Fix – Bluetooth not working in Windows 11

• To Fix your Windows 11 Bluetooth not working issue, this post will help you with 8 different options.
• Try Turning Off and ON the Bluetooth or Do a System Restart for a quick fix.

Bluetooth is a really interesting and important feature without which, many devices may become difficult to operate. It is a stable way of connecting two different devices over a short distance while keeping your desk free of wires. There are many users who like to use Bluetooth speakers or different audio devices with their Windows computer and having Bluetooth support in your PC helps a lot. Moreover, many other devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and even printer, nowadays, run with the help of Bluetooth. It is a pleasant experience to use all of the devices you need, without having to fill up the space with wires. But that’s not nearly everything you can do with Bluetooth. Have you ever used any wireless computer? How does it work? Yup, with the help of Bluetooth, you can even connect a CPU and a monitor and any other output device you’d want to use. There are many reasons for using Bluetooth over other local, wired connections. It’s cheaper, efficient, and provides stable connectivity. We’re pretty much sure that you might’ve used Bluetooth at least once for transferring files or other purposes unless you’re an iOS user, to begin with. 

Here are the Methods to Fix – Bluetooth not working in Windows 11

Despite being a great way to connect multiple devices, Bluetooth has some issues too. There are many times when users find some problems in pairing their devices and aren’t able to use this essential feature. There are several reasons for your Windows computer’s Bluetooth to malfunction, some of them are listed below:

1. Small errors and bugs: There’s a big possibility that the Bluetooth isn’t working due to some bugs or random errors. This isn’t a major problem and can be easily solved by future software updates or some troubleshooting steps.
   
2. Bluetooth Connectivity: You might not know how to turn on the Bluetooth and even if you do, connecting it to other devices may not be known by all.
   
3. Drivers: Sometimes, the drivers for the PC’s Bluetooth aren’t up-to-date or may not be compatible with all the devices. These problems need to be solved manually. 
   
4. Incompatible Versions: Just like other software components, Bluetooth too has many versions. There are many devices that run different versions of Bluetooth, either new or old. The Bluetooth version of different devices may not be compatible with each other and thus, you’d have some trouble while connecting them.
   
5. Hardware Problems: There’s a possibility that your device which you’re trying to connect using Bluetooth, might’ve been externally/internally damaged and these kinds of issues need serious attention.
   
6. Distance: Yes, Bluetooth is a wireless connection but that doesn’t mean you can keep to different connected devices too far away. Usually, the Bluetooth range of different devices is upto 6-7 meters at maximum. So make sure not to keep those devices too far away.
   
7. No Bluetooth Support: Check whether the device you’ve been trying to connect with your computer, actually supports Bluetooth or not. Because if it doesn’t, all of your efforts would be in vain. 

So, we expect you to calmly judge and understand what is the actual reason for your Windows 11 computer’s Bluetooth not working properly.

Based on the different issues mentioned above, we’ve found all the possible solutions for fixing Bluetooth on Windows 11. These solutions are arranged in a step-by-step manner and you should be able to follow those steps easily. 

1. Try Turning Bluetooth On

While this is the most basic thing to remember, it is also the most common mistake that users make and directly start finding solutions for fixing Bluetooth. Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your computer as well as the other Bluetooth device which has to be connected to your Windows 11 computer. To do so, follow these steps

Know – How To Turn On Bluetooth in Windows 11

1. Click on the ‘Windows’ key or press the Start button.
2. Search ‘Bluetooth & Devices’.
3. Open the settings menu for Bluetooth.
4. Check whether the Bluetooth is enabled or not. If it isn’t, then enable it and you’d be ready to go.

You can also do the same by following these steps

1. Find and click on the ‘Action Center’ icon on your Windows 11 computer’s taskbar. You can also open it directly by pressing ‘Windows + A’ keys. 
2. Now, find the ‘Bluetooth’ option and check whether it’s enabled or not. If enabled, the option would appear Blue or else, it’d be white. 
3. If it isn’t enabled, then you just have to enable it manually.

There are some computers that have physical buttons to toggle connectivity features such as Bluetooth. So, if your Windows computer has a button that can enable Bluetooth, you can press it directly…lucky you!

2. Re-enable Bluetooth

Re-enable means turning Bluetooth off and on again. It may not sound too convincing but trust us, this method solves several issues related to Bluetooth without much effort. 

1. As mentioned earlier, you just have to click on the ‘Action Center’ icon from your taskbar or press ‘Windows + A’. 
2. Find the Bluetooth option and click on it to disable Bluetooth. If it turns white, the Bluetooth is disabled. If it turns Blue, Bluetooth is enabled.
3. After disabling the Bluetooth, wait for a few seconds or a minute and then enable it again.

This method would plausibly solve the issues that prevent you from using Bluetooth on your Windows 11 device.

