Bluetooth drivers are essential for Bluetooth functionality in your laptop. If the drivers are missing, corrupt, or outdated, your computer will not be able to establish a Bluetooth connection with a device.
If you are unable to connect your Bluetooth device to your laptop, ensure the Bluetooth connectivity is enabled on both devices — the laptop and the device you are trying to connect wirelessly.
Here are the steps to enable Bluetooth functionality in Windows 10.
How to Enable Bluetooth in Windows 10?
- Click the Windows icon on the left bottom corner of the screen. It will bring up Start Menu
- Click Settings(cog wheel)
- In the Settings window, click Devices
- In the left panel of the Settings window, click Bluetooth and other devices
- Make sure the Bluetooth toggle switch is at the On position
Now check whether your Bluetooth devices can connect to your laptop. If you are experiencing any problems with Bluetooth functionality, try the solutions given below.
Solution One – Run Bluetooth troubleshooter
Windows 10 comes with a troubleshooter utility that can diagnose a problem with devices and fix them. Many users were able to address the Bluetooth connectivity issue with the Bluetooth troubleshooter.
Here are the steps to follow.
- Click the Windows icon on the left corner to bring up the Start menu
- In Start Menu, click Settings
- Click Update & Security
- In the next window, click Troubleshoot
- In the right-hand section, click Additional troubleshooter
- In the next screen, click Bluetooth listed under Find and fix other problems
- Click the Run the troubleshooter button
- Wait for the troubleshooter to scan your system to find errors and fix them
After the Bluetooth troubleshooter has completed its scanning, try connecting your Bluetooth device and see if the problem is resolved.
Solution Two – Run SFC scan
Windows has an in-built System File Checker that checks the integrity of the system files and replaces corrupt versions of a file with good ones from the system cache. The Bluetooth functionality could be the result of a corrupt system file and an SFC scan might be able to fix the issue.
Here are the steps to follow.
- Press Windows button + S simultaneously to bring up the search bar
- In the search bar, type command prompt
- In the search results, right-click the command prompt and select Run as administrator
- In the command prompt window, type the following command and hit Enter on your keyboard.
- sfc /scannow
- If the operating system displays a User Account Control pop-up to confirm your actions, click Yes to allow the SFC tool to perform its operation.
- Wait for the SFC scan to complete its operation.
- Close the command prompt window and try connecting your Bluetooth device to your computer.
Solution Three – Make sure you have installed all essential Windows updates
There is a possibility the Bluetooth functionality issue is due to a bug in operating systems for which Microsoft has already provided a fix through an update. Hence, you need to ensure the Windows 10 operating system is up to date.
Here are the steps to follow.
- Click the Windows icon to bring up the Start menu
- Click Settings
- In the Settings window, click Update and Security
- In the next window, click Windows Update in the left column
- In the right column, you can see if the computer has any pending updates. If you see any pending updates, download and install them
Check your computer’s Bluetooth functionality now. If you are still experiencing issues, it could be due to Bluetooth drivers.
Solution Four – Update Bluetooth drivers
There is a possibility your Windows 10 has outdated Bluetooth drivers. In that case, updating the Bluetooth driver to the latest version can help resolve the issue.
Here are the steps to follow.
- Press Windows + X
- Click Device Manager
- In the Device Manager window, go to the Bluetooth section and expand it
- Right-click on Bluetooth device and select Update driver
- In the next window, click search automatically for drivers.
If Windows OS is not able to update the driver automatically, you need to manually download and install them to get back the Bluetooth functionality working again.
For Intel Bluetooth
Depending on your laptop/computer model, you might have an Intel Bluetooth adapter installed or a Bluetooth adapter from some other manufacturer. In addition to the general steps, we have given specific steps for updating Bluetooth driver from Intel website.
Solution Five – Download and update Bluetooth driver from device manufacturer website
An easy way to update your Bluetooth driver is through the device manufacturer’s website.
- Visit the device manufacturer website
- Select your device model and right Windows 10 operating system (32-bit or 64-bit)
- On the next page, you will see the Downloads or Drivers section. Look for Bluetooth drivers in the list and download the latest one.
- Install the Bluetooth drivers, restart your computer
Solution Six – Download and update Bluetooth driver from Intel website
To download the correct Bluetooth driver from Intel, you need to have detailed information about the Bluetooth device and the driver version installed. You will need this information to download the right Bluetooth driver from the Intel website.
- Press Windows + X simultaneously on the screen
- Click Device Manager
- In the Device Manager, go to the Network Adapters section and expand it and look for Intel wireless adapter names like Intel Dual Band Wireless AC-8265. Note down the adapter name somewhere.
- In the Device Manager window, go to the Bluetooth section and expand it
- Double-click on Intel Wireless Bluetooth. It will open the Properties window
- In the Intel Bluetooth properties window, click the Driver tab
- Note down the Driver Version
- After you have the Intel Bluetooth Adapter name and driver version number, you can go to the Intel website and download the latest Bluetooth driver for your Windows 10 PC.
Updating Drivers Automatically
Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:
- You can update device drivers automatically
- The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
- The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
- Automatic driver updates are 100% safe
Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.
Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app
Step 2
Scan all devices
Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically
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