Proximity-triggered pairing in the European Union

Enable seamless discovery and pairing between iPhone and third-party connected accessories with proximity-triggered pairing. When an accessory in pairing mode is near an iPhone, the iPhone detects the accessory’s Bluetooth LE advertisement and displays a pairing prompt.

Availability and requirements

Proximity-triggered pairing is available in the European Union on iPhone with iOS 26.5 or later. To enable this feature, the accessory must complete self-certification and registration with Apple servers, and must have an iOS companion app.

If you’re interested in implementing proximity-triggered pairing in your accessories, the Account Holder of your Apple Developer Program membership will need to request access on behalf of your organization. To qualify, you must:

  • Intend to develop and distribute or sell accessories under your company’s brand to customers in the European Union
  • Be currently enrolled in the Apple Developer Program as an organization
  • Agree to the Proximity-Triggered Pairing addendum to the Apple Developer Program License Agreement.

Request access

Resources and documentation

Upon approval, your team will get access to the resources needed to complete accessory self-certification and registration with Apple servers.

Accessory Proximity-Triggered Pairing Specification

This specification covers the technical requirements, Bluetooth LE advertising payload, supported connection modes, testing procedures, and accessory self-certification and registration process that accessory developers must follow to implement proximity-triggered pairing with iOS devices.

AccessorySetupKit framework

If your accessory requires a companion app for setup, proximity pairing enables the app to finish onboarding through the in-app AccessorySetupKit flow.