Bluetooth is great for connecting a variety of wireless peripherals to your Windows computer, including a mouse, keyboard, controller, and headphones. Sometimes Bluetooth disconnects and users don’t understand why their devices won’t connect. This post explains how to turn Bluetooth on or off on Windows PCs or laptops. These methods work on all versions of Windows.
How to turn Bluetooth on or off on a Windows PC
You can turn Bluetooth on or off in Windows settings. The classic control panel no longer works and redirects back to Windows settings.
This works for all Windows users. There is no special need for an administrator account. However, it is possible that if one user turns Bluetooth off, another will have to turn it on.
- To open the Settings app, press Win + I on your keyboard.
- Then select “Bluetooth and Devices”from the left sidebar and turn on the Bluetooth toggle.
- To view a list of paired devices, click View other devices. Click the Add Device button if you want to connect a new Bluetooth device and follow the instructions in the section above.
Turn on the Bluetooth switch to turn it off.
Quickly enable Bluetooth using the Action Center
- Press Win + A to open the notification center. It will be available above the system tray in the lower right corner.
- Click on the Bluetooth icon to turn it on or off.
- To open Bluetooth settings, click the arrow next to the Bluetooth icon.
If you have a Bluetooth device that does not appear in Windows, you may need to install a Bluetooth driver. Check with Device Manager and note if there is any hardware with a yellow exclamation mark. If you still can’t find it, your PC may be missing a Bluetooth adapter.
Conclusion
The Bluetooth option should appear in the Settings app when you follow the steps in the article. If the component is missing, the hardware may be faulty or your computer may not support this feature.
How to enable or disable Bluetooth?
If the Bluetooth option isn’t in Action Center, or you can’t find it in Settings, your PC’s Bluetooth device might be disabled. This situation requires manually enabling Bluetooth from the control panel. Here’s how you approach it.
- Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R. Enter the ncpa.cpl command.
- A new window called “Network Connections”will appear. Your Bluetooth device will be available here.
- To reactivate a device, right-click it and select Enable. Your computer’s Bluetooth will now be enabled.
To disable it, right-click and select Disable.
Why is Windows not detecting my Bluetooth device?
Turn Bluetooth on and off and go to Settings (Win + I) > Devices > Bluetooth and other devices. Then turn off Bluetooth, wait a bit and restart it. You can also try removing the Bluetooth device and adding it again.
How to turn off a Bluetooth device?
Press Win + I to open Settings and click Devices. Then select Bluetooth and other devices. Select the device you want to remove. Click the “Remove Device”button and click “Yes”to confirm.