Bluetooth Not Working on Windows 11: How to Fix It

Off
Not connected
Discoverable as <computer_name>

Why it happens

Microsoft's main page, Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows, and its linked pages give these causes for Windows 11:

• The PC has no Bluetooth, or it is switched off. Microsoft notes that some devices do not have Bluetooth at all, and that laptops with a physical Bluetooth switch on the body need it switched on.
• Airplane mode is on. The Bluetooth disappeared page states that "Airplane mode can disable Bluetooth."
• The accessory is not ready to pair. The not connecting page lists a device that "is not in pairing mode, is out of range, has a low battery", and notes that some devices "do not enter pairing mode or maintain a connection when the battery is low".
• Interference from USB 3.0. Microsoft says an unresponsive or sluggish device may be too close to another USB device plugged into a USB 3.0 port, and that "Unshielded USB devices can sometimes interfere with Bluetooth connections."
• The discovery setting hides the device. With the Default discovery setting, Windows displays common Bluetooth devices; the Advanced setting displays all types.
• The driver. After an upgrade or a Windows update, Microsoft says "the current driver may have been designed for an earlier version of Windows", and that "An outdated or incompatible driver is one of the most common causes of Bluetooth connection problems."
• A hardware error behind a missing toggle. When the icon or toggle is missing or greyed out, Microsoft says the Bluetooth hardware "may have encountered an error", typically caused by "problems with the drivers or firmware provided by your PC manufacturer".

How to fix it

Work through these in order and test your device after each one.

1. Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter. On Windows 11, Microsoft's first step is the automated Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app, which "will automatically run diagnostics and attempt to fix most Bluetooth problems". You can also reach it from Settings:

   Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Bluetooth > Run
   

2. Make sure Bluetooth is on. Select the Network, Sound or Battery icon on the right of the taskbar and turn on the Bluetooth quick setting, or go to:

   Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Bluetooth: On
   

   If you cannot see a Bluetooth tile in quick settings, Microsoft's pairing page notes that the Bluetooth action "might need to be added if it isn't visible in quick settings". That is not the same as the toggle being missing from Settings.

3. Turn Airplane mode off. Press Windows + A to open quick settings and make sure Airplane mode is off. If your wireless network dropped at the same time, see Wi-Fi not working on Windows 11, which covers Wi-Fi being off, missing IP addresses and adapter drivers.

4. Turn Bluetooth off and on again. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices, turn Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on, then try the device again.

5. Check the accessory itself. Make sure it is switched on, charged or fitted with fresh batteries, in pairing mode and close to the PC. Turn it off, wait a few seconds and turn it back on. For rechargeable headphones or speakers, Microsoft suggests leaving them connected to power while you pair. Keep it away from devices plugged into USB 3.0 ports.

6. Remove the device and pair it again. A stale pairing is fixed by starting over:

   Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices
   More options (...) next to the device > Remove device > Yes
   

   Put the accessory back into pairing mode, then select Add device and choose it from the list. How you make an accessory discoverable depends on the device, so check its own documentation.

7. Set discovery to Advanced if the device never appears.

   Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices
   Device settings > Bluetooth devices discovery: Advanced
   

8. Update the Bluetooth driver. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager), expand Bluetooth, right-click your Bluetooth adapter (its name may include the word "radio") and select:

   Update driver > Search automatically for drivers
   

   Restart if prompted. Microsoft's driver page adds that if Windows reports the best driver is already installed, "you may still find a newer version on your PC manufacturer's website". Bluetooth drivers can also arrive through Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.

9. Roll back the driver if Bluetooth broke after an update. In Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth adapter, select Properties, open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver (if available).

10. Uninstall the adapter and let Windows reinstall it. In Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth adapter and select Uninstall device > Uninstall. Then select Start > Power > Shut down, wait a few seconds and turn the PC back on. If the driver does not come back by itself, open Device Manager and select Action > Scan for hardware changes.

11. Check that Bluetooth Support Service is running. Microsoft's Windows Server documentation describes this service (service name bthserv) as the one that "supports discovery and association of remote Bluetooth devices", and warns that stopping or disabling it "may cause already installed Bluetooth devices to fail to operate properly and prevent new devices from being discovered or associated". Microsoft's Windows 11 Bluetooth pages do not give a separate procedure for this service. To look at it, open the Services console the way Microsoft's print spooler guide does:

    Windows key + R > services.msc > Enter
    

    Find Bluetooth Support Service in the list. If its status is not running, start it.

When the Bluetooth toggle is missing or greyed out

This variant needs its own steps. Microsoft says that when the icon or toggle is missing or greyed out in Settings or quick settings, "you won't be able to turn Bluetooth on or off", and keyboards, mice and headphones cannot connect. Its advice is to contact your PC manufacturer, who may have steps specific to your model, and to try these Windows 11 solutions:

1. Do a full shutdown. Hold Shift, then select Start > Power > Shut down while holding it. Wait one minute and turn the PC back on. Microsoft stresses you must pick Shut down, not Restart, "to completely power off your PC and Bluetooth hardware".
2. Install the latest Bluetooth driver, as in step 8 above.
3. Install optional updates. Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates, tick anything available, select Download & install, then Restart now. Microsoft says your PC manufacturer may deliver BIOS or UEFI updates this way. If none are offered, it points you to the manufacturer's support website rather than any other source.
4. Check Airplane mode with Windows + A.
5. Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app.

If Bluetooth does not appear in Device Manager either, first confirm from the product specifications that your PC has Bluetooth. Microsoft's pairing page notes that a PC without it can use a USB Bluetooth adapter.

Check that it worked

• In Settings > Bluetooth & devices, the Bluetooth toggle is present and switched On.
• The Bluetooth quick setting is highlighted and shows Connected, Not connected or the name of your device.
• Your accessory appears under Devices and works after you turn it off and on again: Microsoft notes that once paired, the two devices "automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other" while Bluetooth is on.
• In Device Manager, your adapter is listed under Bluetooth.

If your Bluetooth headphones now work but a Disney+ stream still shows an error, Disney+ error code 83 covers that service's supported-device, browser and connection checks. If a game such as Roblox will not connect at all, that is a network problem, not Bluetooth: see Roblox error code 279. A Bluetooth printer is added under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners; if it then shows as Offline, printer offline on Windows 11 explains the network, queue and Print Spooler checks.

Everything on this page is done from Settings, Device Manager and the Services console, with no need to open the PC. Work from the cheapest check to the most involved one, and contact your PC manufacturer when the toggle stays missing after a full shutdown, a driver update and the optional updates.