Bluetooth speaker is a very popular device. Such portable acoustics can be connected to almost any mobile device. Basically they are connected to phones, or tablets. Since the sound that even an inexpensive portable speaker makes will be much better and louder compared to the built-in speakers in the phone. Everything is clear with mobile devices, but with laptops and computers. Can I connect a Bluetooth speaker to a laptop or PC? After all, the sound through the speakers built into the laptop is not much better, if not worse, than on mobile devices.
Yes, most laptops have problems with sound quality. Even expensive models. Either the sound is very quiet, the bass is not enough, then something squeaks, whistles, etc. Therefore, if you have a portable speaker (or not very portable, but with the ability to connect via Bluetooth), then you can easily connect it to your laptop and enjoy pleasant and loud sound.
A Bluetooth speaker can even be connected to a PC. As a rule, speakers are connected to a stationary computer via a cable. But if you have good wireless speakers, why not pair them via Bluetooth. However, there is one nuance. On laptops, Bluetooth is built-in, but on stationary computers (in system units), a built-in Bluetooth module is rare. Therefore, in most cases, to connect a wireless speaker to a PC, we need a USB Bluetooth adapter. I wrote how to choose it in this article. After purchase, you need to connect and configure Bluetooth on your computer.
If you have a laptop, especially on Windows 10, then Bluetooth should work there without special settings, installing drivers, etc. In an extreme case, you need to download the Bluetooth driver from the laptop manufacturer's website and install it. The connection process itself in Windows 10 and Windows 7 is slightly different. As in Windows 8. The easiest way, of course, is to connect a Bluetooth speaker to Windows 10. There, this process was made simple and straightforward. We will also consider the connection process using the example of Windows 7. Sometimes, after connecting, you also need to configure the sound output to the wireless speaker.
As for the wireless speaker itself, you can connect absolutely any speaker to your computer: JBL, Beats, Logitech, Sven, Rapoo, Xiaomi Mi Bluetooth Speaker, Aspiring and others.
We connect a wireless Bluetooth speaker in Windows 10
Open the "Start" menu and go to "Options". Then go to the "Devices" section.
Click on "Add Bluetooth or other device".
Next, you need to turn on the column and put it into connection mode. A very important point! You need the Bluetooth indicator on the speaker to blink actively. Only then can other devices detect it and connect. As a rule, for this you need to press (most often press and hold) the button with the Bluetooth icon, or the power button.
After that, select "Bluetooth" on the computer. The search for available devices starts. Our column should appear in the list. I have a Sony SRS-XB30. Click on it.
A window should appear where it will be written that our wireless speaker system is successfully connected.
Just click on the "Finish" button. My sound immediately started playing through the speaker connected via Bluetooth. Turn off the speaker - the sound is played through the speakers of the laptop or PC (through the speakers that are connected by cable).
If there are problems with the sound output, then try to manually select the sound output device (our wireless speaker) in the settings. Like this:
And with a recent update, Windows 10 has the ability to output audio (and use a microphone) to different output sources for different programs. You can configure this function in the "Device settings and application volume" section, which can be accessed from the window that is in the screenshot above. There you just need to select the audio output source for a specific application. For example: we output sound from the player to a wireless speaker, and system sounds to built-in speakers.
Connecting a wireless speaker to a computer is no different from connecting wireless headphones in Windows 10.
Connecting Bluetooth speakers to a laptop on Windows 7
First, we turn on our column and put it into connection mode. By pressing the "Bluetooth" button, or the power button. As a rule, you need to press and hold for a few seconds. The Bluetooth indicator should be flashing actively.
There should be a Bluetooth icon in the tray. Right click on it and select "Add Device".
A new window should appear in which the devices available for connection will be displayed. Our wireless speaker should be there. You must select it and click "Next".
Next, the device will be configured, after which a window should appear with a message that the device is successfully connected and ready to work. And if the sound after connection will not be played through the wireless speaker, then you need to right-click on the sound icon in the tray, select "Playback devices", then right-click on the connected Bluetooth speaker and select "Use by default". After which everything should work.
Wireless speaker does not work ...
In Windows 7, I was unable to connect a Bluetooth speaker. The system finds it, detects it as a speaker, connects it, but it does not work. There is no driver. If you open connected devices, then it will be with a yellow exclamation mark. There will be an unknown, Bluetooth peripheral in Device Manager. And during the connection process, you may notice a message that "The software for the device has not been installed."
I looked at the Sony website (I have a portable speaker from this manufacturer) and did not find any drivers in the Downloads section. If you click on "Bluetooth peripheral device" in the manager and select "Update drivers", then the system immediately reports that nothing was found.
I did not download drivers from some third-party sites, or use programs to automatically install drivers. I hope you will not encounter such a problem, and your column will make friends with Windows 7. And if you know how to solve this problem, I will be grateful if you write about it in the comments. In general, upgrade to Windows 10. It is better, and there are no such problems.
How to connect a wireless speaker to a computer via a cable?
Yes, a portable speaker can be connected not only via Bluetooth. It can also be connected via a cable to the same computer or laptop. It's not true that all speakers have an audio input (AUDIO IN), but mine, and I think most other models also have it. To connect, you need a 3.5 mm jack - 3.5 mm jack cable. Your speaker may have a 2.5 mm audio input. You need to watch. The cable is usually included, but not always (I did not have it).
We connect one end of the cable to the speaker.
And the other end must be connected to the audio output on a laptop or computer.
Sound will be played through the connected portable speaker until you disconnect it. Or until you change the default device in Windows playback settings.
That's all. If you have any questions, suggestions, comments, or additions to the article - write in the comments.
