Turning on laptop 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

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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How to Turn On or Fix Bluetooth in Windows 10

Steve Larner Steve Larner Steve Larner carries over ten years of content management, editing, and writing experience in a wide variety of industries. As a tech enthusiast, Steve also enjoys exploring new products and devices and helping others solve their technological problems. Read more October 15, 2022

If nothing has worked so far, try using “Device Manager” to see if Bluetooth is listed. Take note that your PC may support Bluetooth functionality and still not show up in the devices list. That scenario occurs when there is no Bluetooth driver set up for the external adaptor or internal component. However, internal Bluetooth devices generally get detected, whether installed or not.

1. Click on the Cortana search bar and type “Device Manager,” and select it from the list.
   
2. Look for Bluetooth entries in “Device Manager.” If you see them, then the PC supports Bluetooth, but it may not be working correctly. Bluetooth locations in “Device Manager” include Bluetooth, Network adapters, and Other devices. If the item and driver are not listed, move on to step 3.
   
3. As previously mentioned, your PC can still support Bluetooth and not show it in Device Manager. In that case, you need to install the appropriate driver.
   

If you find a Bluetooth device within Device Manager and you still can’t turn it on, the issue lies elsewhere.

Update the Bluetooth Driver

Whenever a feature on a Windows computer doesn’t work, you should always look for updates. Like most components, Bluetooth adapters need software to work, and Windows 10 updates have been known to break device drivers and functionality.

Drivers are updated either manually or automatically. The manual method might be a bit tedious, but it will do the job. Just find out which Bluetooth device your computer is using (from the Device Manager). Then, search the name of the device and download the drivers from the official website.

Alternatively, you can download a third-party program that automatically downloads any missing drivers to your computer. These services are often paid options. However, be careful if you choose third-party software. Some programs are more apt to install the wrong driver. Back up your system drivers (at the least) before using the software to update your system components.

After installing the drivers (one way or another), restart your computer and try turning the Bluetooth on again.

Re-Enabling the Bluetooth Software

Sometimes, system errors occur that cause components to stop working correctly. This situation often happens with Bluetooth components, and the best course of action is to give the devices a “wakeup call.”

1. Go to “Device Manager” and find your Bluetooth component.
2. Right-click it and select “Disable device.”
3. Now, right-click the entry again and select “Enable device.”
4. Restart your computer and try turning on Bluetooth again.

If enabling and disabling fails to solve your Bluetooth problem, try uninstalling the driver instead. Sometimes, a fresh installation is all the device needs. Don’t worry, as this won’t mess up the device or make it disappear from the list unless you choose to delete the driver.

Bluetooth Support Service

Now, we’re going to have to delve a bit deeper. If none of the above solutions worked, it’s time to use the “Run” feature.

1. Hold down the “Windows” key and press “R” to bring up the “Run” window.
   
2. Type “services.msc” without quotes in the command box, and then press “Enter” or click “OK.”
   
3. A new window will appear with a list of entries. Right-click on “Bluetooth Support Service” and select “Start.” If you can’t click the Start option, choose “Restart.”
   
4. Unless you want to repeat the process above every time you start your computer, there’s one more step to take. In the “Services” window, click “Bluetooth Support Service” again. Navigate to “Startup type“ found in the “General” tab and select “Automatic.” Click “Apply” and then “OK” if needed.
   

What Else Can Cause Bluetooth Failure?

Although one or more of the above methods generally solve Bluetooth problems in Windows 10, there’s a small chance that you’re still struggling to get Bluetooth to work. In this case, contacting the manufacturer or your retailer would be your best bet. If not, getting a USB Bluetooth adapter should help.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as forgetting to install or adequately reattach the Bluetooth board/device when performing a laptop or desktop teardown, whether for cleaning or repairs. That scenario would cause Bluetooth to disappear from the Device Manager and make it not work.

Turning On Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a simple feature on Windows computers. However, that’s usually not the case. There’s a whole lot that can go wrong with it, from hardware to software issues. Before doing anything else, check if your computer supports Bluetooth in the first place (many older ones don’t) and update the software. Most likely, at least one of the methods should work.

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