Fix: Bluetooth Headset Won’t Connect in Windows 8.1, Windows 10

If you upgraded to Windows 10 recently and you started having issues with your Bluetooth headset or perhaps it suddenly failed to connect to your computer, you’re in the right place.

In this tutorial, you’ll find what could be causing this issue and how to permanently fix it.

Most of the times, if the Bluetooth headset does not connect or keeps disconnecting, it is mainly because your Bluetooth drivers need to be updated. Another culprit could also be the power saving feature in your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 PC. Sometimes, this feature turns off the Bluetooth in order to save as much power as it can thus preventing you from properly connecting your headset.

How to solve Bluetooth headset connections in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10

1. Set Bluetoot Service to Automatic startup
2. Tweak your Registry
3. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
4. Update Bluetooth drivers
5. Use the Windows Store Troubleshooter
6. Uninstall Bluetooth driver

1. Set Bluetoot Service to Automatic startup

1. Go to Start > type ‘run’ > hit Enter
2. Type “services.msc” without the quotes > hit Enter
3. You now have in front of you the “Services” window > on the left side pane, search for the following item: “Bluetooth Support Service”
4. Double click on the “Bluetooth Support Service” feature to open it
5. Select the “General” tab located in the upper side of the window
6. Go to “Startup type” > change the option from “Manual” to “Automatic”
7. Select  the “Log on” tab located in the upper side of the  window
8. Now select the option “This Account” and enter your account details
9. Remove the passwords in the two boxes you have in the “Log on” tab.
10. Close all the windows you have opened
11. Reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device in order for the changes to take effect.
12. Go on the Manufacturer’s website and look for the specific Bluetooth Headset drivers and download them.
    Note: Make sure that the drivers are compatible with your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device.
13. Uninstall the current Bluetooth drivers and install the recently downloaded ones.
14. Reboot again your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device and check to see if your headset is working for you now.

• ALSO READ: FIX: Windows 10 failed to remove Bluetooth device

2. Tweak your Registry

If the Bluetooth drivers are not compatible with Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, there’s no need to worry about it. Follow the steps below and you can install them without any problem.

1. Go to Start > type “regedit” without the quotes > hit Enter
2. Now that you have the Registry editor window in front of you, go to  the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” folder situated on the left side panel.
3. From the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” folder, open the “SOFTWARE” folder.
4. In the “SOFTWARE” folder, select the “Microsoft” folder.
5. In the “Microsoft” folder, go to the “WindowsNT” folder.
6. In the “WindowsNT” folder, open the “CurrentVersion” folder.
7. Now that you are in the “CurrentVersion” folder, go to “Current Version” file.
8. Change the version of the “Current Version” feature to “6.2” instead of what is presently there.
9. Save your changes and reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 computer.
10. Check again to see if your Bluetooth headset is working for you now.

3. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

1. Go to Search > in the search box, type “Troubleshoot” without the quotes
2. Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard
3. After the search is finished, select the “Troubleshoot” icon
4. Select Hardware and Devices > if you are prompt to enter user account information, provide the information required
5. Run the Troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions to troubleshooter hardware issues
6. After the troubleshooting process is finished, close the window and reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 computer
7. Check to see if your Bluetooth headset is working again.

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• ALSO READ: Fix: “Error establishing connection” with Bluetooth in Windows 10

4. Update Bluetooth drivers

As we said at the beginning of this article, your Bluetooth headset may fail to connect if you’re not running the latest Bluetooth driver version on your computer.

You can manually update the driver using Device Manager. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Go to Start > type ‘ device manager’ > double-click on the first result to launch Device Manager
2. Locate the Bluetooth driver > right-click on it > select Update driver

5. Use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

As strange as this solution may first appear, it helped many users fix their Bluetooth headset connecting issues. So, although it may seem unusual to run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter in order to fix Bluetooth issues, give this solution a try as it may help you fix the problem.

1. Go to Start > type ‘Control Panel’ > double-click on the first result to launch the tool
2. Change View by from Category to Large Icons
3. Scroll down and select  Troubleshooting > select View all.
4. Select Windows Store Apps and follow the on-screen instructions.

6. Uninstall Bluetooth drivers

Well, if updating your Bluetooth drivers didn’t work, try uninstalling them altogether.

1. Remove the Bluetooth USB dongle > go to Start > launch Device Manager again
2. Go to the View menu > Show hidden devices
3. Uninstall all the devices listed under the Bluetooth category (right click on them > select Uninstall)
4. Plug the USB dongle back in and wait until Windows 10 reinstalls the drivers.

That’s it folks, there you have six methods to fix your Bluetooth headset issues once and for all on your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device. Don’t hesitate to write us in the comments section below if you have any additional issues or questions regarding this subject. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2015 and has been since completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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