Windows 10: Windows can't detect ANY bluetooth devices

KariB1 · Nov 8, 2024

My PC can't find any Bluetooth devices. It was working fine last week, but yesterday when I tried to connect my headphones like normal it would say it failed to connect. I tried removing the device but now my computer can't detect it at all. I even tried multiple devices and nothing is able to connect. The bluetooth detection page just stays perpetually searching, I even left it for 10 minutes and it still couldn't find anything. I know the devices work because I can connect them to my phone just fine. I've followed these instructions via another Microsoft thread and nothing is working: 1. Ins

:)

Eric Ber · Nov 8, 2024

Bluetooth devices are not detecting

Hi Sanjay,

Conflicts with the Bluetooth settings after the update is one of the possible reasons why your devices are not detected. For us to assist you better, kindly answer the following questions:

Which version and OS build number of Windows 10 is currently installed? To check, press the
Windows key, type winver, and press the
Enter key.

When you reinstall the latest Bluetooth driver, did you uninstall it first? Did you get the latest Bluetooth driver from the device manufacturer's website?

Have you tried the troubleshooting steps in this
link?

Regards.

ComputerGeek · Nov 8, 2024

Device Manager Un-Hiding Hidden Devices

When you connect a plug and play device, Windows Plug and Play manager detects it, finds and installs the driver. Device Manager lists the device with a solid icon.

The driver is only removed when you uninstall the device, not simply by disconnecting the device. When the device is disconnected, its driver is still installed. By default, Device Manager only displays connected devices. When you show hidden devices, note the Bluetooth icon you see is semi-transparent (not opaque). That indicates a "non-present" device. Sometimes also called a "ghost" device. The driver is still installed but the device is not currently detected (i.e. not connected).

Device can be disconnected when

Device unplugged (e.g. removing a USB device)

Turning a device OFF

Disabling the device in BIOS (then windows won't detect it) or

Device failure

So

Check BIOS as suggested

Check board connections

Can b/t be turned off by a switch? or keyboard combination?

Also possible the b/t h/w failed

ameneses54 · Nov 8, 2024

Cannot use bluetooth device

1 pairing is done in settings, devices
1.1 you click on add bluetooth or other device
1.2 you choose bluetooth
1.3 if there is a pairing button on the bluetooth device itself then you press that now. You need to check the instructions for your bluetooth device to see how to do this - several automatically go into pairing mode when they switch on, others have a button that needs to be pressed for, say, 5 seconds.
1.4 the computer detects all available bluetooth devices and you select yours from the list. If yours is not on the list then windows could not detect it.
1.5 it connects - pairing includes connecting
1.6 the computer sounds a buzz in the earpiece then displays your device is ready to go and you click on done
1.7 the device is shown in the devices list below the subheading audio and it shows it as connected
1.8 the device should also appear in control panel, sounds, playback tab
1.9 the device should also appear in control panel, devices & printers
1.10 {i just paired some bluetooth earphones as i typed so i could make sure these notes were correct} you use a music player and the sound comes out of the bluetooth earphones

2 if this is not happening for you then go to contol panel, devices & printers
2.1 right-click on the device & select remove device
2.2 you can now try pairing from scratch again
2.3 several other users have reported that only removing the device with bluetooth command line tools - bluetoothinstaller allowed them to re-pair again [see xzion's guidance below]
2.4 yet others reported that only the keithm code or bungee's guidance worked for them [see below]

3 where is this all going wrong for you?
[i assume we are definitely talking about bluetooth headphones/earphones. I understand that wifi ones do also exist.]

4 additional guidance -

unpair a bluetooth device - tenforumstutorials
connect a bluetooth device in windows - windows help

steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #9, xzion] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #22, keithm] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #39, bungee] - tenforums
several people registered in tenforums just to be able to thanks xzion, keithm & bungee. Apparently, what worked for some people did not work for others so each solution seems worth trying.

Denis
Click to expand...

