If you don’t see a Bluetooth icon, click Expand on the Action Center. You should see it then. To add the Bluetooth icon to your Quick Actions—press the Windows key + i keys on the keyboard to open Settings, and then go to System > Notifications & actions > Quick actions > Add or remove quick actions and turn on Bluetooth. [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source If your laptop has a Bluetooth switch somewhere on its body, make sure the switch is in the On position. Still not seeing the icon? Find out what to do if Bluetooth still isn’t working.
If you’re not sure how to put the device into pairing mode, check the manufacturer’s website. If the device is rechargeable, make sure it has a full charge before trying to pair.
If you’re trying to pair a scanner or printer, select Add a printer or scanner instead. When Windows finds the printer or scanner, click Add device to pair.
If you don’t see your device, its pairing mode may have timed out. Press and hold its pairing button again to make it discoverable. Make sure your device isn’t automatically connecting to another computer, phone, or tablet.
If you see an error that says “Couldn’t connect,” make sure the Bluetooth device’s battery is fully charged (if applicable). You can also try turning Bluetooth off and on again to see if that helps. If you’ve paired to this device in the past but can’t pair now, click the device’s name under “Bluetooth & other devices” and select Remove device. Then, place the device back into pairing mode and try adding it again. This clears up a lot of problems.
When Bluetooth is on, you’ll see “Not connected” beneath the tile unless it’s connected to a device. When a device is connected, that device’s name will appear on the tile. If you don’t see the Bluetooth icon, right-click anywhere in the Quick Settings area, select Edit quick settings, click Add, and then select Bluetooth.
If you’re not sure how to put the device into pairing mode, check the manufacturer’s website. If the device is rechargeable, make sure it has a full charge before trying to pair.
Devices you’ve already paired with appear at the top of the “Bluetooth & devices” area. If you’re connected to a device right now, you’ll see a green dot next to its name and the word “Connected. "
If you’re adding a printer or scanner, click Printers & scanners instead, click Add device, and wait for Windows to detect the Bluetooth printer. When found, click its name and select Add device.
If you don’t see your device, its pairing mode may have timed out. Press and hold its pairing button again to make it discoverable. Make sure your Bluetooth device isn’t automatically connecting to another computer, phone, or tablet.
If you’re pairing a Bluetooth keyboard and are asked for a pairing code, try typing the code on the Bluetooth keyboard.
If you’ve connected to this device before but can’t connect now, try unpairing it. To do this, click the three vertical dots next to the device’s name in the “Bluetooth & devices” area and select Remove device. Still having trouble? Find out what to do if you can’t connect to a Bluetooth device on Windows 11.
It could be that its battery isn’t charged or that it’s Bluetooth radio is broken. It’s also possible that it’s quickly pairing with another computer, phone, or tablet before your computer can find it.
Windows 10: Open your Windows Settings and go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Find and fix other problems > Bluetooth and select Run the troubleshooter. Windows 11: Open your Windows Settings and go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Click Run next to “Bluetooth. "
On both Windows 10 and 11, click the magnifying glass on the taskbar (or click the search bar). Type device. Click Device Manager in the results. Click Bluetooth. Right-click the Bluetooth adapter (it usually has “adapter” or “radio” in its name) and select Update driver. Click Search automatically for updated driver software. If a new driver is found, it will be installed. When it’s finished, restart your computer and try to pair again. If Windows doesn’t find a new driver, check your PC manufacturer’s website for updated Bluetooth drivers for your PC model. Download the files from their website and double-click the driver to install it.
Instead of selecting the Update option, right-click the name of the Bluetooth adapter, select Uninstall device, and then click Uninstall. Once uninstalled, shut down and restart your PC. When your PC boots back up, Windows will try to automatically install a new Bluetooth driver. Return to Device Manager and make sure you see your Bluetooth adapter. If you don’t, click the Action menu at the top and select Scan for hardware changes to install it now.
