Windows has several problems in wireless connectivity, and one of the major ones lies with the Bluetooth feature not working on Windows. There have been several problems reported for Bluetooth by many users. For some, there are issues with the detection of new devices, while for others, issues are connecting with the already paired ones. One particular problem we will take a look at here in this article is the Bluetooth not pairing in some Windows-based computers.
Many Windows users have reported that their computer’s Bluetooth is not pairing with any nearby Bluetooth device. Even if a Bluetooth device is detected, the user cannot pair with it to ensure the connection. This is a concern for many people who rely on Bluetooth a lot, and if you are one of those users, this article will help you. Here, in this article, we will take a look at all the possible solutions that solved this particular issue for many Windows users in the past. So without any further ado, let’s get into it.
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How to fix Bluetooth not pairing in Windows 10?
Bluetooth is not useful only for wirelessly transmitting files from one device to another. Nowadays, many accessories like keyboards, mouse, soundbars, earphones, and more have support for wireless connectivity, and all of them use Bluetooth to maintain the connection. So if the Bluetooth on your Windows computer is not pairing with these wireless accessories, these accessories will become useless to you. So let’s take a look at how we can fix this problem.
Make sure your Bluetooth device is working:
Firstly, you need to be sure that the problem is with your computer and not the Bluetooth device. For that, you can try connecting that Bluetooth device with other devices such as a smartphone or another computer. If you can connect your Bluetooth device with other devices, then the problem is definitely with your Windows computer. In that case, move on to the next solution mentioned down below.
Turn Bluetooth on and off:
One simple yet effective solution for fixing most problems related to pairing is simply turning the Bluetooth on your computer off and then on again.
- Press Windows key + I to open up Windows settings.
- Click on Devices.
- Click on the “Bluetooth and Other devices” tab in the left pane of the Device settings window. Here, you will see a toggle next to Bluetooth in the right pane. Click on it to turn it off, and then click on it again to turn it on.
Now try pairing a Bluetooth device with your computer again. If you are still facing issues, try the next solution mentioned below.
Remove older connection:
Sometimes the problem may arise if you too many devices already pairing with your Windows computer or if the device is already there in the paired list.
- Press Windows key + I to open up Windows settings.
- Click on Devices.
- Click on the “Bluetooth and Other devices” tab in the left pane of the Device settings window. Here, look for the Bluetooth devices that are no longer useful to you. Click on these devices and then choose the “Remove Device” option.
- Again, if you already have the Bluetooth device with which you are having pairing issues on this list, click on it and then choose the “Remove Device” option for that Bluetooth device too.
Now try pairing a Bluetooth device with your computer again. If you are still facing issues, try the next solution mentioned below.
Remove interference:
For some reason, some wireless devices like routers can be the cause behind this problem too. They interfere with the Bluetooth connection in your Windows computer, and then you cannot connect to your Bluetooth device. Additionally, some people have reported connectivity issues when the computer has any device connected via the USB 3.0 port in the Windows computer. So, remove any nearby wireless device like routers, mouses, etc., and disconnect any device connected to the computer via the USB 3.0 port.
Now try pairing the Bluetooth device with your computer again. If you still have difficulties pairing, go for the next solution mentioned below.
Update drivers:
The Bluetooth device in a Windows computer needs the latest drivers for it to perform and function smoothly. So it would be best if you had the updated Bluetooth drivers installed on your computer. There are three ways to update Bluetooth drivers in a Windows computer. You can do it automatically, manually, or by using a third-party utility program.
To perform the update automatically,
- press Windows key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
- Enter “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click the Ok button.
- The Device Manager window will open up. Here, look for your Bluetooth device. Once you find it, right-click on it and choose “Update Driver.”
- Then follow the on-screen instruction to automatically search for the latest drivers using access to the internet.
- Once it finds an update, it will automatically install the latest Bluetooth drivers on your computer.
To perform the update manually,
- press Windows key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
- Enter “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click the Ok button.
- The Device Manager window will open up. Here, look for your Bluetooth device. Once you find it, right-click on it and choose “Properties.”
- Click on the Advanced tab and note down the number next to the Manufacturer ID.
- Click on this link and enter the number next to the Manufacturer ID on this website.
- It will show you the manufacturer of your Bluetooth device and then take you to the site where you can download the latest drivers for this device.
- Download the drivers and then install them on your computer.
- Finally, restart your computer, and the latest Bluetooth drivers will be installed on your computer.
You can also perform the update using a third-party program that scans your entire computer for outdated drivers. If it finds that the Bluetooth drivers are outdated, then it will automatically get you the latest Bluetooth drivers on your computer. These utility programs charge a bit for their service, but it is worth it since you don’t need to worry about outdated drivers on your computer ever again.
If updating the Bluetooth drivers to the latest version also did not work, try the next solution mentioned below.
Reinstall the Bluetooth device:
Reinstalling the device will require you to have the setup file for the latest drivers on your computer. You can find the driver’s setup file on your Bluetooth manufacturer’s website. Save it on your computer, and then go ahead with the method mentioned below.
- Press Windows key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
- Enter “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click the Ok button.
- The Device Manager window will open up. Here, look for your Bluetooth device. Once you find it, right-click on it and choose “Uninstall.”
- Confirm your action by clicking on Uninstall again.
- After the device is successfully uninstalled, restart your computer.
- Now run the setup file for the latest Bluetooth drivers that is saved on your computer. Once that installation is complete, restart your computer again.
If you are unable to pair Bluetooth devices even after this, then try the solution mentioned below.
Run the Troubleshooter:
Windows is aware of the fact that its users occasionally run into different kinds of errors. To help their users, Windows has included a troubleshooter utility feature in the operating system using which the user can fix some of their device-related issues.
- Press Windows key + I to open up Windows settings.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on the “Troubleshoot” tab in the left pane of the Update & Security settings window.
- Then in the right pane, click on Bluetooth and then click on the option “Run the Troubleshooter.”
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process for Bluetooth.
- Finally, restart your computer.
If you are unable to pair Bluetooth devices even after this, then try the solution mentioned below.
Change Power Saving settings:
Several power-saving features are enabled by default to make the Windows system as power-efficient as possible. But this can cause problems with the performance of certain things in Windows, and Bluetooth is one of them.
- Press Windows key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
- Enter “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click the Ok button.
- The Device Manager window will open up. Here, look for your Bluetooth device. Once you find it, right-click on it and choose “Properties.”
- In the properties window, go to the Power Management section and uncheck the box next to “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
- Click on Ok to save your changes.
If you cannot fix your pairing problem even after this, try the next solution mentioned below.
Check the Bluetooth service:
Sometimes the Bluetooth service is disabled in Windows, which could be the cause behind the pairing issue.
- Press Windows key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
- Enter “services.msc” in the dialog box and click the Ok button.
- Here, look for the Bluetooth Support Service. Once you find it, right-click on it and choose Start. If it is already enabled, then right-click on it and choose Restart.
Now try pairing your Bluetooth device again. If you cannot fix your pairing problem even after this, try the next solution mentioned below.
Update Windows:
As a final solution, you should try updating your Windows 10 to the latest build. Windows is not free of bugs, and the software updates that Microsoft pushes out from time to time address these software bugs. There could be a problem with the Bluetooth on your computer because of a software bug. So update Windows to the latest version and make sure that a bug is not the cause of the problem.
After updating your computer, try the pairing process again, and it should work this time around.
These are all the possible solutions to fix the Bluetooth not pairing in Windows 10 issue. If you have any questions or queries about this article, then comment down below, and we will get back to you. Also, be sure to check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more useful information.