Various implementations include approaches for establishing a Bluetooth (BT) connection between devices. One example approach includes: in response to a trigger at a first BT device, attempting to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a second BT device paired to the first BT device, the second BT device having a highest priority on a list of one or more BT devices paired to the first BT device; in response to determining the RSSI for the second BT device, determining if the RSSI of the second BT device satisfies a threshold; and in response to determining that the RSSI of the second BT device satisfies the threshold, attempting to establish a BT connection between the first BT device and the second BT device.