Fix: Bluetooth is paired, but it is not connected problem in Windows 10 / 11

Some Windows 10 and Windows 11 users are complaining about a problem they are facing on their Windows 10 computer, as the Bluetooth device they are trying to connect is not connecting with their Windows 10 device, although both of them are already paired. If you are facing this same issue, then don’t worry. There are some simple solutions which can fix your problem. Mainly, this problem happens when you try to connect multiple Bluetooth devices or it may also happen is that there is an error with the existing Bluetooth driver on your computer. Let’s keep the reasons aside and let’s focus on the solutions. But before going ahead for the fixes, attempt these initial workarounds, which can solve your problem with minimal efforts.

Initial Workarounds-

1. If you are witnessing the problem for the first time, reboot your computer and after rebooting try to connect the Bluetooth device again.
2. If you are using a Bluetooth adapter,
a. Check if the USB port on your device is working or not.
b. Unplug the Bluetooth adapter and after 2 minutes, plug the adapter again. This should solve your problem.

If any of these workarounds didn’t work out for you, go through these easy fixes-

Fix-1 Restart the Bluetooth services

You can restart the Bluetooth services from Services. Rebooting your Bluetooth services can solve your problem.

1. You will need to press the Windows key+R on your keyboard.

2. Then, type “services.msc“. After doing so, click on “OK“.

 

Services New

 

3. In, Services window, scroll down to find out “Bluetooth Support Service” and right-click on it, then click on “Restart“.

 

Bluettoth Restart

 

4. Now, double click on the “Bluetooth Support Service“.

 

Bluetooth Services Double Click

 



5. Now, in the Bluetooth Support Service Properties window, click on “Startup type:” and click on “Automatic“.

6. Then, click on “Apply” and “OK” to save the changes.

 

Bluetooth Services

 

Close Services window.

Now Turn off Bluetooth and turn it back ON again

1. Pressing Windows key+I will open the Settings.

2. Now, click on “Devices” settings.

 

Devices

 

3. Now, click on “Bluetooth & other devices“, and on the right pane, you should see a switch “ON” under the “Bluetooth” option.

4. Click on it to switch it “OFF“.

Wait for a while.

5. Now, again click on that option to switch it “ON“.

6. Now, click on Add Bluetooth & other devices and add the device.

 

Toggle Bluetootj Min

 

7. After that, click on Bluetooth and connect your device again.

 

Bluetooth Min

 

Note: -For Windows 11 Users

1 -Press Windows key and I together to open the settings panel.

2 -Now, Click on Bluetooth & Devices from the left side menu.

3 – Now, Turn the Bluetooth Off and then Turn it ON again.

4 – After that, click on add a device and try to add your bluetooth device again.

 

Bluetooth Windows 11 Min

Fix 2 – Check connected Bluetooth device settings

1. Search control panel in windows 10 search box and open Control panel.

2. Now, make sure view by category is selected.

3. Click on devices and printers.

 

Devices Printers Min

 

4. Now, Locate your Bluetooth device and right click and choose on properties.

 

Properties Bluetooth Device Min

 

5. Click on services Tab and then make sure all the Bluetooth services are checked.

Check all of them and click on apply and OK and close the window.

Services Min

 

Fix 3 – Try switching to a different USB port

If you are using an adapter , Try switching to a different USB port as sometime , its not compatible with USB 3.0 OR USB 2.0 and so , switching to a different usb port might fix this issue.

Fix 4 Update Bluetooth device drivers

1. Press Windows key and the ‘R‘ key together to open run window.

2. In the Run window, type “devmgmt.msc“. Click on “OK“.

 

6devMgmt

 

3. Now, click on View and Click on Show hidden devices.

Show Hidden Devices Min

 

4. Now, Double click on Bluetooth to expand it.

5. Now, right click and click on update your first Bluetooth device from the list (Note that, we will repeat the steps given below for every Bluetooth items in the list).

