This article is for people with visual or cognitive impairments who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Microsoft 365 products. This article is part of the Microsoft 365 screen reader support content set where you can find more accessibility information on our apps. For general help, visit Microsoft Support.
Use your keyboard and a screen reader to fix common Bluetooth problems in Windows. We have tested it with Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to make sure Bluetooth is on, run the Bluetooth troubleshooter, check that you have the latest drivers, and more.
Notes:
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To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft 365.
In this topic
Check the basics
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If you’re setting up a new device and Bluetooth is not connecting, check the product specifications to make sure it has Bluetooth capabilities. Some devices don’t have Bluetooth.
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Make sure Bluetooth is turned on on your computer.
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Check your Bluetooth device. Make sure your Bluetooth device is turned on and is charged or has fresh batteries.
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Turn off your Bluetooth device, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
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Make sure your Bluetooth device is in range of your computer.
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If your Bluetooth device is unresponsive or sluggish, check to make sure it’s not too close to any other USB device that’s plugged into a USB 3.0 port. Unshielded USB devices can sometimes interfere with Bluetooth connections.
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on
In Windows 11, there are two ways to check if Bluetooth is on: the quick settings on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen or the computer Settings.
Use the quick settings to check Bluetooth
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On your computer, press the Windows logo key+T. The focus moves to the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. You hear "Taskbar pane," followed by the name of the app shortcut in focus.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Show hidden icons," then press the Right arrow key until you hear "Network," "Volume speakers," or "Power battery status," and then press Spacebar to select. You hear: "Quick settings window."
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Press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear: "Bluetooth, button, on." If you hear "Bluetooth, button, off," press Spacebar to turn on Bluetooth. If there are no Bluetooth devices connected, you hear: "Not connected."
Use the computer Settings to check Bluetooth
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth and devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear: "Bluetooth, toggle switch, on." If you hear "Bluetooth, toggle switch, off," press Spacebar to turn on Bluetooth.
Turn on the Swift Pair pairing mode
Turn on Swift Pair to easily connect to supported devices when they are close and in pairing mode.
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth and devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Devices settings, show notifications to connect using Swift Pair, toggle switch, off," and then press Spacebar to select.
Check your computer
On your computer, there are a couple of things you can do to solve issues with Bluetooth connectivity:
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Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. You can also try turning Bluetooth off and then on again.
Make sure the airplane mode is off
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On your computer, press the Windows logo key+T. The focus moves to the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. You hear "Taskbar pane," followed by the name of the app shortcut in focus.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Show hidden icons," then press the Right arrow key until you hear "Network," "Volume speakers," or "Power battery status," and then press Spacebar to select. You hear: "Quick settings window."
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Press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear: "Airplane mode, button, off." If you hear "Airplane mode, button, on," press Spacebar to turn off the airplane mode.
Remove the Bluetooth device and pair it again
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth and devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear the device category you want, for example, "Input," "Audio," or "Other devices," and then press the Down arrow key until you hear the device you want to remove.
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When the focus is on the right device, press the Tab key once. You hear: "More options." Press Enter to select. You hear "Pop-up window," followed by the first option in the list. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "Remove device," and then press Enter.
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You're prompted to confirm the removal. The focus is on the Yes button. To confirm, press Enter.
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Pair the device again. For instructions refer to Use a screen reader to pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
What to do when Bluetooth doesn't work or the Bluetooth icon is missing
Try the steps in the following sections if:
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the Bluetooth icon is missing or Bluetooth can't be turned on or off.
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Bluetooth doesn't work after a Windows update is installed.
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Bluetooth doesn't work after you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10.
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Bluetooth doesn't appear in Device Manager, and there are no unknown devices listed.
Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once. You hear: "System." Press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Display," press the Down arrow key until you hear "Troubleshoot," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Other troubleshooters," and then press Enter. The focus is on the most frequently used troubleshooters. Do one of the following:
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth," and then press the Tab key once.
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If you don't find Bluetooth among the frequently used troubleshooters, press the Tab key until you hear "Other," followed by the first troubleshooter in the list. Use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the list. When you hear "Bluetooth," press the Tab key once.
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You hear: "Run." Press Enter to select. The troubleshooter wizard starts. When the troubleshooter has finished, you hear: "Yes, button." The focus is on the button to confirm that the issues have been fixed. Do one of the following:
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To confirm that the troubleshooter was successful, press Enter. You hear: "Close the troubleshooter." Press Enter to select.
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If the troubleshooter didn't fix your Bluetooth issue, press Shift+Tab until you hear "No," and then press Enter. Follow the prompts in the troubleshooter wizard window. When you're ready, press the Tab key until you hear "Close the troubleshooter," and then press Enter to select.
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Make sure you have the latest drivers
An outdated or incompatible driver is one of the most common causes of Bluetooth connection problems. If you recently upgraded to Windows 11 or installed Windows 11 updates, the current driver might have been designed for an earlier version of Windows. You can automatically check for and install driver updates or install the Bluetooth driver manually.
Check for and install driver updates automatically
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Press the Windows logo key. Type Device manager, press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear "Device manager, control panel," and then press Enter.
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In Device Manager, press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth," and then press the Right arrow key once to expand the menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the Bluetooth adapter, and then press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key to open the context menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Update driver," and then press Enter.
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Press the Up arrow key until you hear "Search automatically for updated driver software," and then press Enter. Follow the instructions on the screen. When you're ready, press the Tab key until you hear "Close," and then press Enter.
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If prompted, restart your computer, and then check if the updated driver fixed the connection issue.
Install the Bluetooth driver manually
If the automatic check for an updated Bluetooth driver was unsuccessful, you can try installing the driver manually.
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Visit the computer manufacturer’s website and download the latest Bluetooth driver from there.
