Fix Bluetooth Connection Problems with Your Allo Device
Resolve Bluetooth issues between the Allo app and your client device — app stuck loading, device not found, or connection dropping unexpectedly.
The Allo app communicates with your Allo client device exclusively over Bluetooth. If that Bluetooth link is broken or can't be established, you won't be able to send or receive messages — even if the radio network itself is working perfectly. This page walks you through the most common Bluetooth symptoms and the steps to fix them.
Symptoms
You may have a Bluetooth connection problem if you see any of the following:
- The app shows a loading spinner and never finishes connecting.
- Your Allo device does not appear in the device list when you try to pair.
- The device appears in the list but the connection fails immediately.
- The app connects but then drops the connection after a few seconds or minutes.
- The connection icon in the app shows a warning or "offline" state even though the device is powered on and nearby.
Step-by-step checks
Work through these steps in order. Most connection problems are resolved by step 3 or 4.
Check that Bluetooth is enabled
Open your phone's Settings and confirm that Bluetooth is switched on. It sounds obvious, but Bluetooth is sometimes turned off automatically when a phone enters flight mode or after a restart.
On Android, also check that the Allo app has the correct permissions:
- Android 12 and later: go to Settings → Apps → Allo → Permissions and enable Nearby devices.
- Android 11 and earlier: enable both Bluetooth and Location permissions for the Allo app.
On iOS, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Bluetooth and confirm that Allo is listed and toggled on.
Turn off power-saving mode
Power-saving and battery-optimisation modes throttle Bluetooth activity in the background, which prevents the app from maintaining a stable connection to the device.
- Android: go to Settings → Battery (exact path varies by manufacturer) and disable battery optimisation or power-saving mode. Some manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo) have aggressive background-app restrictions — check your phone's brand-specific battery settings and whitelist the Allo app.
- iOS: Low Power Mode reduces background activity. Go to Settings → Battery and turn off Low Power Mode while using Allo.
Running Allo in power-saving mode is the single most common cause of dropped connections. Always disable it before a deployment or exercise.
Keep the phone close to the device
Bluetooth has a practical indoor range of roughly 10 metres. Walls, metal structures, and other radio equipment (such as other Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices) all reduce that range. During normal use, keep your phone within a few metres of your Allo device — either carrying both on your person or placing the device within arm's reach.
If you are trying to pair for the first time, hold the phone directly next to the device.
Confirm the device is not already paired to another phone
Each Allo client device can only be connected to one phone at a time. If another user's phone is already paired, your app will not be able to connect.
Check the device display by pressing the top button to cycle through the screen tabs. If the first tab shows a PIN code, the device is available to pair. If no PIN is shown, the device is already connected to another phone.
To disconnect the other phone, restart the device by pressing and holding the bottom button until the device restarts. This will disconnect the existing pairing without affecting messages stored on the device.
Restart the Allo app
Close the Allo app completely — on Android, remove it from the recent-apps list; on iOS, swipe it away from the app switcher. Then reopen the app. This clears any stale connection state and triggers a fresh Bluetooth scan.
If the app still doesn't find the device, toggle Bluetooth off and back on in your phone's Settings, then reopen the app.
Restart the Allo device
If restarting the app didn't help, restart the Allo device itself. Press and hold the bottom button on the device until it powers off, then press it again to power back on. Wait for the device to finish booting (the display will show the first tab with the device name and PIN) before attempting to connect again.
Still not connecting?
The device broadcasts as 'Allo-' followed by its name
When scanning for devices in the app, your Allo device appears as Allo- followed by its configured name (for example, "Allo-Noodsteunpunt"). If you see a different name or no Allo devices at all, make sure you are looking at the correct device and that it is fully powered on.
I reinstalled the app and now it won't reconnect
Reinstalling the app removes the previously saved pairing. You will need to go through the device-pairing flow again: tap Connect device in the app, select your device from the list, and enter the PIN shown on the device display.
Multiple people are trying to connect to the same device
Only one phone can be actively connected to a client device at a time. If you are in a team and need multiple people to communicate, each person needs their own Allo client device. Repeaters do not pair with phones directly — they extend the radio mesh only.
For deployments and exercises, check all device and app connections before you need them. A quick connection test the day before avoids scrambling to fix Bluetooth issues under pressure.
If you have worked through all of these steps and the device still won't connect, contact your organisation administrator. The device may need to be re-provisioned or inspected for a hardware fault.