How to Troubleshoot a Bluetooth Dongle

Bluetooth dongles are bundled with most Bluetooth devices.

Bluetooth wireless technology allows all kinds of devices to be connected to computers wirelessly: keyboards, mice, speakers and even other computers. Most desktop computers don't come with Bluetooth adapters pre-installed, leading many to purchase and install an external Bluetooth adapter dongle. These dongles generally connect to a free USB port and install automatically without much hassle, but there is the potential for things to go wrong, as there tends to be when people and computers interact. Fortunately, these hiccups are usually fairly easy to troubleshoot.

Instructions

1. Unplug your Bluetooth dongle from your computer using the "Safely remove hardware wizard." Look for an icon on your Windows taskbar that resembles a USB connector with a green check circle and check mark beside it. Wait a couple of minutes, then re-insert it. This will cause the drivers to be reloaded on your computer, and may resolve your issue.

2. Restart your computer, then check if the Bluetooth dongle is working correctly. Some drivers require you to restart your computer before working properly.

3. Download and install the most recent drivers for your Bluetooth dongle. If you're unsure where to get them from, Windows can do it for you. Open "Control Panel" from the "Start" menu, click on "Hardware and Sound," then "Device Manager." Expand the "Bluetooth Radios" section of the list that opens, right-click on your Bluetooth adapter, and select "Update Driver Software." Select "Search automatically for updated driver software."

4. Uninstall, then re-install the Bluetooth dongle. Right-click on the Bluetooth dongle in the "Bluetooth Radios" section of the "Device Manager," and select "Uninstall." Remove the dongle from your computer, then restart the computer. Plug the dongle back in, and Windows will reinstall drivers for it.

Tips & Warnings

• You have to "pair" Bluetooth devices with a Bluetooth-enabled computer in order to use them, first. Check Resource 1 for help pairing devices with your computer.

References

• Windows: Troubleshoot problems with Bluetooth enabled devices

Resources

• Windows 7: Connect to Bluetooth and other wireless or network devices