- Connecting Bluetooth Headphones to a PC: Windows 10 + 11
- Connecting
- Using Swift Pair
- Troubleshooting
- Expert Q&A
- Tips
- You Might Also Like
- Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows
- Turn on Bluetooth
- To pair a Bluetooth device
- To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner
- To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair
- Turn on Bluetooth
- To pair a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other audio device
- To pair a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device
- To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner
- To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair
- Related topics
Connecting Bluetooth Headphones to a PC: Windows 10 + 11
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities.
The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article’s instructions and verified that they work.
This article has been viewed 174,458 times.
Do you have a set of wireless headphones or earbuds that you want to use with your computer? Luckily, you can pair them in a simple process on all Windows devices, which is made even easier with the Swift Pairing feature. This wikiHow teaches you how to connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones to a PC.
- On Windows 10/11, turn on Bluetooth in Settings, then put your headphones in pairing mode.
- Click your headphones from the «Available devices» list to connect.
- Take troubleshooting steps if you don’t see your headphones in the list, like making sure they are charged or that Bluetooth is enabled on your computer.
Connecting
- Making sure they are in Pairing mode makes them discoverable for other devices. You won’t see them in the devices list if they aren’t in Pairing mode.
- Many devices have a light that pulses blue that indicates your headphones are in Pairing mode. If you don’t see the light or aren’t sure what lights your specific model has, you can always check the manual they came with or search online.
- If your headphones or earbuds aren’t charged enough, they won’t stay in Pairing mode long enough for you to connect to your computer.
- You can also turn on Bluetooth quickly by clicking the tile in quick settings/Action Center, which you can find in your taskbar. [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
- If you don’t see this toggle, your computer may not have or support Bluetooth. You can instead purchase a dongle that goes into a USB port that accepts Bluetooth signals.
Click + Add Bluetooth or other device . It’s at the top of the page and opens the «Add a device» pop-up window in the middle of the screen.
Click Bluetooth . It is the first option at the top. Your computer will start scanning for nearby devices that are in pairing mode.
- For most connections, you don’t need a PIN, but if you do, you can find your model’s specific PIN in the manual it came with or by searching online. It will also let you know what to do if the PIN you’re trying doesn’t work.
- If your headphones are connected but you aren’t hearing any sound, click the volume icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen (in your taskbar) and look to see what sound device is currently selected. If your headphones are not currently selected, click the connected device and select your headphones instead. You can also right-click on the icon and select open Sound settings to change your audio output and sound settings.
Using Swift Pair
Put your headphones in Pairing mode. Press the «Pairing» button or toggle the switch to make your headphones or earbuds discoverable.
Enable Bluetooth on your computer. Click the Bluetooth tile in the Action Center in your taskbar to turn on Bluetooth.
- If it’s your first time using Swift Pair, click Yes to receive notifications.
- Swift Pair simplifies the pairing steps so you don’t need to go to the «Add Bluetooth device» menu in Settings.
Troubleshooting
Make sure your wireless headphones are fully charged. Some headphones and earbuds will give you a «Connection Failed» error if they don’t have enough charge.
Move your devices closer together. Make sure your headphones are no more than 3 feet (0.91 m) apart from your computer. This is the best range for Bluetooth to work, and having your headphones or earbuds further than 3 feet away can also give you a «Connection Failed» error. Staying within 3 feet will ensure a stronger Bluetooth signal and make it easier to connect them.
Disconnect all paired devices. Although your computer’s manual suggests having multiple Bluetooth connections, having too many paired devices could prevent you from adding another device. In that case, you wouldn’t see your headphones in the list of available devices.
Update your drivers on Windows 10/11. If you don’t see the Bluetooth icon or can’t click the toggle to turn it on, especially after an update, you might have out-of-date drivers. Update your drivers using the Windows Device Manager or files from your computer’s manufacturer.
Use the Windows Bluetooth Troubleshooter. If nothing works to fix your issue, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Bluetooth (Find and fix other problems) > Run the troubleshooter. This is more computer-specific and should tell you what is wrong. [2] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
Expert Q&A
Tips
You Might Also Like
Why Are Your Beats Not Showing Up on Bluetooth? Here’s How to Fix It
Connect Two Bluetooth Speakers to a PC or Mac at the Same Time
Does Your PC or Mac Have Bluetooth? 4 Ways to Check
How to Use a Bluetooth Dongle on Windows or Mac
Pair Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds on iPhone & iPad: 6 Easy Steps
How to Set Up and Use Bluetooth Devices with an iPhone
How to Stop Other Devices From Connecting to Bluetooth
Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows
You can pair all kinds of Bluetooth devices with your PC—including keyboards, mice, phones, speakers, and a whole lot more. To do this, your PC needs to have Bluetooth. Some PCs, such as laptops and tablets, have Bluetooth built in. If your PC doesn’t, you can plug a USB Bluetooth adapter into the USB port on your PC to get it.
