How to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10, turn on Bluetooth on Windows 8/7

Many Windows computers have Bluetooth connectivity, which you can use to connect most of your devices, like smartphones, speakers, headphones, printers, etc.

If the Bluetooth feature is not available, you can always use a Bluetooth adapter. It's an economical way to get Bluetooth connectivity for devices and is easy to set up.

However, Bluetooth tends to reduce the device's battery life when in use, and its use comes with some security risks. Readers can learn more information in the article: Learn about Bluetooth technology.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10 as well as some troubleshooting options.

How to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10

There are 5 methods you can use to enable Bluetooth on Windows 10

1. Use Windows Settings
2. Turn on Bluetooth from Action Center
3. Use Swift Pair
4. Turn on Bluetooth from Airplane mode settings
5. Use Cortana

1. Use Windows Settings

The first step before using a Bluetooth device is to configure Bluetooth settings in Windows 10. To do this, access the Settings app in Windows 10 by clicking the Start button, then clicking the Settings icon.

Next, click Devices.

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Click Bluetooth & Other Devices.

Note: If the Bluetooth toggle switch is not available on the Bluetooth & Other devices settings, the Windows computer may not have the Bluetooth feature or the relevant hardware may not be recognized.

Click More Bluetooth options in the Related Settings section for additional Bluetooth settings.

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 You can expand the window to see the options on the menu on the right.

2. Turn on Bluetooth in Action Center

Action Center in Windows 10 lets you access quick settings and actionable app notifications.

1. You can find the Action Center icon on the taskbar at the bottom right of the screen.
2. When you click on it, you'll see quick settings and app notification icons. Click All Settings.
3. Next, click Devices.
4. Click on Bluetooth and other devices on the left hand side.
5. Switch the Bluetooth slider to the On position.

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1. Click Add Bluetooth or other device.
2. Click Bluetooth. Windows will start searching for available Bluetooth devices.

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3. Use Swift Pair

For details on how to enable and use Swift Pair on Windows 10, please refer to the article: How to enable Swift Pair feature on Windows 10 for more details.

4. Turn on Bluetooth from Airplane mode settings

Windows 10 Bluetooth also has a toggle switch in the settings for Airplane mode. Use Win+I to open Settings and click or tap Network & Internet.

 Go to the Airplane mode tab from the left column. On the right side, in the Wireless devices section, you can see a Bluetooth on/off switch. Click it to switch to the On position.

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Once this switch is set to On, you can start connecting other devices to Windows 10 via Bluetooth. Tap it again if you want to turn off Bluetooth.

NOTE: The Bluetooth switch in the Airplane mode tab works regardless of whether Airplane mode is enabled or not. However, turning on Airplane mode will turn off Bluetooth by default in Windows 10.

5. Use Cortana

You can also ask Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant, to turn on Windows 10 Bluetooth. Make sure Cortana can hear you and say "turn on Bluetooth", "enable Bluetooth", "start Bluetooth" or "activate Bluetooth". Cortana will turn on Bluetooth and let you know it completed the task.

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To turn off Windows 10 Bluetooth using Cortana, say "turn off Bluetooth", "disable Bluetooth", "stop Bluetooth" or "deactivate Bluetooth". Cortana will notify you that Bluetooth is turned off.

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6. Set the Bluetooth service to Automatic

If you're still having problems with Bluetooth on your PC, another option is to set the Bluetooth service to Automatic:

Step 1: Press Windows + R on the keyboard, enter Services.msc in the Run box, then select OK.

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Step 2: Right-click Bluetooth Support Service and select Properties.

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Step 3: Set Startup type to Automatic, select Start in Service status, then select OK.

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Once you've enabled Bluetooth on Windows 10, you can connect to supported devices. Refer to: Instructions on how to connect Bluetooth to Windows 10 for details on how to do this. The connection procedure is briefly described in the following section:

How to connect Bluetooth devices to Windows 10

Once Bluetooth is turned on, you can connect a device:

Step 1: Go to your Bluetooth settings and select Add Bluetooth or other device.

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Step 2: Select Bluetooth.

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Step 3: Turn on the Bluetooth device and put it in pairing mode.

Step 4: Wait for the device to appear in the list and then select that device.

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Note: Depending on the device, you may have to enter the PIN code displayed on the Bluetooth device.

How to turn on/off Bluetooth on Windows 8 computer

Today, although Windows 11 has been released, many people are still using old versions of Windows such as Windows 8 and Windows 7. If you are using Windows 8, how to turn on/off Bluetooth is as follows:

Step 1: Open Settings.

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Step 2: Go to Change PC settings.

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Step 3: Access the Wireless section, then to turn on Bluetooth, just flip the switch in the Bluetooth section to On. When you want to turn it off, just slide this button back to Off and you're done.