3. Restart your Windows 11 PC

The most famous method of solving many software-related issues on every device. Turn your computer off, wait for some time and then turn it on again. You can also press the physical button to restart your computer, if available on yours. Also, restart the Bluetooth device which you want to connect to your computer. Most probably, this method would solve most of the problems and you would be ready to rock.

4. Troubleshoot Bluetooth

Microsoft has been constantly getting better and better and them, providing troubleshooters for different purposes is a great help. Just like the previous versions, Windows 11 too has different built-in troubleshooters for solving any issue, big or small. Follow these steps for launching the troubleshooter for Bluetooth: 

1. Right click on the ‘Start’ icon present on your computer’s taskbar. Select ‘Settings’ from the various options provided. or Press ‘Windows + I’ keys to directly open the Settings App.
2. Once you reach the Settings menu, navigate to the ‘System’ tab. Click on it.
3. On the right side, you’ll find an option ‘Troubleshoot’, click on it.
4. Once you enter the Troubleshooting menu, click on ‘Other troubleshooters’. 
5. From all of the options displayed on your device’s sceen, find ‘Bluetooth’.

Then click on the ‘Run’ option to initiate the Troubleshooting process. 

5. Restarting Bluetooth Support Service:

There’s a possibility that if you restart the Bluetooth Support Service, any issue regarding Bluetooth would be solved instantaneously. To restart/start Bluetooth Support Service, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Start icon and search Services in the search box OR Press ‘Windows + S’ to launch ‘Search’ menu and search for ‘Services’ in the search box. 
2. Click on the best relevant option that you get to open the ‘Services’ menu.
3. Now find ‘Bluetooth Support Service’. Double click on it and it’s properties would be launched. 
4. Select the ‘Startup type’ option on the next screen.
5. Among all of the choices given, select ‘Automatic’. This would change the startup type of Bluetooth.
6. Click on ‘Start’ button.
7. At the bottom of the page, you’d find an option ‘OK’, click on it. Now the applied changes would be saved.

Check again if you can use Bluetooth or not after completing the process. 

6. Distance/Range

Make sure that your Bluetooth device is nearby your Windows computer because it might be impossible to connect them if they’re too far away from each other. There’s no fixed range for all Bluetooth devices but usually, the maximum distance over which two Bluetooth devices can connect to each other is within a few meters. Place the two devices as close to each other as possible without any hindrances in between them. Sometimes walls or even small objects may disrupt the signal between the two devices. Hence, it’d be better to keep them as close as possible, with nothing else in between them. 

7. Updating Bluetooth Driver

If the Bluetooth driver on your Windows 11 device is outdated, it may cause some problems, and updating it would most definitely solve many issues. Now, here are the steps to do the same:

1. First, search ‘Device Manager’ in the Search menu and select the most relevant option among the others.
2. Search for ‘Bluetooth’ option and double click on it. 
3. Right click on the ‘Bluetooth Device’ option and a context menu will appear.
4. Choose ‘Update driver’.

Now, you can either let Windows automatically find an update for the driver, if available, and it’ll install the update too. Or, you can manually search for updates.

It’s recommended to let Windows install the update on its own. But if it doesn’t find any, you might have to do it manually. Sometimes, brands do not share their latest updates with Microsoft but on their official websites. So you’ll have to get the driver updated from there. So first, it’d be better to determine your driver’s current version so that you don’t end up downloading a previous or the same version of the driver. 

1. From the context menu, go back to the previous page. 
2. Right-click on ‘Bluetooth Device’.
3. Select ‘Properties’ from the different options available.
4. Now, locate the ‘Driver’ tab.
5. There, you’ll find ‘Driver Version’.

Note it down.

Now to find an update for the driver, follow these steps: 

1. Open your web browser and search by using ‘Computer Model’, ‘OS’, and ‘Driver Name’ as the keywords.
2. Now from the various search results provided, you’ll find the official website of the brand to which, your computer belongs. Open the website.
3. Search for the lastest driver offered by the brand and check if it is newer than the version which is previously installed on your computer. If it’s new, download it.
4. The driver would be a ‘.exe’ file and upon downloading, installing it is a piece of cake.

If this too doesn’t work, you’ll have to reinstall the driver.

8. Reinstalling Driver

When there’s no update available for your Windows 11 computer’s driver, it’s plausible that the latest version is already installed on your computer. Now you just have to delete and install it again with the help of the steps mentioned below: 

1. From the context menu, that’s mentioned in the 7th step, right-click and select ‘Uninstall device’ from the menu that appears.
2. Click on ‘Uninstall’ and boom!

The driver has been uninstalled. Later, you just need to restart your computer and Windows will automatically download the latest version of the driver available for you. Easy, right?

So these were the easiest steps to fix Bluetooth on your Windows 11 device and most likely, one of them would surely solve your problem.

First, it would be better for you to identify the cause of the problem and then, be sure to read the steps carefully and follow them accordingly. 

Let us know if you have any trouble regarding Bluetooth or if you have any queries, we’d be happy to help.