Bluetooth is not displayed. How to enable Bluetooth on a laptop. What to do if Bluetooth doesn't work? Reasons for Bluetooth not working

Bluetooth technology operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. Broadcasting on this frequency does not require special licensing, which is why it has become so widespread. Devices using Bluetooth technology have an adapter that receives and emits the signal.

If you enable the BT module on your device, but don't find anything in the search, there are 4 possible reasons for this.

1. Device mapping disabled

It is possible that Bluetooth is simply disabled on the desired device or the visibility mode is not set correctly. How to activate visibility mode on Android, read. If you need to enable visibility on a computer or laptop, then:

Find the Bluetooth icon on your desktop and right-click on it;
The BT settings window will appear, in which you need to check the “Detection” box;
apply and save the new settings.

Have you adjusted your visibility, but the search results haven't changed? Let's move on to the second reason.

2. Radio module drivers are not working correctly

This reason is more likely for desktop computers. If you have outdated software installed, you should update it. If after the update the device works as expected, the radio module will appear in the device manager. If the update did not help, the wireless drivers probably need to be reinstalled. Reinstall only if you are sure that the following reasons have been excluded.

3.Device out of range

More modern versions of Bluetooth (starting from the fourth), such as the Partner Silver Bluetooth headset, operate within a radius of 100 meters, but some devices are able to detect themselves at a distance of 10-50 meters. Add to this the possible interference caused by household appliances, and you have a possible cause of the problem.

4. There is a strong source of interference nearby

Microwaves, cordless phones, power lines, baby monitors, and some types of monitors can cause interference. However, if Bluetooth worked fine before, the problem is most likely due to the second reason.

Using Bluetooth technology on a laptop to transfer files has long been an everyday occurrence. But sometimes problems arise. Let's figure out why Bluetooth doesn't work on a laptop.

There are many reasons why Bluetooth does not work on a laptop:

Drivers are not installed.
The hardware is disabled in Device Manager.
A hardware failure has occurred.
The computer was attacked by a virus.
The radio communication module has failed.

Very often, such an error appears due to uninstalled software. There are also cases when the software is installed, but it does not match your adapter model or simply does not work correctly.

It is also worth noting that before using the radio module, it must be turned on. But if the equipment is disabled in the device manager, then you will not be able to activate it on the keyboard by pressing the corresponding button. So, let's look at all the reasons in order.

What to do if Bluetooth does not work on your laptop: Video

Troubleshooting Bluetooth Adapter

So, first of all, if Bluetooth does not turn on on your laptop, you should check whether your radio module is disabled in the device manager. To do this you need to open this service. To do this, press the Start + R key combination on your keyboard. In the window that appears, write the command devmgmt.msc and press “Enter”.

In the window that opens, find the line “Bluetooth radio modules” or “Network adapters”. Open the thread and find the name of your adapter. Further, if the device is indicated by a sign in the form of a white circle with an arrow down, then this indicates that the equipment is disabled.

To activate it, you need to right-click on it and select “Enable” or “Enable”.

Checking and installing the driver

A driver is software that controls the operation of hardware. This means that one of the reasons why the Bluetooth module on a laptop does not work is precisely the lack of appropriate software. Thus, if the above method did not help you or you cannot find the required hardware in the device manager at all, then this indicates that drivers are not installed on the computer.

Typically, in this case, you will have undefined devices in the hardware manager. You can find the necessary software on the disk that came with your laptop. If this is not the case, then you need to visit the official website of the PC manufacturer. Each manufacturer provides support to its users by providing the latest versions of drivers and utilities necessary for operation. After installing the driver, the corresponding icon should appear in the system tray. If there is no Bluetooth module on your laptop, you can install it using this one.

Fixing a Hardware Failure

Quite often, hardware failures can occur for various reasons. That is, the drivers are installed, everything works, but at one point Bluetooth on the laptop simply stopped working. This means that a system failure has occurred. First of all, try simply restarting your laptop. Often this is enough.

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If this does not help, then you should remove the old software and install it again. To do this, open the device manager, find your radio module and open it by double-clicking with the left mouse button. In the window that opens, go to the “Driver” tab and click the “Delete” button.