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How to turn on/off Bluetooth on Windows 7 computer

For computers with Windows 7 installed, how to turn on/off Bluetooth is as follows:

Step 1: Click the Start button then select Control Panel.

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Step 2: Select Network and Internet.

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Step 3: Here, click Network and Sharing Center.

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Step 4: Click Change adapter settings in the left sidebar of the Network and Sharing Center window.

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Step 5: Right-click Bluetooth Network Connection. If you want to be active, choose Enable, and if you want to turn it off, choose Disable.

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What to do if Bluetooth doesn't work on Windows 10?

Previously, TipsMake.com introduced to readers how to fix the lost Bluetooth error on Windows 10 Settings and how to fix the Bluetooth not available error in Device Manager. If you fall into either of these two cases, readers can refer to the detailed instructions above. If not, try the following to fix the problem.

Make the system discoverable

Make your PC discoverable to other Bluetooth devices. Press Win+I key and go to Devices > More Bluetooth options.

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Check Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC and click OK. This isn't necessary if you want to pair something like a mouse or keyboard, but can be useful when pairing devices like a phone.

Reposition the device

Bluetooth has limited range. The specific value varies, but in a home setup it falls around ten meters. This number can be significantly reduced by physical barriers such as walls.

Therefore, make sure that the device you want to pair with your computer is turned on, fully charged, and within close range of the Windows 10 system.

Also, make sure it's not too close to another device using a USB 3.0 port. These USB devices can sometimes interfere with Bluetooth connections.

Disable other Bluetooth devices

Technically, you don't need to disable other Bluetooth devices, but they can cause interference when you try to pair a new device.

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To turn them off, press Win+I to open Settings and click Devices. Click each Bluetooth device in turn and click Remove device > Yes.

Of course, remember to re-pair these devices if you still need them.

Read Event Log

In June 2019, Microsoft patched Windows 10 to protect the operating system from a Bluetooth security vulnerability. However, this causes some Bluetooth devices to have connection problems.

You can see if this is impacting you. Press Win+X key and click Event Viewer. On Summary of Administrative Events, expand Error and look for the following:

1. Event ID: 22
2. Event Source: BTHUSB or BTHMINI
3. Name: BTHPORT_DEBUG_LINK_KEY_NOT_ALLOWED
4. Event Message Text: The Bluetooth device attempted to establish a debugging connection. Windows Bluetooth stack does not allow debugging connections if not in Debug mode.

If you see this, Microsoft recommends that you contact the Bluetooth device manufacturer to see if they will perform a fix. If not, you may need to buy a completely new Bluetooth device.

Check Windows Update

It's best to keep Windows up to date to benefit from the latest features and security patches. This may help resolve problems with Bluetooth.

Windows 10 will update automatically, but you can check and install updates yourself. Refer to: How to keep your Windows computer up to date for more details.

Run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter

Windows 10 has a built-in Bluetooth troubleshooter. This tool will detect any problems and automatically attempt to fix them.

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To run it, press the Win+I key to open Settings and go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Bluetooth > Run the troubleshooter. Follow instructions.

The tool will fix any problems it finds, but some of them may require manual action on your part.

Some questions about the Bluetooth feature in Windows 10

Your PC doesn't have Bluetooth. Why so?

Although Bluetooth is a popular feature these days, not every PC comes with it. If your computer is an older model, it may not have the hardware installed. However, you can add it by purchasing a USB Bluetooth dongle.

How to reinstall Bluetooth driver in Windows 10?

Access the Device Manager section, then open the Bluetooth menu. Right-click your Bluetooth device (usually called Intel Wireless Bluetooth or something similar) and select Uninstall device. Restart your PC and Windows will try to reinstall the driver for you.

How to check which Bluetooth version you have in Windows 10?

Access the Device Manager section, then open the Bluetooth menu. Right-click your Bluetooth device (usually called Intel Wireless Bluetooth or something similar) and select Properties. In the Advanced tab, look for the firmware and the numbers next to it that start with LMP. If the number starts with 6, 7 or 8, the corresponding device will support Bluetooth 4.0, 4.1 or 4.2. If the number starts with 9, 10 or 11, the device supports Bluetooth 5.0, 5.1 or 5.2.

Some quick ways to fix Bluetooth errors on Windows 10

1. Turn the Bluetooth Support service back on.
2. Set up Bluetooth Support service recovery options.
3. Use driver repair software to scan and fix Bluetooth driver errors.
4. Perform a system restore
5. If using a Bluetooth device connected via USB port, you should check the connection or health of the device.

Good luck! If you encounter any problem that you cannot fix yourself, please contact TipsMake.com via fanpage for support.

Marvin Fry

Update 02 February 2024