How to Turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10: Complete Guide

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Computer & tech specialist Luigi Oppido explains how to activate bluetooth on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Written by Luigi Oppido | Edited by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: March 20, 2026 Fact Checked

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Enabling in the Action Center

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Enabling in Settings

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Adding Bluetooth to a PC

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Resetting a Bluetooth Adapter

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Bluetooth allows you to wirelessly connect headphones, keyboards, mice, controllers, and more to your Windows computer. But how exactly do you enable Bluetooth? In this article, we'll teach you how to enable Bluetooth in Windows 10 and use a USB adapter if your computer doesn't have Bluetooth installed natively. We also go over how to reset your adapter if Bluetooth stops working. Read on to learn more.

Turning on Bluetooth in Windows 10 & 11

Computer & tech specialist Luigi Oppido says to click Start and head to Settings. From there, go to Devices (Bluetooth and device on Windows 11) to see previously paired devices. If your device isn’t listed, put it in Pairing mode, then when it shows up, click and pair it. Enter the pairing code if it asks for one.

Section 1 of 4:

Enabling Bluetooth in the Action Center

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This will open the Action Center, which appears as a panel on the right-hand side of the screen.
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Click the Bluetooth button. If Bluetooth is turned off, this button will say Off. If Bluetooth is already on, the button will be highlighted and say Connected or Not connected.^{[1]
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- If you don't see the Bluetooth option here, you can enable it in settings.

Section 2 of 4:

Enabling Bluetooth in Settings

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The easiest way to do this is to click the Windows icon on your taskbar (Start), then click Settings, which is a gear icon on the left side of the Start menu.
It's in the top row of options, between System and Mobile devices. It has an icon that looks like an MP3 player and a keyboard.
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Toggle on Bluetooth. When you click Devices, you should automatically be in the "Bluetooth & other devices" menu. Under the "Bluetooth" header, click the toggle to enable Bluetooth.^{[2]
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- If the Bluetooth toggle is to the right and already says "on," you don't need to click the toggle again, as Bluetooth is already enabled on your PC.

Section 3 of 4:

Adding Bluetooth to a PC

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If your computer doesn't have a built-in Bluetooth adapter, you can add Bluetooth using an external adapter. These adapters connect to your PC via a USB port.
For best results, avoid putting the USB Bluetooth adapter on the back of your PC tower (if you're on a desktop), as this might interfere with the strength of the Bluetooth signal.
Almost every Bluetooth adapter is plug-and-play, which means you don't need to manually install anything to use it. Once you plug in the adapter, your computer should tell you it's setting up the device. This means your computer is downloading the necessary drivers to run the device. However, if you don't see this pop-up or your adapter is explicitly not plug-and-play, you will need to download and install the device's drivers from the manufacturer's website.
Go back to the section above to learn how to enable Bluetooth on your device once your Bluetooth adapter is set up.

Section 4 of 4:

Resetting a Bluetooth Adapter

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Open Device Manager. The easiest way to do this is to type device manager into the taskbar search bar and click Device Manager in the Start menu that pops up.
- If your Bluetooth isn't working on your computer, the fastest way to get it working again is to reset the adapter. These steps work for both built-in and external Bluetooth adapters.
The list of options is sorted alphabetically, so the Bluetooth menu will be near the top.
If you have a built-in Bluetooth adapter, you'll likely see something called "Realtek Bluetooth Adapter." If you're using a USB Bluetooth adapter, you'll want to look for the product name (such as USB-BT400 if you have an ASUS Bluetooth adapter).
In the pop-up, check the box next to "Attempt to remove the driver for this device."
The device and its drivers will be uninstalled from your computer.
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Reinstall your Bluetooth adapter. If you have a built-in Bluetooth adapter, simply restart your PC. When your computer restarts, it will automatically download and install the drivers for the Bluetooth adapter. If you're using a USB Bluetooth adapter, remove it from your computer and plug it back in. Your computer will reinstall all the necessary drivers for you.
- If your Bluetooth adapter specifically says you have to manually install drivers, you'll have to do that after plugging the device back into your computer.