The vLinker FS Bluetooth is the cable-free member of Vgate's FORScan family: it reaches Ford's medium-speed network on its own and talks to an iPhone, an Android phone or a Windows laptop.
Most Ford owners who buy an OBD2 adapter end up in FORScan sooner or later. It is the Windows and phone software that reads every module on a Ford, Lincoln or Mazda, not just the engine computer. The catch is that many of those modules live on a second, slower network called MS-CAN, and a basic ELM327 dongle simply cannot hear it.
The vLinker FS Bluetooth is built for exactly that job. It reaches both the high-speed network (HS-CAN, where the engine and transmission talk) and the medium-speed one (MS-CAN, home to many body and comfort modules on Fords). There is no toggle switch to flip. The adapter moves between the two buses by itself when FORScan asks for a module on the other side.
It sounds minor until you have used a switch cable. Old switch-type cables make you reach under the dash mid-scan, and a missed flip means FORScan reports modules as missing. With the FS, a full-vehicle scan runs start to finish without you touching anything.
It runs as a general ELM327-compatible adapter too, so Car Scanner, Torque and other OBD2 apps work on any 1996-or-newer car. For a wider look at Ford cables and apps, see the FORScan adapter guide.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vgate |
| Model | vLinker FS BT (Android, iOS & Windows) |
| Link type | Bluetooth wireless, pairing button on the body |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes |
| Android | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
| macOS | Pairs over Bluetooth (FORScan itself has no Mac version) |
| OBD-II protocols | All 5 standard OBD-II protocols |
| Ford networks | MS-CAN in addition to HS-CAN, switched automatically |
| FORScan support | Yes, including FEPS 18V programming voltage output |
| Maximum baud rate | 3 Mbps |
| OBD request length | Up to 4K bytes |
| Operating current | 28 mA |
| Sleep current | 3 mA, automatic sleep when idle |
| Vehicle systems | 12V and 24V |
| Dimensions | 2.4 x 1.8 x 0.9 in |
| Weight | 3.2 oz |
| In the box | Adapter and instructions |
Setup starts with the small black button on the adapter. Press it with the FS plugged into the OBD2 port and the ignition on, then connect from your device. The button is what puts the FS in the mood to pair, so if a device cannot find it, press it again before blaming the phone.
Which device you use decides how deep you can go. The phone apps are made for reading and watching. The Windows program is where configuration and programming happen.
| Device | Main app | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Windows laptop | FORScan | Codes, live data, service routines, module configuration and programming with the Extended license |
| iPhone | FORScan Lite, Car Scanner | Codes and live data from Ford modules; generic OBD2 on other cars |
| Android | FORScan Lite, Car Scanner, Torque | Same as iPhone, plus the wider choice of Android OBD2 apps |
Vgate also mentions macOS pairing. FORScan has no Mac version, so a Mac owner needs Windows running in a virtual machine or on Boot Camp. If the phone refuses to connect at all, the connection troubleshooting steps cover the usual culprits.
Wireless is the whole point of this adapter, and for reading codes, logging a drive or changing a few settings it is the comfortable choice. Module programming is a different story. A reflash writes a new file into a computer, and any interruption halfway leaves that computer in a bad state.
The FS Bluetooth supports FORScan programming functions, including the 18V FEPS supply. Bluetooth can still drop if a laptop goes to sleep or a phone call steals the radio. For a long PCM or TCM reflash, many Ford owners prefer a USB cable such as the vLinker FS USB, which removes that one weak link.
The battery numbers are friendly for leave-in use. Asleep at 3 mA, the FS would need weeks, not days, to make a dent in a healthy battery. A car that sits for months is still better off with the adapter unplugged.
Outside FORScan, the 3 Mbps link and 4K-byte requests make it quick with long messages, which coding apps and big live-data lists appreciate.
Vgate sells three Ford-minded adapters that look alike and confuse plenty of buyers. The FS Bluetooth sits at the top for wireless use. Its siblings trade either the wireless link or the programming ability for a lower cost.
| Adapter | Link | Devices | Ford use |
|---|---|---|---|
| vLinker FS Bluetooth | Bluetooth | iPhone, Android, Windows | Diagnostics, configuration, programming |
| vLinker FS USB | USB cable | Windows | Diagnostics, configuration, programming |
| vLinker FD+ | Bluetooth LE | iPhone, Android, Windows | Diagnostics only, per Vgate |
| OBDLink EX | USB cable | Windows | Built for FORScan, recommended by the FORScan team |
If you only want to read what every module is complaining about, the FD+ covers it. If you plan to change settings from the couch or the driver's seat, the FS Bluetooth is the Vgate to get. If a laptop always comes along anyway, a USB adapter is the steadier home for programming.
Generic switch cables are the budget route for Ford owners. They work with FORScan, but you flip the HS/MS switch by hand and quality varies from cable to cable. The FS family exists to remove both of those headaches, and the Bluetooth model removes the cable too. Owners who also drive a GM, Toyota or Hyundai may lean toward the OBDLink MX+, which adds enhanced data for several brands.
Run through a few checks before ordering:
For the wider picture of Bluetooth adapter types, the Bluetooth adapter guide explains Classic versus BLE and why it matters for iPhones.
No. It moves between HS-CAN and MS-CAN on its own when FORScan asks for a module on the other network.
The phone apps read codes and live data. Module configuration happens in FORScan for Windows with the Extended license.
It sleeps at about 3 mA when idle, which is small for a daily-driven car. Unplug it if the car will sit for weeks.
Yes. It is ELM327-compatible and works with generic OBD2 apps on 1996-or-newer cars and light trucks.
It supports FORScan programming, but a wired USB adapter and a battery maintainer remove the most common causes of an interrupted flash.