1 pairing is done in settings, devices
1.1 you click on add bluetooth or other device done
1.2 you choose bluetooth done
1.3 if there is a pairing button on the bluetooth device itself then you press that now. You need to check the instructions for your bluetooth device to see how to do this - several automatically go into pairing mode when they switch on, others have a button that needs to be pressed for, say, 5 seconds.
done pairing is succesfull
1.4 the computer detects all available bluetooth devices and you select yours from the list. If yours is not on the list then windows could not detect it. The device is detected
1.5 it connects - pairing includes connecting ok
1.6 the computer sounds a buzz in the earpiece then displays your device is ready to go and you click on done
1.7 the device is shown in the devices list below the subheading audio and it shows it as connected device is not shown
1.8 the device should also appear in control panel, sounds, playback tab device is not shown
1.9 the device should also appear in control panel, devices & printers device is shown
1.10 {i just paired some bluetooth earphones as i typed so i could make sure these notes were correct} you use a music player and the sound comes out of the bluetooth earphones

2 if this is not happening for you then go to contol panel, devices & printers did that and the bluetooth is shown
2.1 right-click on the device & select remove device did that
2.2 you can now try pairing from scratch again did that
2.3 several other users have reported that only removing the device with bluetooth command line tools - bluetoothinstaller allowed them to re-pair again [see xzion's guidance below]
2.4 yet others reported that only the keithm code or bungee's guidance worked for them [see below]

3 where is this all going wrong for you?
[i assume we are definitely talking about bluetooth headphones/earphones. I understand that wifi ones do also exist.]
yes it's the bluetooth earphone

wrapping it up, there is no way to choose the bluetooth device for playback as this option does not show anywhere (not in the taskbar, not in control panel "sounds" "playback option". I've been wondering if the fact that i have an internal sound card (not the motherboard device) has to do with this situation.
I've never been able to use a bluetooth device. Just to let you know with my dell laptop i did the whole procedure in 5 minutes and it worked perfectly.

4 additional guidance -

unpair a bluetooth device - tenforumstutorials
connect a bluetooth device in windows - windows help

steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #9, xzion] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #22, keithm] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #39, bungee] - tenforums
several people registered in tenforums just to be able to thanks xzion, keithm & bungee. Apparently, what worked for some people did not work for others so each solution seems worth trying.

Denis
Click to expand...

1 pairing is done in settings, devices
1.1 you click on add bluetooth or other device done
1.2 you choose bluetooth done
1.3 if there is a pairing button on the bluetooth device itself then you press that now. You need to check the instructions for your bluetooth device to see how to do this - several automatically go into pairing mode when they switch on, others have a button that needs to be pressed for, say, 5 seconds.
done pairing is succesfull
1.4 the computer detects all available bluetooth devices and you select yours from the list. If yours is not on the list then windows could not detect it. The device is detected
1.5 it connects - pairing includes connecting ok
1.6 the computer sounds a buzz in the earpiece then displays your device is ready to go and you click on done
1.7 the device is shown in the devices list below the subheading audio and it shows it as connected device is not shown
1.8 the device should also appear in control panel, sounds, playback tab device is not shown
1.9 the device should also appear in control panel, devices & printers device is shown
1.10 {i just paired some bluetooth earphones as i typed so i could make sure these notes were correct} you use a music player and the sound comes out of the bluetooth earphones

2 if this is not happening for you then go to contol panel, devices & printers did that and the bluetooth is shown
2.1 right-click on the device & select remove device did that
2.2 you can now try pairing from scratch again did that
2.3 several other users have reported that only removing the device with bluetooth command line tools - bluetoothinstaller allowed them to re-pair again [see xzion's guidance below]
2.4 yet others reported that only the keithm code or bungee's guidance worked for them [see below]

3 where is this all going wrong for you?
[i assume we are definitely talking about bluetooth headphones/earphones. I understand that wifi ones do also exist.]
yes it's the bluetooth earphone

wrapping it up, there is no way to choose the bluetooth device for playback as this option does not show anywhere (not in the taskbar, not in control panel "sounds" "playback option". I've been wondering if the fact that i have an internal sound card (not the motherboard device) has to do with this situation.
I've never been able to use a bluetooth device. Just to let you know with my dell laptop i did the whole procedure in 5 minutes and it worked perfectly.

4 additional guidance -

unpair a bluetooth device - tenforumstutorials
connect a bluetooth device in windows - windows help

steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #9, xzion] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #22, keithm] - tenforums
steps to completely remove a belutooth device so pairing can be done again [post #39, bungee] - tenforums
several people registered in tenforums just to be able to thanks xzion, keithm & bungee. Apparently, what worked for some people did not work for others so each solution seems worth trying.

Denis
Click to expand...

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