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7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Bluetooth is one of the most commonly used methods of connecting other devices with your computer wirelessly. You can listen to music saved on your laptop with a speaker or headphone connected to your computer via Bluetooth.

You can transfer different files to and from your computer via Bluetooth. When faced with a Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing issue on your computer, it can be distressing.

This article helps you solve the problem of Bluetooth missing in your windows 10. It also gives different methods of enabling or disabling Bluetooth.

How to Enable/Disable Bluetooth

To be able to connect your computer to another computer via Bluetooth, or to connect your computer to another device such as a speaker or headphone, you need to enable Bluetooth.

Also, you can disable Bluetooth after use. You should disable it when not in use to conserve the battery. Having your Bluetooth turned off when not in use will reduce the risk of any corrupted, harmful files being transferred to your computer.

On your Windows 10, there are several ways to enable or disable Bluetooth. It should also be noted that if the Bluetooth toggle is missing when you have used one of these methods, you should try using another method to confirm if there is indeed a problem.

At the time of our research on the Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue, we found a video about “How Bluetooth Works” which is worth watching. 😎

How Bluetooth Works

Using Bluetooth Settings:-

The first method to enable or disable Bluetooth is through the device’s Bluetooth settings.

In the search menu, search for settings. Alternatively, press the Windows key + I as a shortcut for the settings. Under settings, go-to devices.

 Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing

Then Bluetooth and other devices.

 Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing

At the right side, you’ll see the toggle to turn on or turn off the Bluetooth.

Using Airplane Mode:-

Another method to enable or disable Bluetooth is to do it in airplane mode. The airplane mode is also found in settings. Press Windows key + I, then select “Network and Internet” under settings.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Next select airplane mode. In the right pane, you can toggle the button for Bluetooth, under wireless devices.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Using The Action Center:-

You can also turn on or turn off the Bluetooth in the action center. Click the action center icon at the bottom right corner of the taskbar.

You can also use the short cut Windows key + A to open the action center. Once the action center is open, click on the Bluetooth button to enable or disable it.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Using Device Manager:-

The last method for enabling or disabling Bluetooth is through the device manager. Once you’ve opened the device manager, expand the Bluetooth option.

Right-click on your Bluetooth device and select either “Enable Device” or “Disable Device” depending on what you want to do.

 Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing

The main advantage of knowing these different methods is so you have different ways of confirming if you notice the Bluetooth toggle is missing.

Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Possible problems

It is obvious that the Bluetooth feature is an important component of your computer. Apart from sharing files, you can connect to other hardware such as speakers, headphones and microphones with it. Hence, when the Bluetooth toggle is missing, it can be very distressing.

For some who have never used their device Bluetooth, it’s difficult to know if the feature was ever enabled on their computer, if the missing Bluetooth toggle is a recent occurrence, or if it is a temporary bug or change on settings that is the cause of the problem. A good part of solving a problem is identifying the source of the problem.

For others, the Bluetooth may have been used in the past—may be even recently—and so the missing Bluetooth toggle may come as a surprise.

The possible reasons for the Bluetooth missing on your device are many. They vary from faulty updates to outdated drivers.

It is possible for the Bluetooth toggle to go missing after an update. There might have been a problem with the update. A faulty update can cause different problems in your computer. Alternatively, sometimes a new update may be needed for the Bluetooth problem to be fixed.

Another reason why Bluetooth may be missing is that the Bluetooth drivers have not been installed or need to be updated. The Bluetooth drivers control the operation of the device’s Bluetooth.

Bluetooth missing on Windows 10 can also be caused by other problems in your computer such as viruses. Also, it’s possible that you may have accidentally changed the settings on your computer, making the Bluetooth appear invincible.

Possible Solutions: Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing

There are several steps you can take if the Bluetooth toggle is missing. Luckily, fixing the problem is not complicated. The steps given below don’t require you to be an expert.

1. Restart Computer

This is troubleshooting 101. Restarting your computer sometimes seems to have a magical effect. Problems that seem so serious often correct themselves once you have restarted your computer.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

This is because the problems can sometimes be caused by other programs running in the background that may be interfering with the normal operation of your computer or settings you mistakenly changed.

Restarting your computer will force those background programs to close, and temporary settings to return to the default.

2. Update Windows

You have tried to turn on your computer’s Bluetooth, but the option to do so is not available. You checked your device manager and there is no Bluetooth option, this may be a good time to update your operating system.

Press the Windows key + I, to open the device settings. Next select “Update and Security“. If there are updates, download the update, and once the installation is complete, restart your computer.

Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing

Updates usually resolve many issues that are in the computer. In addition to improving the performance and enhancing features in your computer, an update acts as a reset.

Sometimes, the problem of Bluetooth missing occurs after an update. If you recently updated to Windows 10, and you noticed the Bluetooth toggle was missing after the update, it is possible that your computer is not compatible with the Windows 10 update or it may have some bugs.

The former is especially true for older computers. Check if your computer supports Windows 10. If it doesn’t, you will have to use an older version of Windows.

3. Show Hidden Devices

It is possible that the problem isn’t that the Bluetooth is missing. It could be that the Bluetooth is only hidden. When this is the case, you’ll not be able to enable Bluetooth unless you know where yo look.

Open the device manager, then click on view options. Next, select “Show hidden devices“.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

If the Bluetooth is hidden, you’ll find it there. When there are several applications, the device manager may create a nested list of categories.

Alternatively, you can find Bluetooth by expanding “Network Adapters”.

