLeScan. Yesterday I updated my Nexus 5 to

Answer 1

Set your 'minSdkVersion' to 18 targetSdkVersion 22

Answer 2

It's an old question, but I will answer to help someone.
Unfortunately, the combination of ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION and targetSdkVersion 22 does not work on some devices.
This is not a good method, but I have solved it in the following way without using runtime permissions (ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION or ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION)

1. Set your 'targetSdkVersion' to 19 (I think maybe api19 ~ api22 will be possible)

2. Add the following permission to your manifest file

   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_OWNER_DATA" />
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_OWNER_DATA" />
   

tested to Android 4.4 ~ 7.1.1

Answer 3

One - not perfect answer, is that you can still use the same old method BT scan method, once you have the new runtime Location permission enabled.

            mBluetoothAdapter.startDiscovery();

.......

private final BroadcastReceiver mReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver() {
        public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
            String action = intent.getAction();

                if (BluetoothDevice.ACTION_FOUND.equals(action)) {
                BluetoothDevice device = (BluetoothDevice) intent.getParcelableExtra(BluetoothDevice.EXTRA_DEVICE);

                mDeviceList.add(device);


            }
        }
    };

Answer 4

Is you app prompting for Location permission on startup? If it's not, handle the code somewhere else so that it is being prompted.

Also you can check this to test if your app is working fine:

Open Settings > Apps > YourApplication > Permissions and enable Location and then try to scan for results.

Location will be listed under permissions only if you have provided ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION on manifest.

Answer 5

if permissions granted, have a try: turn ON the GPS.

Answer 6

Using the solutions provided above works but the side effect is that you have to have location services turned on for something that doesn't need it. An ugly and unsatisfying work around is to specify the target version in your manifest to

android:targetSdkVersion="21"

It allows scanning on my Nexus 7 even though the installed version is 6.0.1. I do not know what the side effects are of targeting a lower version than the installed version but at least scanning works. Might be the only solution for GPS-less devices (if such devices exist).

Google should be crucified for this.