Do you know this little address that uniquely identifies your Bluetooth adapter? This series of hexadecimal characters that resembles BE: EF: F0: 0d: CA: FE And which allows your computer to be recognized by all the surrounding devices?
Well imagine that it is possible to modify it for various reasons, whether for questions of confidentialityof tests Or simply for the pleasure of personalizing your equipment.
There are several valid reasons to want to modify this address. You should know that your Mac Bluetooth address acts as a unique identifier that can be used to track you down. By modifying it regularly, you make it more difficult to monitor your trips and your connection habits. This is particularly relevant in public places where many Bluetooth sensors are present.
For Bluetooth developers and application testers, being able to quickly change a Mac address is very practical. This simulates different devices without the need for additional equipment. This is particularly useful for software debugging and test phases.
You can create a memorable mac address like BE: EF: F0: 0d: CA: FE (Beef, Food, Coffee), which can be practical to quickly identify your devices in an environment with many Bluetooth devices.
A frequent case concerns the purchase of several cheap bluetooth dongles that share the same Mac address (yes, it happens!). Modify one of them immediately solves potential conflicts and allows you to use all your adapters simultaneously.
To modify the Mac address of your Bluetooth adapter, you can use This specialized tool available on Windows. This operation, which writes the new address directly in the internal memory of your integrated Dongle or Bluetooth card, must be addressed with caution. So be sure to scrupulously follow the steps below and know the risks incurred, in particular that of “baking” your device (making it unusable).
Required equipment and conditions
Before you start, check that you meet the following conditions:
- A PC under Windows Vista (with the KB942567 pack – Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless) or a later version of Windows (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11).
- A Bluetooth adapter using the Microsoft battery (third -party Bluetooth batteries such as Bluesoleil, Toshiba or Broadcomm/Widcomm are not supported).
- A Bluetooth adapter based on a CSR or Broadcom chip is generally necessary.
- Administrator rights on your machine.
Before you start
Before changing anything, carefully note your original Mac Bluetooth address. So, if you want to go back, you will always have the initial address. A Bluetooth address is usually written in the format XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
.
Steps to change the Mac Bluetooth address
1. Download the adequate tool
Go to the official website macaddresschanger.com To obtain the utility dedicated to the change of Mac Bluetooth address under Windows. Download the installation version or the portable version according to your preferences.
2. Install or launch the program
If you have opted for the installer, run it and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. You will need administrator rights. If you have chosen the portable version, simply decompress the archive and launch the file BluetoothMacChanger.exe
always with administrator rights.
3. Check the compatibility of your adapter
The utility will tell you if your adapter is supported. If it is not recognized, it is probably that it uses a non-Microsoft battery (like Broadcom/Widcomm, Toshiba or Bluesil) or its chip is not compatible.
4. Choose your new Mac address
In the software interface, enter the new mac address desired in format XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
or else XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
. For easier, you can:
- Generate a random address using the “random” button (random).
- Choose a “memorable” address (ex:
BE:EF:F0:0D:CA:FE
). - Use the integrated yes lookup tool to choose a specific manufacturer prefix.
Note that the address 00:00:00:00:00:00
(all zeros) is prohibited because it can make your adapter unusable.
5. Apply the change
Click on the “Change” button to apply the new address. If your adapter is based on a CSR chip, you may be able to use the “Auto Reset” option which avoids having to physically reconnect your dongle. Otherwise, you will have to disconnect then manually reconnect your Bluetooth key so that the changes take effect.
After the change
Once the new address has been applied, you can check its proper functioning:
- Launching a search for Bluetooth devices nearby and checking that your machine is now detected under the new address.
- Test twinning with a usual device to ensure that there is no compatibility problem.
Additional advice
Preciously keep the original address if you want to go back. To restore the initial configuration, you just have to repeat the operation by entering the original address.
Also keep in mind that this change can affect your development environment, your tests and monitoring your devices. If you are having difficulty, try to deactivate the “Auto Reset” option and reconnect your dongle manually.
Finally, if you want to automate this process, monitor updates to the official site: an online command version (CLI) could see the light of day, offering the possibility of changing your Mac Bluetooth address via batch scripts.
If this technique interests you, you could also explore:
- The change of address Mac Wi-Fi
- The use of virtual containers
- Network anonymization techniques
- The use of online command tools to automate changes
A big thank you to Lorenper For having shared this practical solution which allows us to regain control over our network identifiers. This tip is particularly useful to protect our digital privacy while offering many possibilities to developers and advanced users.
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