Bluetooth disappeared on Windows 10: how to activate it?

Bluetooth disappeared on Windows 10 Activation

Are you having trouble connecting a wireless device to your PC? Have you noticed that has disappeared from your Windows ? Are you looking for a quick, easy, and effective way to enable it? Here's how!

A video is worth a thousand words: Here's a video to help you!

Bluetooth is gone on Windows 10: here's what you absolutely need to know 

If you own a computer with built- in Bluetooth , you may have noticed that when you try to use it, the Bluetooth icon or function is not working. This prevents you from using the device . It seems this error is quite common and is caused by a driver malfunction in the Windows 10 operating system.

In general, all people who encounter this problem will notice that the Bluetooth icon does not appear in their system tray (right side of the taskbar) and that the Bluetooth function does not appear in Windows ( Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices ).

If this is the case, you don't need to worry, because here's how to restore Bluetooth functionality in Windows 10:

How to fix Bluetooth that has disappeared on Windows 10?

There are several ways to reactivate a missing Bluetooth connection on Windows 10. Below are the most common and effective methods.

Option 1: Enable Bluetooth in the BIOS

Enable Bluetooth in the BIOS

If you have a new computer and you're sure it has Bluetooth, but it doesn't appear in Windows 10, it might be because Bluetooth is disabled in your computer's BIOS . In that case, you have no choice but to access the BIOS to enable it.

For your information, BIOS stands for " Basic Input/Output System ." It is essentially the first operating system that runs on a PC, and its role is to make your computer functional before handing it over to the main operating system ( Windows ; iOS).

Therefore, it's clear that the method for accessing the BIOS may vary slightly depending on your computer manufacturer. If you're unsure how to do this, follow these steps: 

Step 1: Depending on your PC manufacturer, press one of the specific keys when you start your computer.

ASRock: F2 or SUPR.

ASUS: F2 for all PCs, F2 or SUPR for motherboards.

Acer: F2 or SUPR.

Dell: F2 or F12

ECS: SUPR

Gigabyte / Aorus: F2 or SUPR.

HP: F10

Lenovo: F2 or Fn + F2 on laptops, F1 on their desktop PCs, and Enter.

MSI: SUPR

Microsoft Surface tablets: Press and hold the volume up button.

PC Origin: F2

Samsung: F2

Toshiba: F2

Zotac: SUPR


Step 2: Once in the BIOS, go directly to the " Device Configuration " or " Advanced " section. You should then locate the Bluetooth option, which is likely displayed as disabled.

Step 3: Select it and click " Enable ". Once the changes are made, remember to save them, then close the BIOS and log in to Windows 10

. You should now be able to use the Bluetooth option on your computer .

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Option 2: Use Windows settings to enable Bluetooth 

To enable Bluetooth via the settings, simply follow these steps: 

Step 1: Click on the Windows Start Menu> > located at the bottom left of your screen, then look for the << Settings >> option.

 Windows 10 Menu

Step 2: Once in the settings, select the " Devices " option, then click on " Bluetooth & other devices "

Step 3: Next, turn on the Bluetooth switch. You'll notice that the toggle button , which was initially black, will turn blue when the Windows 10 Bluetooth feature becomes active. No fuss, no technical skills required. A piece of cake, isn't it?

Activate Bluetooth directly

Option #3: Update or restore the drivers

prolonged use on your Windows operating system update , especially a major one. It can be caused by a bug or a malfunction in the Bluetooth device drivers , preventing it from being recognized by the rest of your hardware.

Bluetooth option no longer available on Windows 10

In this case, the solution is quite simple. Just follow these steps which will show you how to update and restore the Bluetooth device drivers in the Windows 10 operating system settings.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon to open the WinX menu.

Right-click on the start icon

Step 2: Click on Device Manager, you will then see this page

device Manager

Step 3: Locate Bluetooth and double-click on it to enlarge it.

Step 4: After that, you will see the Bluetooth driver(s) already installed on your computer. Right-click and select the one(s) you want to update.

Bluetooth Activation Manager

Note: The menu will tell you if it's possible to update the driver. You will then see a page that looks like this:

Driver update

You can choose one of these different options: 

  1. Automatically search for updated driver software
  2. Browse my computer to find the driver software

If you have the driver file on your computer, then select the second option: Browse my computer to search for the driver software.

Step 5: Locate and select the driver software file on your hard drive that you wish to update, and then click OK to continue.

Searching for driver updates

Option #4: Install the Bluetooth drivers directly from your computer manufacturer 

If restoring or updating your drivers doesn't help, you can consider installing the manufacturer's drivers on your computer. For your information, Windows 10 typically installs generic drivers compatible with your hardware, but it's highly recommended to install the manufacturer-specific drivers.

To do this, you need to visit your computer manufacturer's website, specifically the download or driver section. Once there, you'll need to provide information about your computer model to access the latest driver updates. Then, you'll need to find and download the update for your Bluetooth device. 

The Bluetooth icon has disappeared on Windows 10

After downloading and installing the update , restart your computer. The Bluetooth function should then appear in the system tray and in the Windows 10 Settings app.

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How do I pair a Bluetooth accessory with my computer? 

How do I pair a Bluetooth accessory with my computer?

You now know how to activate Bluetooth on your computer. However, do you really want to stop there? What if you try to pair it directly with an accessory or device that has Bluetooth enabled? Not sure how? Then follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on the " shortcut panel " located at the bottom right of your screen

Taskbar shortcut pane

Step 2: Right-click on the Bluetooth icon and select the " Add Bluetooth device "

Bluetooth activation

Step 3: Ensure that Bluetooth is enabled on the device you want to pair with your computer. Then click on the device name and select " Pair a new device ".

There you have it, you now know how to enable Bluetooth on Windows 10 and how to pair it with another device. If you notice anything unusual on your computer, we recommend booting into Safe Mode Windows to function properly .

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Hello me, it's François :) Editor in my spare time who loves sharing his passion: TT High tech! 😍 Whether it's hardware, software, video games, social media and many other areas on the site. I share with you my analyses, my tests, tutorials and my favorites on various media. I am a knowledgeable and demanding technophile, who does not just follow fashion, but who seeks to guide you towards the best solutions. So stay tuned!