Why is Bluetooth missing on Windows 10 and how can I fix it?
Why is Bluetooth missing on Windows 10 and how can I fix it?
3 Answers

\”So, you\’ve booted up your Windows 10 laptop, all set for a Bluetooth connection, and—boom!—it\’s nowhere to be found. What gives? Well, there are a few things that could be causing this mystery disappearance, from driver glitches to the ever-finicky fast startup. Here’s how you can dig into the problem and (hopefully) fix it without getting too frustrated.
First off, dive into the Bluetooth troubleshooter in Windows. You can find it by heading over to Settings, then Update & Security, and clicking on Troubleshoot. When you run it, Windows might just pinpoint the issue for you.
Next up, have a peek at your Device Manager. Right-click that little Windows icon in the corner and hunt down your Bluetooth under Device Manager. If your Bluetooth adapter is playing hide-and-seek, it might show up under hidden devices. You can refresh its status by disabling and then re-enabling it.
Now, humor me for a second—double-check that your machine actually has Bluetooth. I know it sounds obvious, but sometimes it\’s easy to assume our gizmos have everything. Go into Settings, and peek under Devices and Bluetooth. If it’s still a no-show, maybe your laptop isn’t packing Bluetooth.
It’s time to jump over to the services side. Press Windows + R, type in services.msc, and hit Enter. Look for anything Bluetooth-related therein. It might be taking a nap. If it\’s snoozing, give it a nice wake-up by starting or restarting it, and set it to auto to make sure it stays awake.
Drivers—can\’t live with them, can’t connect without them. Right-click your Bluetooth adapter in Device Manager and try updating it. If it’s being stubborn, uninstall and restart your machine. Windows will hopefully sort it out on reboot. If not, the manufacturer\’s site probably has what you need.
Fast startup is another mischievous one. Hit Windows + R, punch in powercfg.cpl, and choose what the power buttons do. You might wanna uncheck that fast startup option—in some quirky cases, it messes up Bluetooth making an appearance.
And here’s a slightly odd fix: boot your computer into Safe Mode and then back into normal mode. It sounds strange, I know, but people swear it gets Windows humming the right tune again.
Wrapping all this up, these steps should help you hunt down and fix what’s making Bluetooth play hard to get on your Windows 10 machine. The key here is to take things step by step and not stress too much. You’ve got this!\”

So, your Bluetooth’s gone missing on Windows 10? No worries; let’s get that sorted out.
- First off, let’s peek at the Bluetooth settings:
- Hit Win + I to pop open Settings.
- Go over to Devices and then Bluetooth & other devices.
- If the Bluetooth switch isn’t there, don’t panic—just move on to the next step.
- Head over to Device Manager and see what’s up:
- Press Win + X and click on Device Manager.
- Look for Bluetooth in the list—if it’s hiding, hit View and tick Show hidden devices.
- If you spot any Bluetooth adapters sitting disabled, give ’em a right-click and choose Enable device.
- Next up, let’s get the Bluetooth service running smoothly:
- Tap Win + R, type
services.msc
, and press Enter. - Find Bluetooth Support Service and double-click it.
- Set the Startup type to Automatic and hit Start if it’s taking a nap.
- Smash Apply and OK to lock in your changes.
- Tap Win + R, type
- Don’t forget about updating those drivers:
- In Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth adapter and hit Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
- If it comes up empty, mosey on over to the manufacturer’s website to snag the newest drivers.
- Finally, let’s give the Windows troubleshooter a whirl:
- Head over to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
- Pick Bluetooth and run the troubleshooter.
- Follow along with any instructions it throws at you.
Give these steps a go, and your Bluetooth should be back up and running on Windows 10 in no time. Each step tackles bits and pieces that might be causing the issue, so you’re covering all the bases.

Okay, so you\’re dealing with missing Bluetooth on your Windows 10? Don\’t sweat it, it\’s a pretty common hiccup and we can definitely sort it out. Here\’s a rundown on what might be causing the issue and how to fix it.
First off, double-check if your computer\’s supposed to have Bluetooth in the first place. Laptops usually have it built-in, but desktops might need an external adapter. Dive into the Device Manager (just hit Win + X and you\’ll spot it). If you see a Bluetooth section, great! If there\’s nothing, well, you might have to get yourself a USB Bluetooth dongle. If it’s there but inactive, see if it\’s just turned off by mistake. Oh, and don’t forget to poke around in the BIOS settings on startup to make sure it wasn’t disabled there.
Next up, sometimes the little services running in the background just need a nudge—or a restart in this case. Open up Services Manager by hitting Win + R then typing services.msc. Look for Bluetooth Support Service, give it a restart, and make sure it’s set to automatic. Do the same kind of thing for any other related Bluetooth services.
Driver issues are another sneaky culprit. They can go awry when you least expect it, especially after system updates. In the Device Manager, you can try updating your driver automatically. Or, go old school and manually download it from the manufacturer\’s site. If it\’s really acting up, consider uninstalling the driver, rebooting, and letting Windows work its magic with a fresh install.
Now, let\’s talk settings. It\’s easy to accidentally toggle Bluetooth off or hit airplane mode. Head over to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices, and make sure Bluetooth is switched on. Check the Action Center to ensure airplane mode isn\’t secretly messing with things.
The stubborn issues need a bit more elbow grease. Running a system file check with sfc /scannow in Command Prompt or using the Bluetooth troubleshooter from Settings might help. Update Windows while you\’re at it—sometimes, that just clears things right up.
If you\’re still running into a wall, it might be the hardware itself that’s the issue. Test with another Bluetooth device, and if it\’s still a no-go, you might need to consider repair or a new part.
To wrap it up, start simple—check the hardware, give those services a jump-start, update drivers, and fiddle with the settings. If the equipment\’s outdated, it may not play nice with Windows 10 upgrades. Stay persistent, and don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help if it gets too complicated. You’ve got this!