How to use bluetooth on windows 10

How to Turn On Bluetooth in Windows 10

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years’ experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

What to Know

• Go to Start >Settings >Devices >Bluetooth & Other Devices and make sure the Bluetooth switch is set to On.
• To add and manage wireless devices, go to your Bluetooth settings, or select the Bluetooth icon in the Windows taskbar.
• To troubleshoot Bluetooth problems, select Troubleshoot settings and select Bluetooth >Run troubleshooter.

This article explains how to enable Bluetooth on Windows 10. Bluetooth comes built-in to all Windows 10 laptops, but if your desktop PC doesn’t support it, you can always add a Bluetooth adapter.

How Do I Enable Bluetooth on My PC?

Before you can connect printers, headsets, and other devices to your computer wirelessly, you need to make sure Bluetooth is enabled.

1. Open Windows Settings. Go to Start >Settings, or use the keyboard shortcut Window Key+I.

Select Devices.

Select Bluetooth & Other Devices in the left sidebar, then make sure the Bluetooth switch is set to On.

Turn On Bluetooth From the Windows Action Center

Alternatively, toggle Bluetooth from the Windows 10 Action Center. Select the speech bubble icon in the taskbar, or press Windows Key+A to bring up the Windows Action Center. Look for the Bluetooth icon and make sure it’s highlighted. You may have to expand the list of options to find it.

Manage Bluetooth Devices and Settings

To add and manage your wireless devices, go to your Bluetooth settings, or select the Bluetooth icon in the Windows taskbar (you may have to click the up-arrow first to expand the list of icons). You’ll get a pop-up window with a list of options. From here, you can add devices, transfer files over Bluetooth to nearby devices, join a Personal Area Network, or go directly to your Bluetooth settings.

How to Connect a Bluetooth Device to Windows 10

Once Bluetooth is enabled, you can connect a device:

1. Go to your Bluetooth settings and select Add Bluetooth or other device.

Select Bluetooth.

Wait for the device to show up in the list of devices and then select it.

Why Can’t I Turn on My Bluetooth in Windows 10?

If the Bluetooth option is grayed out, your computer may not support it, in which case you need a USB Bluetooth adapter. There could also be a hardware problem with the Bluetooth device, or there could be an issue with Windows Services.

Troubleshoot Bluetooth in Windows 10

If you know your computer has Bluetooth built-in, but it’s still not working, try running the Windows troubleshooter:

1. Type Troubleshoot in the Window search bar and select Troubleshoot settings.

Scroll down to Find and Fix Other Problems, select Additional troubleshooters >Bluetooth, then select Run the troubleshooter.

Set Bluetooth Service to Automatic

If you’re still having problems with Bluetooth on your PC, another option is to set the Bluetooth service to automatic:

1. Press Windows Key+R on the keyboard, type Services.msc in the Run box, then select OK.

Right-click Bluetooth Support Service and select Properties.

Set the Startup type to Automatic, select Start under Service status, then select OK.

While Bluetooth is a common feature these days, not every PC comes with it. If your computer is an older model, it might not have the hardware installed. But, you can add it by buying a Bluetooth USB dongle.

Open Device Manager and open the Bluetooth menu. Right-click on your Bluetooth device (it should be called something like Intel Wireless Bluetooth) and choose Uninstall device. Restart the PC and Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver.

Open the Device Manager, then open the Bluetooth menu. Right-click on your Bluetooth device (it should be called something like Intel Wireless Bluetooth) and select Properties. Under the Advanced tab, look for Firmware and the numbers next to it that start with LMP. If that number starts with a 6, 7, or 8, it supports Bluetooth 4.0, 4.1, or 4.2, respectively. If it starts with a 9, 10, or 11, it supports Bluetooth 5.0, 5.1, or 5.2.

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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

1. 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.
2. On your PC, select the Network , Sound, or Battery icons ( ) next to the time and date on the right side of your taskbar.
3. Select Manage Bluetooth devices on the Bluetooth quick setting, then select your device under New devices.

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.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. 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.
2. If this is your first time using Swift Pair, select Yes when asked if you want to get notifications and use Swift Pair.
3. 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

1. 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.
2. 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

1. 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.
2. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. 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.
2. If this is your first time using Swift Pair, select Yes when asked if you want to get notifications and use Swift Pair.
3. When a notification appears that a new Bluetooth device was found, select Connect.
4. After it’s connected, select Close.

Tip: If you’re a small business owner looking for more information on how to get Microsoft 365 set up, visit Small business help & learning.

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