Reinstalling Bluetooth Drivers: Video

After this, restart your PC. When you boot, the operating system will automatically detect new hardware and install software. However, it is recommended to do this manually. Just download the latest driver from the manufacturer's website and install it.

If Bluetooth on a laptop disappears, this may indicate a software glitch. As mentioned above, you can reinstall the driver. But sometimes this failure is caused by a virus. In this case, you should first conduct a full scan of your computer with an antivirus program. And only after that install new software.

Also, all of the above symptoms of problems may be due to the fact that the radio module has simply failed. In this case, it is very difficult to fix the problem yourself, since you will have to disassemble the laptop and install a new one instead of the old adapter. In this matter, it is better to rely on professionals. That is, take the computer to a service center. Now you know why the Bluetooth module stopped working on the laptop and how to fix this problem.

If you were unable to configure the Bluetooth module using this article, then most likely the answer is located.

Bluetooth is, although not the best way to transfer data, but sometimes it has its use. In addition, the data transfer speed needs to be better. But no matter how much it upsets us, if a laptop is equipped with it, then of course we want all its functions to work. And bluetooth is no exception. We don’t know what awaits us tomorrow, what if we need it, but it’s not in working order!

Reasons for Bluetooth not working

There are quite a few such reasons. Since each device has its own shortcomings and breakdowns. Some are easy to solve, while others require special knowledge and skills. Here are a few of them:

Driver installation required;
The equipment is out of order;
There is a system error;
The computer is infected with malware or a virus;
The hardware is disabled in the task manager.

Now let's take a look at each one in order and find a solution for it.

Lack of drivers or need to update them

As soon as you notice that the wireless data transfer module is not working correctly, or is not working at all, the first step is to look at the system files. Namely, the drivers. Check if all drivers for this module are installed on your computer. If not, install them from the disk “that comes with the laptop” or download them from the Internet. DriverPack Solution may also be an excellent solution. Which has everything you need and will significantly save your time.

If you don’t know how to check whether your device needs a driver update, follow these steps:

Open the “My Computer” window;
Right-click on the white background, an empty space and select “properties” from the drop-down menu;
Open Device Manager.

In the window that opens, look to see if there are any yellow marks with an exclamation mark in the list of devices. If there is, take a closer look to make sure that this is the module we need. After which, you can safely follow the above written solution.

In addition, DriverPack Solution can solve a lot of other issues regarding the software of various modules and components. For this reason, we recommend using it when searching for and installing drivers.

Hardware descendant hardware

This problem is much worse than the first one. The first reason could be said goodbye within a few minutes, but with this one things are much worse. The fact is that if the Bluetooth module fails, at the hardware level, it will not be possible to restore it on your own. In this case, you need to contact the service center for help, or if you don’t have time to wait, purchase a portable Bluetooth device.

A portable device of this kind will solve the problem of the built-in device not working. In addition, it is not very expensive, has an impressive data transfer speed, and is compact in size. The only downside is that one USB port will be constantly or partially occupied.

A system error has occurred

Although this problem does not occur often, it still plagues a small portion of laptop users. I want to say that a system error can occur not only for this device, but similarly with others. And to solve it, you will need a little knowledge, confidence in using a PC, and, of course, straight hands. In order to complete the following steps.

Cleaning the registry from errors;

In my opinion, as soon as you notice that something is wrong with your equipment, at the software level, immediately search for errors in the computer registry. And the well-known software called CCleaner will help you with this.

Removing drivers and additional software;

After cleaning, you should go to “Device Manager”. In it, find equipment that is not working properly, remove it and everything connected with it, that is, its additional programs. As in “device manager”, it was written in the first step.

Search for errors in the registry again with CCleaner, and also eliminate them;
Reboot your laptop;
Perform a fresh installation of the required software for the device.

The laptop was infected with a virus

A fairly common case, as a result of which the components of a PC or laptop stop working or do not work correctly. There's only one reason for it! The user is too lazy to monitor the system status of his device. Don't forget, antivirus is a very important piece of software, the installation of which is not recommended to be ignored.

In addition, perform regular system scans for viruses. And updating your antivirus should be the first thing on your mind before using it. Remember, a good antivirus with the latest updates is the key to a computer!

