Bluetooth allows you to connect Windows 10 devices and accessories to your PC without the need for wires. Most of the time, Bluetooth works well in Windows 10. If it doesn’t, however, here are steps you can follow to troubleshoot the Bluetooth connection on your Windows 10 PC.
1. Check if your Bluetooth is enabled
It seems like an obvious step, but sometimes we forget to check the most simple way to troubleshoot your Bluetooth setting. Go to your Windows notification icon at the the bottom right of your Windows 10 desktop and click (or touch) it to expand.
If the box with the Bluetooth symbol is grayed out, your Bluetooth radio is off. If the box with the Bluetooth symbol is blue, the Bluetooth radio is turned on and will show the number of devices connected to your Windows 10 PC.
Alternatively, you can change the Bluetooth on/off toggle by going to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth and Other Devices and toggle the Bluetooth switch on or off.
2. Restart Bluetooth
If your Bluetooth is enabled, switching it off and then on again might also fix any Bluetooth issues you are having. All you need to do is click the Bluetooth radio off and then on again in the Windows notification center.
3. Check Bluetooth device battery levels
Another helpful troubleshooting tip is to make sure that the Bluetooth device you are trying to connect with has enough battery life to be discovered by your Windows 10 PC’s Bluetooth radio.
One of the most common issues with trying to connect to a Bluetooth device is that the battery needs to be recharged or replaced. Check the battery life of all your devices before you attempt to connect them via Bluetooth.
4. Restart your Windows 10 PC
If you are having Bluetooth problems, something as simple as restarting your Windows 10 PC can help fix any underlying issues.
By restarting your PC, you clear out idle processes that might have been bogging down your Windows 10 PC. Rebooting your PC does not work to fix every problem when you do it, but restarting can help you isolate what might be causing you issues.
5. Update Bluetooth device drivers
Windows 10 automatically installs and updates drivers for Bluetooth devices that connect to your PC. Most Bluetooth devices should work right out of the box without the need for you to search for the correct drivers yourself.
However, there are times when you need to download drivers from the manufacturer’s website for support for your Bluetooth device. Sometimes, new Windows 10 updates can inadvertently break the Bluetooth connections of some of your times without you knowing.
If you are looking to verify that your Bluetooth device driver is installed, you will need to right-click the Windows Start button and select Device Manager. Once there, choose the Bluetooth section to view all of your Bluetooth device drivers on your Windows 10 PC.
Select and right-click the Bluetooth device driver that you are having issues connecting to your PC. Click Update driver to search for a new driver for the device. As indicated, Update Driver launches the Update Driver Wizard for the selected device.
From here, you will have two choices; “search automatically for updated driver software” or “browse my computer for driver software.” If you downloaded your Bluetooth device driver from the manufacturer’s support website, choose browse my computer for driver software and choose to install the driver software manually.
If you choose “Search automatically for updated driver software,” Windows 10 will find the preferred Bluetooth driver for your device online. If Windows 10 finds that you already have the most recent driver update available for your Bluetooth device, you can also “search for updated drivers on Windows Update as indicated.
This option will open Windows Update in Settings. From here you can choose “Check for Updates” to begin a search for your Bluetooth device driver.
When or if Windows Update is able to find an updated driver for your device, Windows 10 will download and install it. When the process is complete, restart your PC and try connecting your Bluetooth device again.
6. Remove and reconnect your Bluetooth Device
Oftentimes, removing your Bluetooth device from your PC and pairing it again can help fix some connection issues you are having with your Bluetooth device. in order to start this process, you need to go to the Bluetooth settings of your Windows 10 PC.
Go to the following location: Settings > Devices > Bluetooth and Other Devices
Select Remove device and choose Yes to confirm to remove the Bluetooth device from your PC. Once your Bluetooth device is removed, restart your PC.
Once your PC is restarted, go back to your Bluetooth settings on your PC; Settings > Devices > Bluetooth and Other Devices.
Click add Bluetooth or other device and choose Bluetooth in the “Add a device” box.
Make sure that your Bluetooth device is in pairing mode and can be detected by your PC. Click your Bluetooth device from the list to connect. Sometimes, you may be required to enter a PIN that appears on your PC to complete the Bluetooth connection with your device.
7. Run the Windows 10 Troubleshooter
If none of the aforementioned methods work for you, use the Windows 10 troubleshooter. In order to open the Windows 10 troubleshooter, go to the following path: Settings > Windows 10 Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Bluetooth. Choose “Run the troubleshooter” to allow Windows 10 to search for issues with your Bluetooth connection.
If Windows 10 detects any Bluetooth issues, they will show up in the following box with instructions on how to further remedy your Bluetooth issues.
If Windows 10 does not detect any issues with your Bluetooth connection, but you are still experiencing issues, you may want to opt to run a different troubleshooter on Windows 10. For example, the “Playing Audio” troubleshooter is helpful to get the root of any issues you experience playing audio with Bluetooth devices on Windows 10. Sometimes, the issue can be hardware-related if you are still experiencing problems with your Bluetooth connection. If none of these fixes work for you, contact your Bluetooth device’s manufacturer for further support.
