In recent times, wireless technology has grown significantly, and we have become heavily reliant on gadgets that support this feature. From wireless keyboards and mice to wireless charging and printing, all these activities run smoothly when connected via Bluetooth. However, it is quite common to experience Bluetooth connection issues on Windows 11, which can be quite frustrating. In this article, we will explore various aspects of Bluetooth that can cause connection problems, errors during file transfer, and more. If you are also facing connectivity issues with your Bluetooth device on Windows 11, follow this guide until the end.
Ways to Resolve Bluetooth Connection Issues on Windows 11
If you are experiencing problems with file transfer via Bluetooth on Windows 11, here are some tips that might help:
1. Find the Missing Bluetooth in Settings
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Press Win + I to open Settings.
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Go to Windows Update > Advanced options (in the right pane).
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When this section expands, click on "Optional updates" under the "Additional options" section.
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Select the checkboxes for all available drivers and click the "Download and install" button.
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Wait for the system to retrieve pending updates from Microsoft servers and install them on your computer.
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Once done, check if you can now connect to a Bluetooth device. Manufacturers also upload recent patches on their official websites, so you can download the latest driver update from there and manually install it on your Windows 11 PC. 2. Bluetooth Disappears in Device Manager, What to Do Next?
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All device drivers need to be updated from time to time on Windows 11 PCs. If you haven't updated your Bluetooth driver, now is the right time to do so.
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Follow these steps to check the compatibility of your Bluetooth driver:
- Press Win + X and select Device Manager from the Power User menu.
- When Device Manager opens, click to expand the "Other devices" branch.
- You will find some drivers here without assigned names.
- Right-click on it and choose "Properties".
- Go to the "Details" tab and modify the following:
- Property: Hardware ID
- Value: Hardware identification number
- You can use the identification number to determine if it actually belongs to the same hardware.
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Now that you know which hardware to look for, open the Bluetooth manufacturer's support website, download and install a compatible driver for Windows 11.
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After installing the compatible Bluetooth driver on your computer, make sure to restart the PC. 3. What if the Bluetooth Driver Doesn't Install Automatically?
Sometimes, the Bluetooth driver installation fails in this way and displays a "Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)" entry under Universal Serial Bus controllers. If you have this entry in Device Manager, you need to manually install the downloaded Bluetooth installation file. Follow these steps:
- Press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc, and click OK.
- Scroll down to the Universal Serial Bus controllers branch and locate the "Unknown USB Device".
- Right-click on the "Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)" entry and click "Uninstall device".
- When a confirmation window appears, click "Uninstall" again.
- Wait for this driver to be uninstalled from your system, and once done, restart your PC again. Access your device again and check if you can find the installed driver under Bluetooth. 4. Fix My Bluetooth Not Working After Upgrading to Windows 11
Several users have reported that their Bluetooth devices stopped working after upgrading their systems to Windows 11. If you are also facing this issue, here's how to fix it:
- Check if your device uses a custom Bluetooth profile. If so, you need to reconnect the Bluetooth device to your device.
- Ensure that your Bluetooth device is compatible with Windows 11. Check the manufacturer's website for details on supported profiles. 5. Fix Bluetooth Pairing Not Working on Windows 11
If you are having trouble pairing your device with Windows 11, disconnecting and reconnecting might work. Here's how to do it:
- Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
- Select Bluetooth & devices in the left pane and go to the right pane.
- Scroll down and click on Devices.
- If you see that your Bluetooth device is already paired, click the three dots and click "Remove device".
- Click "Yes" to confirm the removal.
- After unpairing Bluetooth from Windows 11, restart your PC. From the next login, connect your Bluetooth device and Windows 11 in a similar way as before. 6. Resolve Audio Not Coming from Your Bluetooth Device
Sometimes, you may find that your Bluetooth device is connected to your Windows PC, but the audio is not coming from the Bluetooth speaker or headphones. This issue occurs when the Bluetooth device is in discovery mode. To fix this problem, you should configure the Bluetooth settings where you have selected "Allow the computer to find new devices".
Assuming you have already paired your Bluetooth with your computer and the audio is not coming out, follow these steps:
- Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
- Go to System > Sound > Speakers (under Output).
- On the next screen, change the default system selection to your Bluetooth device.
- Now that you have changed the default system audio to the connected Bluetooth device, check if the sound starts coming out of your peripheral device. 7. Resolve Data Transfer Failure via Bluetooth on Windows 11
If, for some reason, you are unable to send or receive files via Bluetooth, here are a couple of things you need to check:
- Confirm if your Bluetooth device is actually connected to your PC.
- This is an important check as you cannot transfer files unless the PC and the Bluetooth device are connected to each other. To do this, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. If your device is paired, its name will appear in the Devices list.
- Verify that Bluetooth is paired.
- Paired and connected are two different things. In cases where the Bluetooth device is not connected, it will still display the pairing status. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both devices and wait for the connection to complete. Only when your Bluetooth device is connected, proceed with file transfer.
- Support for Bluetooth OPP.
- To transfer files and folders via Bluetooth on Windows 11, the other device must support Bluetooth Object Push Profile (OPP). To learn more about this feature, visit the manufacturer's support website. 8. How to Send or Receive Files via Bluetooth on Windows 11?
Assuming you have ensured the above points, find out the correct way to transfer files via Bluetooth on Windows 11:
- Choose the device you wish to transfer data to and click Next.
- Now, navigate to the folder you want to send, select the files and folders, and send them to the connected Bluetooth device.
- That's it! You have successfully transferred your files to the Bluetooth device. 9. How to Fix Bluetooth Driver Issues on Windows 11?
Many times, Bluetooth stops working simply because some of the device drivers are not functioning correctly. You can fix this issue by troubleshooting Bluetooth-related problems in Settings. Here's how to perform this task:
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Settings.
- Go to System and click on Troubleshoot (in the right pane).
- Locate and click to expand Other tools for troubleshooting.
- Here, you will find Bluetooth under the "Other" section.
- Click the "Run" button available on it, and when the troubleshooting tool starts, press Next.
- Now, follow the on-screen instructions that have come forward.
- The troubleshooting tool will look for underlying causes, and if it finds any issues, it will make some changes to your system. Try performing the task you were trying to do before and check if it works correctly. Hopefully, Bluetooth starts working fine on your Windows 11 PC. Click Yes and then Close.
- Finally, press Close on the troubleshooting tool and start enjoying the work you found difficult before. Although we discussed the troubleshooting steps for Bluetooth-related issues in the previous section, you can troubleshoot other hardware and software problems on your computer by following the above steps. All it takes is to modify the last step, i.e., by clicking the "Run" button. In conclusion, Bluetooth connection problems on Windows 11 can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can resolve them. Follow the tips mentioned in this article to fix issues related to Bluetooth connectivity, file transfer, driver compatibility, and more. By implementing these solutions, you can ensure a smooth and seamless Bluetooth experience on your Windows 11 PC.
Remember, if you encounter any other issues or need further assistance, feel free to seek help from Microsoft support or consult the manufacturer's website for specific driver updates and troubleshooting guides.