Bluetooth software disabled

Although such a problem practically does not arise, we should not forget about it. Its cause is the user’s lack of attention and the presence of malware. Do not forget to restart the software that you turned off in the task manager. But if you didn’t do this, it was clearly done by a virus. Therefore, run the software for the equipment you need again. And scan your PC for viruses.

I would like to draw your attention to one more point, which may become a mystery for many, as a result of which not only Bluetooth, but also Wi-Fi and other means of communication stopped working. The culprit may be Airplane Mode. Which was accidentally turned on. But it is worth noting that this factor applies to operating systems Windows 8 and higher.

If the stickers do not clearly indicate anything, and the packaging has not been preserved, look for information on the laptop manufacturer’s website or ask the support team a question.

Hardware enable adapter

To figure out how to turn on Bluetooth on your type of laptop, take a look at the keyboard and the front and sides of the case. On some models, a switch is used for this - you can recognize it by the Blue Tooth logo icon. On others, a combination of pressing Fn and one of the function keys (F1-F12). The symbols on the keyboard will help you determine where exactly to press.

On some laptops, such as the MSI X460 DX, there is a separate key to turn on Bluetooth:

On others, more often, it is combined with the Wi-Fi power button:

After activating the adapter, the “Blue tooth” indicator on the case will light up (if there is one, not all devices are equipped with it).

Let me start with the fact that almost every laptop has a built-in Bluetooth module. Not even on the newest models. This means that Bluetooth on a laptop should work without installing additional devices. I will introduce USB adapters that are necessary for desktop computers. Since there simply is no built-in module. Although, some motherboards already have built-in Bluetooth.

In this article I will try to show in detail how to enable Bluetooth on a laptop. How to do this in the operating system Windows 10, Windows 8 (8.1) and Windows 7. I will also show you how to set up a wireless module and connect different devices to your laptop. I have a mouse and wireless headphones connected to my laptop via Bluetooth. Very comfortably. You can also connect, for example, a wireless speaker, keyboard, mobile phone, etc.

All that is needed for Bluetooth to work on a laptop is the installed driver. The driver must be downloaded and installed from the official website of the laptop manufacturer. For your model and installed Windows system. But don’t rush to go to the manufacturer’s website and download drivers. It is quite possible that you already have everything installed and working. Especially if you have Windows 10 installed. As a rule, it installs the necessary drivers itself. Then you just need to turn on Bluetooth in the laptop settings and you can use it.

Where to find Bluetooth on a laptop and how to turn it on?

Most likely, you already have everything turned on and everything is working. Regardless of Windows installed, if the Bluetooth driver is installed, there will be a blue “Bluetooth Devices” icon in the notification panel. This means it is turned on and ready to go. Check on your laptop. In rare cases, this icon may be disabled in Settings.

By clicking on this icon, you can perform various operations: add a device, show connected devices, receive/send a file, configure the adapter itself, etc.

If you don’t have such an icon, then there are three options:

Bluetooth is disabled on the laptop and needs to be turned on.
Removed the BT icon itself from the notification panel.
Or the required driver is not installed.

Let's try to turn it on.

BT on Windows 10

The easiest way is to open the notification center and click on the corresponding button.

Or go to the settings, then to the "Devices" section, and on the "Bluetooth and other devices" tab, turn on the module with the slider.

I wrote a separate article on Windows 10: . After this, an icon should appear in the notification panel, as I showed above.

How to connect the device?

Click on "Add Bluetooth or other device" and select the appropriate item in the next window.

Turn on Bluetooth on a laptop with Windows 8 and 8.1

Opening the side panel (you can use the keyboard shortcut Windows + C) and select "Options". Next, click on “Change computer settings.” Go to the "Bluetooth" section and turn on the module with the switch.

Windows will begin searching for available devices to connect to.

An icon should appear on the notification panel through which you can manage connections.

How to activate Bluetooth in Windows 7?

If there is no blue icon in the notification panel, then go to “Network and Sharing Center” – “Change adapter settings” and see if the “Bluetooth Network Connection” adapter is there. If not, then install the driver for your laptop model, or check for the presence of an adapter in the device manager (more on this later in the article). And if there is, then see if it is turned on. It may need to be enabled on the laptop.

How to connect the device?

Click on the "Bluetooth" icon and select "Add a device..."

A new window will open, in which connect your device following the instructions.

