Bluetooth is an indispensable technology that connects numerous devices wirelessly to computers, laptops, and tablets. When it stops working properly on a Windows 11 computer, there can be multiple reasons why. To fix these types of Bluetooth problems, there are several solutions to get things working again.
Cause of Windows 11 Bluetooth Problems
Try these steps if your Bluetooth isn’t working. Here are some other common problems:
- The Bluetooth icon is missing or Bluetooth can’t be turned on or off.
- Bluetooth doesn’t work after a Windows update is installed.
- Bluetooth doesn’t work after you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10.
- Bluetooth doesn’t appear in Device Manager, and there are no unknown devices listed.
Check your PC
On the PC you want to pair to:
- Make sure airplane mode is off: Select the Network icon on the right side of the taskbar, then make sure the Airplane mode quick setting is turned off.
- Turn Bluetooth on and off: Select Start , then type settings. Select Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Turn off Bluetooth, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on
If you’re using a laptop with a physical Bluetooth switch on the body, make sure it’s switched on.
In Windows 11, there are two ways to check if Bluetooth is turned on. Here’s how:
- Check in the taskbar. Select the Network icon on the right side of the taskbar, look for the Bluetooth quick setting, then select Bluetooth to turn it on. You’ll see “Not connected” if your Windows 11 device isn’t paired to any Bluetooth accessories.
- Check in Settings. Select the Start button, then enter settings. Select Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
Check your Bluetooth device
Make sure your Bluetooth device is turned on, is charged, or has fresh batteries, and is in range of your PC. Then, try the following:
- Turn off your Bluetooth device, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
- Make sure your Bluetooth device is in range. If your Bluetooth device is unresponsive or sluggish, check to make sure it’s not too close to any other USB device that’s plugged into a USB 3.0 port. Unshielded USB devices can sometimes interfere with Bluetooth connections.
Make sure you have the latest drivers
If you recently upgraded to Windows 11 or installed Windows 11 updates, the current driver may have been designed for an earlier version of Windows. To automatically check for driver updates:
- Select Search on the taskbar, search for Device Manager, and then select Device Manager from the list of results.
- In Device Manager, select Bluetooth, and then select the Bluetooth adapter name, which may include the word “radio.”
- Press and hold (or right-click) the Bluetooth adapter, and then select Update driver > Search automatically for updated driver software. Follow the steps, then select Close.
- After installing the updated driver, select the Start button, select Power > Restart if you’re prompted to restart, and then check whether that fixes the connection issue.
If Windows can’t find a new Bluetooth driver, visit the PC manufacturer’s website and download the latest Bluetooth driver from there.
Uninstall the Bluetooth adapter in Device Manager
If you don’t see the Bluetooth icon, but Bluetooth does appear in Device Manager, try to uninstall the Bluetooth adapter, and then trigger an automatic reinstall. Here’s how:
- Select Search on the taskbar, enter device manager, then select Device Manager from the results.
- In Device Manager, select Bluetooth. Press and hold (or right-click) the Bluetooth adapter name (which may include the word “radio”), and select Uninstall device > Uninstall.
- Select Start, then select Power > Shut down.
- After your device shuts down, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on. Windows will try to reinstall the driver.
- If Windows doesn’t reinstall the driver automatically, open Device Manager and select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Change Power Saving options
- Open Device Manager.
- When Device Manager opens, locate your Bluetooth keyboard and double-click it.
- When the Properties window opens, navigate to Power Management and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Now click on OK to save the changes.
- Although it may seem unrelated, your power-saving settings may actually disable the Bluetooth device.
Sometimes, you can’t find your Power Plans when you need them the most. In that case, we recommend you run the troubleshooter and try again.
Try a different USB port
There’s a chance there’s nothing wrong with your Bluetooth peripheral, but with the USB port. It may not support the peripheral, or it’s simply damaged.
To eliminate the doubt, simply try another USB port and see if it makes any difference.
