How to Turn On Bluetooth in Windows 11

To turn on Bluetooth in Windows 11, click Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices and switch Bluetooth to On. For a faster route, click the network, sound, or battery icon next to the clock on the taskbar and click the Bluetooth tile in Quick Settings.

These steps are for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and they match Microsoft’s turn Bluetooth on or off in Windows page. Your PC needs a Bluetooth adapter. Most laptops have one built in, but many desktop PCs don’t. If you can’t find a Bluetooth switch anywhere, skip to the section on a missing Bluetooth switch.

Turn On Bluetooth in Settings

1. Click Start, then click Settings. You can also press Windows key + I.
2. Click Bluetooth & devices in the left pane.
3. At the top of the page, switch Bluetooth to On. The switch turns blue, and Windows starts showing your paired devices and making the PC visible to accessories that are in pairing mode.

Settings is the most reliable place to turn Bluetooth on, because the switch is always on this page when Windows detects a Bluetooth adapter.

Turn On Bluetooth From Quick Settings

1. Click the network, sound, or battery icon at the right end of the taskbar, next to the clock. You can also press Windows key + A. The Quick Settings panel opens.
2. Click the Bluetooth tile. When Bluetooth is on, the tile is highlighted in your accent color and shows Not connected or the name of a connected device. When it’s off, the tile is gray and may say Off.

To see your devices without opening Settings, click the small arrow (>) on the right side of the Bluetooth tile. A list of paired and nearby devices opens, and you can connect one by clicking it.

Pair a Device After Bluetooth Is On

Turning Bluetooth on doesn’t connect anything by itself. To connect headphones, a mouse, a keyboard, or a controller for the first time:

1. Put the accessory into pairing mode. This usually means holding its power or Bluetooth button until a light flashes, but check the accessory’s manual for the exact method.
2. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices and click Add device at the top of the page.
3. In the Add a device window, click Bluetooth. Windows searches for nearby accessories.

4. Click your accessory’s name when it appears. If a PIN or confirmation code appears, confirm that it matches the code on the accessory, or type the code from the accessory’s manual.
5. Click Done when Windows says the device is ready. It now appears under your devices on the Bluetooth & devices page.

Once paired, the accessory reconnects on its own whenever Bluetooth is on and the accessory is turned on and in range. Some accessories support Swift Pair, which shows a notification when the accessory is nearby and in pairing mode; click Connect in that notification to pair without opening Settings. Microsoft describes both methods in its guide to pairing a Bluetooth device in Windows.

Pairing AirPods? Those have their own walkthrough: pairing AirPods to Windows 11. A PS5 controller needs a specific button sequence, so read about connecting a PS5 controller to a PC.

For an Xbox Wireless Controller, here’s how to connect an Xbox controller to a Windows PC, including how to tell whether yours has Bluetooth.

Linking a phone for files, calls or internet is a different job. Here’s how to connect a phone to a Windows 11 laptop.

If the Bluetooth Switch or Tile Is Missing

A missing Bluetooth switch almost always means Windows can’t see a working Bluetooth adapter.

1. Turn off Airplane mode. Open Quick Settings and make sure the Airplane mode tile isn’t highlighted. Airplane mode turns off wireless radios, including Bluetooth.
2. Restart the PC. Click Start > Power > Restart. A restart often brings back an adapter that stopped responding.
3. Add the tile to Quick Settings. If the Bluetooth switch is in Settings but the tile is missing from Quick Settings, open Quick Settings, click the pencil (Edit) icon, click Add, and choose Bluetooth. Click Done to save.
4. Check that the adapter is enabled. Right-click Start and click Device Manager. Expand Bluetooth, right-click your adapter (often named Intel, Realtek, Qualcomm, or MediaTek Wireless Bluetooth), and click Enable device if that option is there. If the menu says Disable device, it’s already on, so leave it alone.
5. Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter. Open the Get Help app, search for Bluetooth troubleshooter, and follow its prompts.
6. Update or reinstall the driver. Click Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, then look under Advanced options > Optional updates for a Bluetooth driver. Or download the driver from your PC or adapter manufacturer’s support site. For both routes, read about installing a Bluetooth driver in Windows 11.

If Device Manager has no Bluetooth category at all and nothing appears after updating drivers, the PC likely has no Bluetooth hardware. A small USB Bluetooth adapter plugs into any free USB port and adds Bluetooth to a desktop. Windows usually installs its driver automatically within a minute, and the switch then appears in Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Microsoft’s fix Bluetooth disappeared in Windows page covers the same hardware and driver causes.

If the Bluetooth troubleshooter won’t start, there are other ways of running a troubleshooter in Windows 11.

If Bluetooth Is On but a Device Won’t Connect

• Toggle Bluetooth off and on. Turning Bluetooth off and back on resets it and can fix connection problems. Keep a wired mouse or the laptop touchpad handy, since Bluetooth accessories disconnect while it’s off.
• Check the accessory. Make sure it’s charged, close to the PC, and not still connected to your phone or another computer.
• Remove and pair it again. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices, click the three dots on the accessory’s card (or find it under Devices), click Remove device, and click Yes. Then put the accessory back into pairing mode and follow the pairing steps above. For more detail, read about removing a paired Bluetooth device in Windows.

Turn On Bluetooth in Windows 10

Windows 10 uses a different Settings layout. Click Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices and switch Bluetooth to On. To pair an accessory, click Add Bluetooth or other device, then Bluetooth, and choose the accessory. The Bluetooth tile in the Action Center (Windows key + A) also turns it on and off. Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025, so these steps cover older PCs that haven’t moved to Windows 11.

On a Windows 10 PC with no switch, install a Bluetooth driver in Windows 10.

Frequently Asked Questions