Or go to the "Control Panel", in the "Devices and Printers" section. And click on the "Add device" button. You can also open the properties of "Bluetooth Adapter" and enable the display of the icon in the notification area. This will make it easier to connect and manage devices.

How to check and enable Bluetooth in Device Manager on a laptop?

If you cannot find Bluetooth on your laptop, there are no settings, adapter, buttons, icons, etc., then most likely the necessary drivers are not installed. You need to go to device manager and check this. Or maybe you just need to use a BT adapter.

Open Device Manager. You can right-click on My Computer and select Properties. In the new window, go to "Device Manager". Or press the keyboard shortcut Win+R and run the command devmgmt.msc.

There you should see a "Bluetooth" section (may be called differently in Windows 7), which will contain the module itself (the name may also be different). This is what I have on my laptop:

If it exists, but with an "arrow" (icon next to the adapter), then just right-click on it and select “Engage”.

Perhaps you don’t have anything similar to Blues in your device manager. In this case, you need to download and install the driver.

Go to the official website of your laptop manufacturer. Using the search (or menu), find your model, and in the “Support”, “Downloads”, etc. sections, download the driver for the Bluetooth module. Install it, restart your laptop and after that everything should work.

Reasons for Bluetooth not working

There are quite a few such reasons. Since each device has its own shortcomings and breakdowns. Some are easy to solve, while others require special knowledge and skills. Here are a few of them:

Driver installation required;
The equipment is out of order;
There is a system error;
The computer is infected with malware or a virus;
The hardware is disabled in the task manager.

Now let's take a look at each one in order and find a solution for it.

Lack of drivers or need to update them

As soon as you notice that the wireless data transfer module is not working correctly, or not working at all, the first step is to look at the system files. Namely, the drivers. Check if all drivers for this module are installed on your computer. If not, install them from the disk “that comes with the laptop” or download them from the Internet. DriverPack Solution may be an excellent solution. Which has everything you need and will significantly save your time.

If you don’t know how to check whether your device needs a driver update, follow these steps:

Open the “My Computer” window;
Right-click on the white background, an empty space and select “properties” from the drop-down menu;
Open Device Manager.

Hardware descendant hardware

A system error has occurred

Cleaning the registry from errors;

Removing drivers and additional software;

Search for errors in the registry again with CCleaner, and also eliminate them;
Reboot your laptop;
Perform a fresh installation of the required software for the device.

The laptop was infected with a virus

Bluetooth software disabled

In contact with

Despite being less popular than Wi-Fi, Bluetooth technology is alive and well and continues to evolve. One day it may turn out that such a familiar channel for exchanging files between devices - via Bluetooth - will refuse to work.

Why did the Bluetooth module stop working?

The reasons for the Bluetooth module not working may be:

physical shutdown of the module (disconnected, power is not supplied for other reasons);
driver failure (damaged driver files, incorrect installation);
the device in Windows is recognized as hidden;
hardware failure (error in data exchange between a PC, laptop or tablet with other gadgets);
other reasons, for example, virus activity and other “orphan” states of the Windows system that disrupt its operation.

Bluetooth module unavailability

The reasons why the Bluetooth module suddenly appeared “offline” are as follows.

Checking device status in Windows 7/8/8.1/10/10.1

Windows Device Manager is an application built into the OS that monitors the correct operation of devices.

Give the “Start” command - right-click on the “Computer” element (for Windows 10/10.1 - “This PC”) and open “Properties”.
Go to Device Manager Windows 7
Select "Device Manager", find your non-working Bluetooth device. If it is disabled (down arrow icon), give the command: right-click on the device - “Enable”. If it is enabled, but does not work correctly (does not receive or send data between the PC and another device), give the “Disable” command, and then the “Enable” command.
In this example, it is not the Bluetooth module that is used, but an SD card reader
If the device you need is not there, connect the Bluetooth module (or its cord) to another USB port. If you are using a tablet, change the OTG adapter or USB hub (if, for example, a keyboard and mouse are connected to the Bluetooth module at the same time). Repeat the previous steps as soon as the device appears in the list (usually it should turn on and work immediately, and not show up as unused).

