DJI Mini 3 Not Pairing/Connecting (Why and How to Fix It)

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You got your new DJI Mini 3 and are ready to fly it. Once you try to connect the drone to your RC or mobile device, it doesn’t pair.

Why is this happening?

The DJI Mini 3 doesn’t pair or connect with your mobile device or RC due to the following:

Battery or memory card issues
Not having the firmware updated
DJI Fly app not working correctly
A malfunction that requires DJI to solve it personally

It can be stressful and discouraging to go through these steps and not find a solution.

To help you, we have this detailed step-by-step guide for you to follow.

We will explain in detail why your drone is not pairing and how to solve it. If you can’t find a solution here, we’ll tell you how to address the issue once and for all.

Why is my drone not pairing? #

Although you might think it’s a strange or abnormal failure, it’s indeed common for your Mini 3 to stop pairing. Bugs come and go as a result of your interaction with the drone. You can’t help it, but you can solve it.

Before going through the reasons, please ensure your drone hasn’t paired with another RC. It sounds obvious, but it can happen. If another RC is connected first, you can’t pair your RC, as the Mini 3 only supports one RC at a time.

Also, your Mini 3 can only pair with specific iOS or Android devices. You must ensure your device is on the options available in this link.

Lastly, the DJI Fly App doesn’t work on other operating systems, so you need an iOS or Android device.

Once you’ve checked all that, you can apply one or more of the solutions below.

1. DJI Fly App malfunction #

The DJI Fly App can get corrupted by a bug. The most straightforward solution is to remove the app, leaving no files on your device.

Android devices have apps that clean all their associated files after app uninstallation.

For an iOS device, go to Settings. Press the General option from the list and tap on iPhone or iPad storage. Select the DJI Fly App and press the Delete App option located at the bottom.

Once you complete the app removal, install it again.

This way, you guarantee the installation of the latest version of the app. The newest versions assure solutions to common bugs such as non-pairing.

2. Firmware not up-to-date #

We’re not always expecting updates to a mobile device, RC, or drone firmware. It’s normal not to notice them or give them much importance.

Plus, there at times when the firmware update won’t install correctly on your device, RC, or drone, causing an unpleasant error.

How to solve it? #

Although some users experience bugs when installing new firmware, DJI recommends installing these updates.

The best you can do is to install the newest firmware when available. They mean to correct common errors, such as the non-pairing issue.

This is very straightforward, as you only need to press the firmware prompt update button on the screen.

3. Low battery #

Your DJI Mini 3 failing to pair is also attributable to a low battery. The RC and mobile device can disconnect automatically or not connect to the drone if one or both have a low battery.

How to solve it? #

You must ensure the RC and drone battery is 75 percent or above. The easiest way to do that is by looking at the LEDs.

For your controller, find the four LEDs near the power button. The four must light steadily green.

Next, look for the four LEDs near the power button on the back of your drone. The four must also illuminate green.

Lastly, your mobile device should have at least 60 percent battery.

4. SD card malfunction #

An SD memory card can create conflict with the drone software. DJI declares that it’s a common issue with third-party memory cards. However, it can also happen with the memory cards they sell on their website.

The failure is that the SD corrupts the drone’s software, not allowing the use of certain features, such as pairing.

How to solve it? #

Remove the SD card from the drone. If you did it with the drone powered on, you must shut it down after the SD card removal. Alternatively, you can remove it while the drone is off.

Then power on the Mini 3 again.

How to properly pair my drone #

The DJI Mini 3 pairs both with the RC DJI or RC-N1. The only difference between these two controllers is the built-in screen on the RC DJI.

Regardless of which controller you use, the controller connects via the DJI Fly App to the drone. Here’s how.

RC DJI #

The DJI Fly App is built-in into the RC DJI. Once you’ve checked all the possible failures, press the power button on your drone and RC.
To power on the drone, it takes up to four seconds. To power on your RC, it takes up to two seconds.
Launch the DJI Fly App from the RC DJI screen. Next, place the Flight Mode switch to normal.
Make sure the RC and drone are within 0.5 meters or 1.64 feet when pairing.
When pairing for the first time, tap the linking guide button on the downside right side of the screen. Follow the on-screen instructions.
You can also go to the camera view and tap the three horizontal dots. Here, you only need to select the control and then pair the aircraft.
Immediately press the power and hold it for four seconds. Your drone will beep, meaning it has entered Pairing Mode.
When you hear two beeps, the Pairing Mode is complete. You will see the displayed camera image on the RC DJI screen. You can now pilot your drone.

RC-N1 #

To connect this controller to the drone, you need to connect your smartphone first.
Extend the mobile device clamp/antenna. Connect your device via USB-C, Micro USB, or lighting cable according to your device port.
Once connected, press the power button for two seconds to turn it on. Power on your Mini 3 too.
Then open the DJI Fly App. Go to the camera view and press the three horizontal dots. Choose the control and pair the aircraft.
Here you can proceed the same as with the RC DJI.

If none of these options work, what should I do? #

If none of these procedures helped you to solve the pairing issue, you must contact the DJI support team.

Please send a video showing all the troubleshooting you have tried through this guide. The video must exhibit the following:

You have removed the memory SD card from the drone before powering it on.
Show them the mobile device, RC, and drone battery percentages. The drone and RC must be at or above 75 percent. The mobile device must be at least 60 percent.
Show them the RC, DJI Fly App, and drone firmware are up to date.
Finally, record the drone lights’ behavior.

The video must be short and to the point. Don’t talk in the video. Only record what we told you. In the email, write your issue and be as detailed as possible.

Consider that you can only send it via email when the video size is below 2MB. If you can’t send it due to exceeding the maximum size, send it via WeTransfer.

Below is a short video tutorial.

You can obtain a link from WeTransfer and dispatch it from your favorite email.

View the tutorial below.

DJI can then evaluate the issue and give you a proper solution. Expect a response within 48 hours.