Before you start, make sure that your Windows 11 PC supports Bluetooth. For more info on how to check, see Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows. If you need help adding a device without Bluetooth capabilities, see Add a device to a Windows PC.
Turn on Bluetooth
After you’ve checked that your Windows 11 PC supports Bluetooth, you’ll need to turn it on. Here’s how:
- In Settings: Select Start >Settings >Bluetooth & devices , and then turn on Bluetooth .
- In quick settings: To find the quick setting for Bluetooth, select the Network, Sound, or Battery icons ( ) next to the time and date on the right side of your taskbar. Select Bluetooth to turn it on. If it’s turned on without any Bluetooth devices connected, it might appear as Not connected .
To pair a Bluetooth device
- Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
- On your PC, select the Network , Sound, or Battery icons ( ) next to the time and date on the right side of your taskbar.
- Select Manage Bluetooth devices on the Bluetooth quick setting, then select your device under New devices.
Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.
Tip: If you don’t see the Bluetooth device you want displayed in the list, you may need to set the Bluetooth devices discovery setting to Advanced. To learn how, see Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows.
To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner
- Turn on your Bluetooth printer or scanner and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
- Select Start >Settings >Bluetooth & devices >Printers & scanners >Add device. Wait for it to find nearby printers, choose the one you want to use, then select Add device.
If you’re having problems installing your printer or scanner, see either Fix printer problems or Install and use a scanner in Windows.
To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair
Swift Pair in Windows 11 lets you quickly pair a supported Bluetooth device with your PC. If the Bluetooth device supports Swift Pair, you’ll receive a notification when it’s nearby and you put it into pairing mode to make it discoverable.
- Turn on a Bluetooth device that supports Swift Pair and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn more.
- If this is your first time using Swift Pair, select Yes when asked if you want to get notifications and use Swift Pair.
- When a notification appears that a new Bluetooth device was found, select Connect.
Before you start, make sure that your Windows 10 PC supports Bluetooth. For more info on how to check, see Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows 10. If you need help adding a device without Bluetooth capabilities, see Add a device to a Windows 10 PC.
Turn on Bluetooth
After you’ve checked that your Windows 10 PC supports Bluetooth, you’ll need to turn it on. Here’s how:
In Settings: Select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices, and turn on Bluetooth.
In action center: Action center can be found next to time and date on your taskbar. On the taskbar, select action center ( or ), then select Bluetooth to turn it on. If it’s turned off, it might appear as Not connected.
If you don’t see Bluetooth in your action center, here’s how you can change it:
- Expand quick actions. On the taskbar, select action center ( or ) >Expand. Bluetooth should appear here. It will appear as Bluetooth or Not connected.
- Add Bluetooth to action center. Select Start >Settings >System >Notifications & actions >Quick actions. Go to Add or remove quick actions and turn on Bluetooth.
Note: For more info about how to change the apps and settings that appear in action center, see Change notification and action settings in Windows 10.
To pair a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other audio device
- Turn on your Bluetooth audio device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
- On your PC, select Start >Settings >Devices >Bluetooth & other devices >Add Bluetooth or other device >Bluetooth. Choose the device and follow additional instructions if they appear, then select Done. Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.
To pair a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device
- Turn on your Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufactur’s website to learn how.
- On your PC, select Start >Settings >Devices >Bluetooth & other devices >Add Bluetooth or other device >Bluetooth. Choose the device and follow additional instructions if they appear, then select Done.
To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner
- Turn on your Bluetooth printer or scanner and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
- Select Start >Settings >Devices >Printers & scanners >Add a printer or scanner. Wait for it to find nearby printers, then choose the one you want to use and select Add device.
If you’re having installation issues with your printer or scanner, see either Fix printer problems or Install and use a scanner in Windows 10.
To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair
Swift Pair in Windows 10 lets you quickly pair a supported Bluetooth device with your PC. If the Bluetooth device supports Swift Pair, you’ll receive a notification when it’s nearby and you put it into pairing mode to make it discoverable.
- Turn on a Bluetooth device that supports Swift Pair and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn more.
- If this is your first time using Swift Pair, select Yes when asked if you want to get notifications and use Swift Pair.
- When a notification appears that a new Bluetooth device was found, select Connect.
- After it’s connected, select Close.
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