You can also get to the Windows 10 Device Manager in five other ways: by searching for the word “Manager” in the Start menu; by the command “Start - Run” with launch using the phrase “devmgmt.msc”; by the command “Start - Control Panel - System - Device Manager”; by the command “This computer - Computer management - Device Manager”; right-click on “Start” and select the “Device Manager” menu item. As you can see, Windows 10/10.1 provides a much more impressive list of ways to open the Manage Connected Devices Wizard. Half of them have been known since Windows Me/2000.

Video: how to check Bluetooth operation

Update Bluetooth Drivers

Return to the familiar “Windows Device Manager” and do the following.

Give your device the command: right click - “Update drivers”. The Driver Update/Reinstall Wizard will open.
Run the wizard for working with existing device drivers
The most competent option is to find and reinstall the drivers manually. Insert a flash drive (or distribution CD/DVD with your programs, which also contains the driver version for your Bluetooth module) with the driver and select the manual method of searching for the driver.
Choose to manually search for drivers on your PC
Select the location of the folder with the files of the driver you are looking for.
As an example - a custom folder on drive D:, not external media
Confirm the driver reinstallation by clicking “OK” and “Next”. The system will reinstall the Bluetooth driver.
As an example - the same SD card reader, not Bluetooth

After the installation is complete, the system can both find the driver and indicate that it does not need to be reinstalled.

The device works fine and does not need to be reinstalled

If reinstalling the Bluetooth module as a device in Windows did not give anything, follow the instructions below.

But before you move on, do something different: give the problematic device the “Remove” command (and confirm the request by checking the option to remove drivers). It will need to be reconnected, after which the “Update drivers” command is given, and all the steps from this instruction are repeated. After removing the drivers, you may need to restart Windows.

Video: how to reinstall Bluetooth drivers

What to do if your device is hidden

First, open the already familiar Windows Device Manager and give the command “View - Show hidden devices.”

Windows 7 will show hidden and unconnected devices

If the Bluetooth module driver has not been installed (the device is not registered in Windows), the module itself will not appear in the list of hidden ones. The category of hidden devices assumes the presence of devices that were already installed and previously worked correctly.

If the Bluetooth module has been installed, follow the instructions above for (re)installing the Bluetooth module.

Enabling an unused Bluetooth device from the BIOS

BIOS control is useful when you have built-in Bluetooth adapters - typically in laptops and tablets.

Depending on the BIOS/UEFI version, the commands for Bluetooth are different

All commands have been translated into Russian and popularized.

Enabling the built-in Bluetooth adapter from the BIOS is key - without it you won't be able to do anything with Bluetooth. Therefore, it would be better to start by enabling wireless modules through the BIOS. Now you can perform any actions from the previous instructions.

Bluetooth adapters built into the motherboard are not installed in PC system units - the body of the system unit shields the Bluetooth signal from all sides, and the range of the module without an external antenna is greatly reduced. Therefore, for desktop computers, a USB module is the best solution. The same applies to the Wi-Fi adapter, 3G/4G modem, wireless keyboard, mouse, headphones, microphone and similar peripherals.

Hardware failures of Bluetooth modules

In addition to power problems, Bluetooth may fail in the following ways:

Bluetooth module overheating

The speed values for different versions of the Bluetooth radio interface are as follows.

Bluetooth version 2.x uses data transfer speeds of up to 1 Mbit/s. Thus, the Dial-Up Networking service, used with smartphones from Nokia, Siemens and other brands popular in the 2000s. and supporting 3G Internet, allows you to get mobile Internet speeds of up to 384 kbit/s. These values fully fit the transmission of high-quality stereo sound to headphones (the MP3 format supports a speed of 128–320 kbps). Nowadays it has been replaced by Wi-Fi Direct technology, which allows you to distribute traffic (and files through a connection via a router) from one smartphone to several (point-to-multipoint mode) other gadgets and PCs at once at multi-megabit speeds.
Starting with version 3.0, the speed of the Internet, communication via the local PAN network and file sharing via Bluetooth between devices has increased to 24 Mbit/s.
Versions of Bluetooth 4.x, as already mentioned, use speeds of 75 and 100 Mbit/s, very close to the throughput of a conventional cable LAN connection (Ethernet-100 standard).

