Fix: Bluetooth Headset Won’t Connect in Windows 10

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February 8, 2018

Bluetooth Headset won't connect 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

Set Bluetoot Service to Automatic startup
Tweak your Registry
Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Update Bluetooth drivers
Use the Windows Store Troubleshooter
Uninstall Bluetooth driver

1. Set Bluetoot Service to Automatic startup

Go to Start > type ‘run’ > hit Enter
Type “services.msc” without the quotes > hit Enter
You now have in front of you the “Services” window > on the left side pane, search for the following item: “Bluetooth Support Service”
Double click on the “Bluetooth Support Service” feature to open it
Select the “General” tab located in the upper side of the window
Go to “Startup type” > change the option from “Manual” to “Automatic”
Select the “Log on” tab located in the upper side of the window
Now select the option “This Account” and enter your account details
Remove the passwords in the two boxes you have in the “Log on” tab.
Close all the windows you have opened
Reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device in order for the changes to take effect.
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.
Uninstall the current Bluetooth drivers and install the recently downloaded ones.
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.

Go to Start > type “regedit” without the quotes > hit Enter
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.
From the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” folder, open the “SOFTWARE” folder.
In the “SOFTWARE” folder, select the “Microsoft” folder.
In the “Microsoft” folder, go to the “WindowsNT” folder.
In the “WindowsNT” folder, open the “CurrentVersion” folder.
Now that you are in the “CurrentVersion” folder, go to “Current Version” file.
Change the version of the “Current Version” feature to “6.2” instead of what is presently there.
Save your changes and reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 computer.
Check again to see if your Bluetooth headset is working for you now.

3. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

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

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:

Go to Start > type ‘ device manager’ > double-click on the first result to launch Device Manager
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.

Go to Start > type ‘Control Panel’ > double-click on the first result to launch the tool
Change View by from Category to Large Icons
Scroll down and select Troubleshooting > select View all.
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.

Remove the Bluetooth USB dongle > go to Start > launch Device Manager again
Go to the View menu > Show hidden devices
Uninstall all the devices listed under the Bluetooth category (right click on them > select Uninstall)
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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