As soon as it becomes necessary to connect some kind of Bluetooth device to a laptop (or desktop computer), then very often users have a question: where to find Bluetooth on a computer, and how to find out if there is Bluetooth in a laptop or PC. Not everyone understands how this connection works, where to look for it, and how to configure it. According to my observations, this problem most often occurs in Windows 7 and XP. And in Windows 8 and Windows 10, everything is somehow simpler and clearer. And all because newer versions of Windows in most cases automatically install the necessary drivers and Bluetooth works right away, which is called "out of the box". I'll tell you more about this in more detail.
I looked at similar instructions on other sites, and for some reason everyone is advised to first look at the manufacturer's website for the characteristics of your laptop (by model), and check if it has Bluetooth. This can of course be done. But it seems to me - meaningless. That's why:
- Laptops are almost always equipped with a built-in Bluetooth module. Most often, it is combined with Wi-Fi (this is one card through which bluetooth and Wi-Fi work). Are there laptops without Bluetooth now (if you know such models - write in the comments, maybe I'm wrong)? Even some old models that were produced in the era of Windows XP already had Bluetooth support (built-in module). So if you have a laptop, then it has built-in Bluetooth support.
- Stationary computers (PC)on the contrary, in most cases they do not have Bluetooth support. In the sense that they do not have the transmitter itself (built-in module). Although, now there are already many motherboards that are equipped with a wireless module (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth). Also, the wireless module can be connected as a PCI card inside the system unit, or as an external USB Bluetooth adapter. If you do not know if your computer has Bluetooth, and do not want to understand the components, you can ask the support of the company from which you bought the PC. Or see its characteristics on the website. If the computer is new, then you can look at the characteristics of the motherboard. Or look by devices in the device manager (more on this later in the article). If it turns out that there is no Bluetooth support, then read the article on how to make Bluetooth on a computer, if it is not there.
The information that you will find further in the article is suitable for both laptops and desktops. Just remember that the laptop most likely has Bluetooth support (the module itself), but most likely it is not in the system unit.
How to find Bluetooth on a laptop or computer?
I will show the whole process using the example of Windows 10. In Windows 8, everything is about the same as in the top ten. And in Windows 7, due to the fact that there are no parameters, Bluetooth can be found in the control panel (I will write about this in detail).
Method 1: tray icon
Almost always, when there is Bluetooth support, drivers are installed and it works, the icon is displayed in the tray ... The tray in Windows is the area in the lower-right corner (most often) of the screen. Near the clock.
If there is such an icon, then everything is Ok. By clicking on it, you can open the menu and go directly to connecting devices via Bluetooth, to transfer / receive files, open parameters, etc. Here you may find the following instructions useful:
- How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a computer or laptop
- How to connect a Bluetooth speaker to a laptop or computer
- Instructions for connecting a Bluetooth mouse
- Detailed instructions for connecting AirPods to a computer and laptop
If you did not find the Bluetooth icon in the tray, then do not rush to get upset, perhaps the display of the icon is disabled, or it is not there for some other reason. Let's find out now!
Method 2: looking for Bluetooth in Windows Settings and Control Panel
On Windows 10:
- Open "Options" from the Start menu.
- Go to the "Devices" section, to the "Bluetooth and other devices" tab. If you do not have such a tab, or you cannot turn on Bluetooth, an error is displayed, then see the next method. This means that your computer does not have Bluetooth support or the drivers are not installed. If there is support and everything is configured, then you will see something like the following window (in which you can connect the necessary devices):
- There should also be a button in the notification center.
- This article might come in handy for you: How to enable and configure Bluetooth on a Windows 10 laptop.
In Windows 8 (8.1):
- In Windows 8, you also need to open the computer settings.
- Then you need to go to the "Computer and Devices" section - the "Bluetooth" tab.
There we can turn on Bluetooth and connect the devices. If you do not have such settings (tabs), then the necessary drivers may not be installed, or the module (board) itself, which is responsible for the operation of this technology, is physically absent. See the following guidelines (third method).
There we can turn on Bluetooth and connect the devices. If you do not have such settings (tabs), then the necessary drivers may not be installed, or the module (board) itself, which is responsible for the operation of this technology, is physically absent. See the following guidelines (third method).On Windows 7:
It is very easy to check whether there is Bluetooth in Windows 7.
- Open the "Control Panel". You can write "Control Panel" in the search bar on the Start menu and open it.
- Go to the Hardware and Sound section.
- If there is an item next to "Devices and Printers" "Adding a Bluetooth device" - then it is configured and working. You can click on this link and connect your device.
- If there is no "Add Bluetooth device" item, then your computer does not have a Bluetooth module, or it is not configured (driver is not installed, disabled).
- You can also navigate by the tray icon (I wrote about this at the beginning of the article).
Well, you can look at the device manager, read on about this.
Well, you can look at the device manager, read on about this.Method 3: check for a Bluetooth adapter in the Windows device manager
This is a universal method for all versions of Windows. You need to start the device manager. We can do it in any way convenient for you. For example, press the key combination Win + R and execute the command mmc devmgmt.msc.
In the device manager, we are interested in the "Bluetooth" tab. In Windows 7 it is called "Bluetooth Radios". If there is such a tab, then this module is installed and should work. Open that tab and see if the adapter itself is there. It looks like this (in Windows 10):
Here's another example using Windows 7:
Depending on the adapter itself (manufacturer, model), its name may differ. If there is Bluetooth in the device manager, but in the Windows settings, there is no tray icon in the parameters, then look for an arrow icon or a yellow exclamation mark next to the adapter. The adapter may need to be enabled (enabled).
If there is a yellow exclamation mark near the adapter and there is an error in the properties (for example, code 10 cannot start this device), reinstall the driver on Bluetooth.
If in the device manager there is no mention of Bluetooth at all, then there are two options:
- The computer (laptop) lacks Bluetooth, or it is broken (possibly disabled by a mechanical switch on the laptop case).
- Bluetooth drivers are not installed.
The most popular case is when the drivers are not installed. In this case, there should be unknown (other) devices in the device manager. They look something like this:
One of these unknown devices could be the Bluetooth adapter we are looking for. You just need to download the Bluetooth driver from the laptop manufacturer's website and install it. If you have a PC, then the driver needs to be downloaded from the manufacturer's website of the adapter itself, or the motherboard. For more information on this topic, see the following articles:
- Setting up Bluetooth on a computer (PC). Bluetooth adapter connection and driver installation
- How do I turn on Bluetooth on my laptop?
- How to enable and configure Bluetooth on a Windows 10 laptop
Additional Information
On some laptop models, there may be mechanical switches on the case that can be used to turn the wireless connection on and off. Perhaps including Bluetooth. Check if your laptop has such a switch.
Also try doing this with a keyboard shortcut on your laptop keyboard. For example, on an ASUS laptop:
It happens that a special utility for managing wireless networks or power supply is installed on a laptop. These are proprietary utilities that are developed by laptop manufacturers. So, Bluetooth can be disabled in this utility, and you won't be able to find it anywhere in the system. This utility looks like this on Lenovo laptops:
On laptops Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Toshiba, MSI, etc., such utilities can also be installed. They are usually displayed in the tray (there is a utility icon there).
It's so easy to check and find out if there is a Bluetooth connection on laptops and computers with Windows installed. I hope you managed to find Bluetooth on your computer. You can leave questions in the comments under this article.