Sometimes Bluetooth modules that have a range of 100 meters or more (using a power of 100 mW) overheat even in conditions of a very weak signal. Barriers to reliable Bluetooth communication include:

shielded rooms and buildings;
the distance between devices is too large (at the limit stated in the data sheet of Bluetooth modules and gadgets);
neglect of directional antennas when establishing communications in the form of RRL line of sight, stretching for kilometers;
poor coordination of external antennas and cables used in Bluetooth modules equipped with a microwave socket for connecting them;
other factors.

Other causes of overheating of wireless devices (not just Bluetooth):

Operation of wireless modules in the heat, launch of a Bluetooth module supercooled in multi-degree frost in northern conditions.
Strong interference (dozens of Bluetooth modules are connected to one USB-Hub). Like any radio transmitters (as such), like any digital communication lines, these modules interfere with each other. It is recommended to place them as far away from each other as possible. This is the same as placing the external antenna of a router that distributes the Internet via Wi-Fi and a Yota 4G modem inserted into the same router close to each other - the Internet speed will noticeably decrease, especially if the SIM card has an unlimited tariff with a very high high speed, despite the fact that the 4G tower will be significantly unloaded at the moment.

Failures when exchanging traffic between devices

So, you “drive” the Bluetooth module and gadgets to the brink of their maximum throughput. Failures during file and content sharing often occur when sending multi-gigabyte files. Cheap Chinese smartphones and tablets, whose performance is not the best, often fail. Even if the Bluetooth module and/or the gadget itself are not overheated, stopping the transfer of content can take the user by surprise. Thus, sending a movie in (Ultra)HDTVRip format weighing tens of gigabytes from a laptop to a smartphone can get stuck, say, at some 74%.

The fact is that low-speed memory cards are very common - the writing speed on them is only 5–8 MB/s. Don't delude yourself by purchasing a 32 GB microSD card at a good price. If the Bluetooth module in the gadget has a high speed (100 Mbit/s) - and the speed of writing the received content to the SD card is noticeably lower (40–64 Mbit/s), then the transmitted data will not have time to be written to the flash memory. The gadget's RAM will overflow - first its overall performance will slow down, then the receiving gadget will glitch, other applications and processes will freeze, and eventually it will restart abnormally. In turn, the donor gadget or computer will report a failed file sending.

Developers of iOS, Android and Windows Phone/Mobile are struggling with this problem - any of these OS includes software control of high-speed streams in the form of a special system process or service. This allows you to automatically limit the data flow rate if the “receiving side” has problems with the speed of saving it to a file. This approach allows you to forget about annoying failures during content exchange, which were a nightmare for previous generations of wireless solutions.

Virus activity on PCs and gadgets

The essence of the problems that arise when there are viruses in Windows is that the virus clones some processes (system processes “explorer.exe”, “svchost.exe”, etc.), littering and overloading the performance of the PC/tablet.

Since each Windows process consumes so many megahertz of processor performance from each of its cores and so many megabytes of RAM, a sharp increase in the number of these processes will lead to the fact that all available peripherals, including data exchange via Bluetooth, will slow down significantly. work, because the lion's share of hardware resources is spent on what the user does not need.

Antivirus programs are not the only means of protection - it is worth adding to this list for completeness and maximum effectiveness:

So, for example, a list of useful programs that protect a PC or tablet from external intrusions could be like this:

AdBlock+ plugin for browsers;
cache proxy HandyCache (has its own web content filters);
Windows 8 Firewall Control program (monitors programs and components that consume traffic and allows you to permanently remove unnecessary ones);
free antivirus, such as Avast.

The tips below sum it all up.

Place your modules and devices with Bluetooth in an area of reliable coverage in relation to each other.
If you need to “upload” a long file, charge the gadget, or do not remove it from recharging until the file is transferred.
Timely free up space on disks and memory cards from unnecessary files if the next file does not fit in the memory of the receiving PC or gadget.
Do not use wireless data transmission in extreme weather, for example, if there is a risk of the gadget or laptop battery overcooling and turning it off.
Do not disassemble the module during operation, do not disconnect cables (if any). First, end the data session between the devices.

Bluetooth shows no sign of losing ground. Version 5.0 will support content sharing speeds of up to hundreds of megabits. And restoring the operation of your suddenly failed Bluetooth device is actually not difficult.