 

Update Bluetooth Driver Min

 

6. Click on Browse my computer for drivers.

 

Browse My Computer Device Min

 

7. Click on Let me Pick from a list option

 

Let Me Pick From List Min

 

8. Now, select the first option from the list. Make sure show compatible hardware option is selected.

9. Click on Next and let it update it.

 

Update Driver Bluetooth Min

 

10. Now, repeat steps 6 to 9 to update each and every Bluetooth devices.

Fix-5 Connect from Action center

1. Click on the action center icon on the bottom right.

2. Click on “connect“.

 

Connect Bluetooth Action Centre

 

3. Now, click on your paired device from the list.

Connect Bluetooth Already Paired

 

 

Fix-6 Connect from Settings-

The simplest fix for this problem is to connect the Bluetooth device manually. To do so, follow these easy steps-

1. Press Windows Key+I to launch Settings. Now, click on “Devices.

 

Devices

 

2. Now, click on “Bluetooth & other devices” and in the Audio section, scroll down to find the audio device you are trying to connect.

3. Click on the Bluetooth device and click on “Connect” to connect the Bluetooth audio device with your Windows 10 device.

 

Bluettoth Pairing

 

Your device should be connected with the computer.

If still you can’t connect the device with the computer then follow the next fix.

Fix-7 Uninstall and reinstall the Bluetooth driver-

Follow these steps to uninstall your Bluetooth adapter driver-

1. Press Windows key and the ‘R‘ key together to open run window.

2. In the Run window, type “devmgmt.msc“. Click on “OK“.

 

6devMgmt

 



2. In the Device Manager utility window, look minutely for the “Bluetooth” section and expand it.

3. Right-click on the Bluetooth adapter you are using, click on “Uninstall device“.

This shall uninstall the driver.

 

Uninstall Bluettoth

 

Follow these steps to reinstall the driver-

Method 1-

Restarting your system should reinstall the driver on your computer.

Method 2

In case if the previous method didn’t work out, follow these steps-

1. In the Device Manager window, click on “Action.

2. Then, click on “Scan for hardware changes“.

 

Scan For Hardware Change

 

The uninstalled driver will be reinstalled on your device.

Close Device Manager window.

Restart your computer to save the changes.

After rebooting, check if you can connect the Bluetooth device with the computer.

 

Fix-8 Update the Bluetooth driver-

You are unable to connect the Bluetooth driver with the because of an old/incompatible version of Bluetooth driver may be installed on your computer.

1. Pressing the Windows key will open the Search box. Now, start to type “devmgmt“.

2. Now, click on the “Device Manager” which will appear in the Search box.

 



Device Manager Search

 

3. In the Device Manager window, you will need to click on the “Bluetooth” to expand it.

4. Now, from the drop-down options, select the driver which you are using .

5. Right-click on it and click on “Update driver“.

 

Bluetooth Driver

 

6. As the next step, you need to click on the “Search automatically for updated driver software“.

 

 

Driver Update

 

Now all you need to do is to wait.

Reboot your computer.

Check if you are still facing the same problem or not.

Fix-9 Set your Bluetooth device as default-

You can set your Bluetooth device as the default device. Follow these easy steps to set the Bluetooth device as default.

1. After opening the Run window by pressing the ‘Windows key+R‘, type this command.

mmsys.cpl

2. Then, click on “OK“.

 

Run Sound

 

2. In the Sound window, click on the device you are using/going to use and then click on “Set as default“. Now, click on “Apply” and “OK” to save the changes on your device.

 

Set As Default

 

Now, close the Sound window, and then reboot your computer.

After rebooting try to connect your Bluetooth device again. You should be able to connect the device with Windows 10 device without any error.

Fix-10 make sure airplane mode is not ON

1 – Press Windows key + A to open action center.

2 – Make sure Airplane mode is not ON.

 

Airplane Mode Min

 

3 – Also make sure Bluetooth is turned ON.