4. Troubleshoot

Windows 10 has good troubleshooting tools that help the computer solve its own problems. The troubleshooter helps to find out the possible causes of the problem, then possible solutions.

It’s a tool that will come in handy whenever your computer has a problem. The troubleshooter is especially useful for built-in features and applications.

In the search menu, search troubleshoot Bluetooth. Select “Find and fix problems with Bluetooth devices” Follow all the prompts, and click “Next” whenever applicable. Following the prompts will help you resolve the issues with the Bluetooth.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

5. Update Drivers

As has been mentioned earlier, the Bluetooth toggle missing on your Windows may be caused by problems with your device drivers.

If the Bluetooth drivers need to be updated, that may be the problem. Using out of date drivers can cause the Bluetooth device to malfunction temporarily.

If the Bluetooth drivers have been corrupted, you also have to fix the problem. Sometimes the issue is that the Bluetooth drivers have not even been installed.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

You may be wondering how you’ll update drivers for a device you cannot find in the device manager. A good option could be to update all drivers.

If you can fond your Bluetooth driver, then try disabling it and enabling it. If this doesn’t work, try updating it. (The process to do this is mentioned above)

6. Restart Bluetooth Support Service

To restart the Bluetooth support service, open the run prompt by pressing the Windows key+ R. Once the run prompt is open, type services.msc and hit enter.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Once that is done, find the Bluetooth Support Service in the resulting window and right-click on it to start it. If it is running already click restart.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Once you have successfully restarted it, click properties, and choose automatic under the general tab.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Use Bluetooth Adapter:

If all the steps given above have been unsuccessful, you can use a Bluetooth adapter. Bluetooth adapters are not expensive, they can be bought online on sites like amazon, or in computer hardware stores. The disadvantage of this option is that you will have to sacrifice a USB slot for it.

Bluetooth Tips:-

1. Check the Bluetooth version:-

Some Bluetooth devices require a minimum version in order to work, which means a device that needs Bluetooth 5.0 won’t function with another device that only has Bluetooth 4.1. Versions don’t have to be identical, but they both need to meet the minimum required for a particular activity.

If you’re having problems connecting two devices, make sure they both meet the minimum Bluetooth version.

Headphones, earphones, speakers, and other such devices will usually display specifications on the box but, failing that, you may need to find the specs on the manufacturer’s website to see which version it’s using.

On a Windows 10 computer, open the Settings app and click Devices. Select ‘Bluetooth & other devices’, then scroll down to the bottom and click ‘More Bluetooth options’.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

In the next window, select the Hardware tab, then the Bluetooth device (not protocols or enumerators), and click Properties. Select the Advanced tab in the next window and look for the firmware version.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

It says LMP followed by a number:-

LMP 6.x/7.x/8.x = Bluetooth 4.0/4.1/4.2

LMP 9.x/10.x/n.x = Bluetooth 5.0/5.1/5.2

If you’re buying a new PC, check the Bluetooth version in the specifications. Version 4.0 is nearly 10 years old and doesn’t support as many uses as version 5.0.

Make sure that at least 4.1 is available, if not higher, because that’s the requirement for smartwatches and fitness-tracker bands, and they may not connect to your PC or phone with less.

2. Automatically lock your PC using Bluetooth

If you want to make sure that no one messes with your PC while you leave it unattended, you can set it to lock automatically whenever you step away.

This security feature works by pairing your computer with a Bluetooth device, such as a phone or smartwatch. As soon as you walk out of Bluetooth range – which isn’t very far – the PC locks itself automatically.

To set this up, open the Windows 10 Settings app and click Accounts. Select ‘Sign-in options’ on the left, then scroll down to ‘Dynamic lock’. 

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

Tick the box next to ‘Allow Windows to lock your device automatically when you’re away’ and the feature adds a paired device, such as your phone. To undo this action, just return here and clear the tick.

3. Save battery power by disabling Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a low-power wireless technology, so turning it off on a laptop or mobile device won’t massively reduce battery drain, but it may help if you need to squeeze out a few more minutes of power.

On a laptop, open the Windows 10 Settings, click Devices, select ‘Bluetooth & other devices’ and turn off the switch. On an iPhone and iPad, go to Settings, Bluetooth. On Android devices, open Settings, Connections, then Bluetooth.

4. Make your device discoverable

You can set a Bluetooth device to be hidden or made public. Hiding it is useful when you’re in public and don’t want other people trying to connect to your phone, because anyone could send you an unsolicited message or file.

Conversely, broadcasting Bluetooth’s presence is useful when setting up devices – such as connecting a phone or smartwatch to a computer.

Open Windows 10 Settings and click Devices, ‘Bluetooth & other devices’. Turn on Bluetooth, then click the ‘More Bluetooth options’ link to open a new window.

7 Ways To Resolve Windows 10 Bluetooth Missing Issue

On the options tab, you’ll find ‘Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC’. Enable this when setting up new devices, such as a mouse, headphones, speakers, and other peripherals.

5. Check the battery level

Some Bluetooth devices report their battery level to the computer, so you can check whether your Bluetooth mouse, keyboard or headphones are running out of juice. Support isn’t universal and not all devices have the function, but try it and see. 

Open Settings, Devices and click the device in the Bluetooth section. There may be a battery-level indicator in addition to the Disconnect and ‘Remove device’ buttons.

Conclusion

Bluetooth is useful for transferring files. Although there are faster means of file transfer, the applications of Bluetooth makes it necessary.

You can connect your computer to phones, other computers, other hardware like microphones, speakers, and headphones.

When there is a problem with your Bluetooth, fixing it is easier with this guide.