Bluetooth Not Working on Windows 11? 10 Fixes

These steps come from Microsoft’s own Bluetooth troubleshooting pages and work on Windows 11 version 25H2. More fixes are in our Windows section.

Why Bluetooth stops working

Most Bluetooth problems fall into one of these buckets. Knowing which one you have saves time:

• It’s simply off. Airplane mode, or a Bluetooth toggle that got switched off.
• The accessory isn’t ready. It’s low on battery, out of range or not in pairing mode.
• A bad pairing. The device shows in your list but won’t connect.
• Drivers. Microsoft calls an outdated or incompatible driver one of the most common causes.
• Power saving. Windows turns the adapter off to save battery, so devices drop out.
• Interference. Microsoft notes that USB 3.0 ports near a Bluetooth device can interfere with it.

Bluetooth not working on Windows 11: 10 fixes

Try these in order. Test your device after each one.

1. Turn Bluetooth on and airplane mode off

1. Press Win + A, or select the network, sound or battery icon at the right end of the taskbar.
2. Make sure Airplane mode is off.
3. Select the Bluetooth tile so it’s turned on.
4. You can also check Start → Settings → Bluetooth & devices and make sure the Bluetooth toggle is on.

2. Check the device itself

Turn the accessory on and charge it. Microsoft notes that some Bluetooth devices won’t enter pairing mode or stay connected when their battery is low. Put it in pairing mode (check its manual; it’s often a long press on the power or Bluetooth button). Bring it close to the PC and away from USB 3.0 ports and the devices plugged into them.

3. Turn Bluetooth off for 10 seconds

In Settings → Bluetooth & devices, turn Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. This clears a stuck connection without a restart.

4. Remove the device and pair it again

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Devices.
2. Find the device, select More options (…) → Remove device.
3. Put the device in pairing mode.
4. Select Add device → Bluetooth and choose it from the list.

5. Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter

Microsoft’s automated Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app runs diagnostics and fixes many problems by itself. Search for Get Help in Start, then search for Bluetooth. You can also go to Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters and select Run next to Bluetooth. On newer builds this may open Get Help too.

6. Do a full shutdown, not a restart

Hold the Shift key and select Start → Power → Shut down. Wait about a minute, then turn the PC back on. Microsoft suggests this when the Bluetooth option has disappeared, because it fully restarts the hardware.

7. Install Windows and optional driver updates

1. Go to Start → Settings → Windows Update and select Check for updates.
2. Then select Advanced options → Optional updates.
3. If you see driver or firmware updates, select them, then Download & install.
4. Select Restart now when asked.

8. Update or reinstall the Bluetooth driver

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Bluetooth. Your adapter often has “Bluetooth” or “Radio” in its name.
3. Right-click the adapter and select Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
4. If that finds nothing, right-click the adapter again and select Uninstall device, then restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the driver when it starts.

9. Stop Windows turning Bluetooth off to save power

This one helps when devices keep disconnecting. In Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click your adapter, select Properties and open the Power Management tab. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power and select OK. On a laptop, also check the battery icon on the taskbar and turn off Energy Saver while you test.

10. Restart the Bluetooth Support Service

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Bluetooth Support Service in the list.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.

Connected, but no sound from Bluetooth headphones?

If the device says it’s connected but you hear nothing, Windows is probably sending sound somewhere else.

1. Go to Start → Settings → System → Sound and pick your Bluetooth device under Output. You can also select the sound icon on the taskbar and choose it there.
2. Still silent? Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Devices, select your headphones, then Advanced sound properties. This only appears while the device is connected.
3. Under Output settings, set Format to 2 channels, 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).

Play something with our speaker test to check left and right channels. If sound is broken everywhere, not just over Bluetooth, see no sound on Windows 11. Headset mic not picking you up? Our guide to fixing a microphone on Windows 11 covers that.

Bluetooth option missing completely?

If there’s no Bluetooth tile in quick settings and no toggle in Settings, Windows can’t see the adapter at all.

• Check your PC has Bluetooth. Many laptops do, but some desktops don’t. Microsoft suggests checking your PC’s product specifications.
• Do a full shutdown (fix 6) and check Optional updates for firmware (fix 7).
• Look in Device Manager. If Bluetooth isn’t listed at all, or the adapter shows a warning icon, update or reinstall it (fix 8).

If it still doesn’t work

• Pair the accessory with a phone. If it fails there too, the problem is the accessory, not Windows.
• Try a different Bluetooth device with the PC to see whether the problem follows the PC.
• Check for a firmware update for the accessory in its maker’s app.
• Contact your PC maker’s support. A hardware fault in the adapter can only be fixed by repair or a replacement adapter.

Keyboard acting up as well? Our laptop keyboard fixes cover both wired and wireless keyboards.

FAQ

Sources

• Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Fix Bluetooth disappeared in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Troubleshoot Bluetooth not connecting in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Bluetooth keeps disconnecting in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Fix Bluetooth connected but no sound issue on Windows (Microsoft Support)