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Do one of the following:
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If the driver you downloaded is an executable (.exe) file, move the focus on the file, and then press Enter to run it and install the drivers. Follow the prompts on your screen.
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If you downloaded individual files, and at least one file has an .inf file name extension and another has a .sys extension, do the following:
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Press the Windows logo key. Type Device manager, press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear "Device manager, control panel," and then press Enter.
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In Device Manager, press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth," and then press the Right arrow key once to expand the menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the Bluetooth adapter, and then press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key to open the context menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Update driver," and then press Enter.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Browse my computer for drivers," and then press Enter.
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Navigate to the location where you stored the driver files, and then press the Tab key until you hear "OK," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Next," and then follow the prompts on the screen. When the installation is finished, press the Tab key until you hear "Close," and then press Enter.
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If prompted, restart your computer, and then check if the updated driver fixed the connection issue.
Uninstall the Bluetooth adapter in Device Manager
If the Bluetooth icon is missing, but Bluetooth does appear in Device Manager, try uninstalling the Bluetooth adapter. Then shut down your computer and turn it back on to trigger an automatic reinstall.
Note: You might have to visit your computer manufacturer's website to download the latest Bluetooth driver.
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Press the Windows logo key. Type Device manager, press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear "Device manager, control panel," and then press Enter.
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In Device Manager, press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth," and then press the Right arrow key once to expand the menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the Bluetooth adapter, and then press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key to open the context menu.
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Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Uninstall device," and then press Enter. You're prompted to confirm the uninstallation. Press the Tab key until you hear "Uninstall," and then press Enter.
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Shut down your computer. Wait a few seconds, and then turn your computer back on. Windows will try to reinstall the driver.
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If Windows doesn't reinstall the driver automatically, scan your system for hardware changes as follows:
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Press the Windows logo key. Type Device manager, press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear "Device manager, control panel," and then press Enter.
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In Device Manager, press Alt+A to open the Action menu. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Scan for hardware changes," and then press Enter.
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Troubleshoot problems with Bluetooth accessories
If you can turn on Bluetooth but you're having problems pairing or using a Bluetooth accessory, try the steps in the following sections to fix common problems with Bluetooth accessories.
Also check your Bluetooth device manufacturer's website—especially if you have other Bluetooth devices that are working. The device manufacturer will probably have more detailed, product-specific information and troubleshooting steps.
Keyboard, mouse, or pen
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If you’re prompted to enter a PIN to use your device, but you don’t know the PIN, try the following:
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Check the device’s documentation for a PIN or look for one on the device itself.
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Try entering 0000 or 1234.
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If you’re prompted to enter a PIN, but you can't find a place to enter one on your computer screen, type 0000 on your Bluetooth keyboard, and then press Enter.
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Try to remove the device, then pair it again. Your device might be paired, but not connected—Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and pens connect only when necessary. For instructions on how to remove a device, refer to Remove the Bluetooth device and pair it again. For instructions on how to pair a device again, refer to Use a screen reader to pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
Audio
If you’re having problems connecting a Bluetooth audio device, hearing sound from the device, or the audio quality is poor, try the following:
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Make sure the audio device is within range of your computer.
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Check that the audio is playing through the Bluetooth device.
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If the Bluetooth device is displayed as paired, but you can’t hear the audio, check that your Bluetooth device is connected.
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Try pausing other things that might be using Bluetooth, such as file-sharing over Bluetooth. For more info, refer to Fix sound or audio problems in Windows.
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Remove the Bluetooth device, and then pair it again. For instructions on how to remove a device, refer to Remove the Bluetooth device and pair it again. For instructions on how to pair a device again, refer to Use a screen reader to pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
Check that the audio is playing through the Bluetooth device
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once. You hear: "System." Press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Display," press the Down arrow key until you hear "Sound," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Choose where to play sound," and then press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the name of the Bluetooth device you want. Press the SR key+Right arrow key or the Down arrow key until you hear the Bluetooth device, followed by "Radio button, selected." If you hear "Radio button, not selected," press Spacebar to select the device in focus.
Check that your Bluetooth device is connected
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Press the Windows logo key+I to open the computer Settings. You hear: "Settings window, search box."
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Press the Tab key once, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Bluetooth and devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Devices," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear the device category you want, for example, "Input," "Audio," or "Other devices," and then press the Down arrow key until you hear the device you want.
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When the focus is on the right device, press the Tab key once. You hear: "More options." Press Enter to select. You hear "Pop-up window," followed by the first option in the list. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "Connect," and then press Enter.
File sharing, phones, motion controllers, fitness trackers
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File sharing:
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Try using nearby sharing. To learn more about nearby sharing, refer to Share things with nearby devices in Windows.
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Make sure Bluetooth is turned on for both the sending and receiving device. For more info, refer to Send files over Bluetooth in Windows.
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Phones:
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The PIN should appear on your phone screen or computer screen. Check that the correct PIN is displayed on both devices.
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Motion controllers:
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To find instructions on how to troubleshoot problems with Bluetooth connected motion controllers, refer to Motion controllers in Windows Mixed Reality.
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Fitness trackers:
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To find instructions on how to troubleshoot problems with Bluetooth connected fitness trackers, refer to your device manufacturer’s instructions.
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Still having Bluetooth problems?
If you've tried the steps in this article and the Bluetooth issue persists, use the Windows Feedback Hub to file a bug. This helps Microsoft determine the root cause of the problem. Include specific details about what you were doing when the problem occurred. For example, if you started having Bluetooth problems after updating Windows or changing Windows versions, include this info. For instructions on how to send your feedback, refer to Use a screen reader to submit feedback with the Feedback Hub.
See also
Use a screen reader to pair a Bluetooth device in Windows
Use a screen reader to check and run Windows updates
Technical support for customers with disabilities
Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.
If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.
