How to reconnect to a already paired bluetooth A2DP headset?

Anonymous
2009-12-03T13:50:48+00:00

I use a bluetooth stereo headset with my Laptop running Windows7/Fedora 12 and also with my mobile phone and with my ipod. I want to connect my headset to one of above devices at a time.

I have paired my headset with all of above devices (Windows 7, Fedora 12, my mobile and my ipod). Suppose I've currently connected my headset to the ipod and now I want to use it with my mobile. All I have to do is disconnect headset from ipod and connect it to my mobile. (The 'connect' and 'disconnect' facilities are there in both my ipod and mobile).

Suppose now I want to use the headset with Windows 7. (it's already paired and shown under Bluetooth Devices). Surprisingly in windows 7 there's no way of connecting to a already paired headset. (when you right-click on the headset icon under bluetooth devices there's no 'connect' options.). Now one might ask why don't you restart the headset? But it'll never work since headset will try to connect to the last device it connected. (in this case my mobile phone). Only way I can connect my headset to Windows 7 now is putting the headset back into pairing mode, deleting the headset from windows, and re pair it. This will take a lotof time and this will also install drivers for four bluetooth profiles headset supports. (A2DP, AVRCP, handsfree, headset). (This will also create a system restore point to make things slower).

Similar to my mobile phone and ipod in Fedora linux it's just a matter of right clicking bluetooth icon and selecting 'connect'. I have not used windows for a long time and may be I miss something very obvious or the way Windows 7 bluetooth works is very frustrating.

I use Windows 7 professional in a Dell Inspiron laptop. The bluetooth stack used is the one supplied with Wndows 7.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2010-07-20T14:39:16+00:00

Hi Jeff,

Reconnecting using Playback Devices works for reconnecting an already paired A2DP Bluetooth Headset to your PC, per the OP. Headsets are usually "dumb" in the respect that you cannot ask them to connect to a specific device, they just try to reconnect to the last device they connected to. Using "Playback Devices" gets around this by getting your computer to ping the device and ask it for a connection.

It sounds like you're having a totally different issue to the OP, namely that you can't get your android phone to connect to your PC after you've paired it. It's probably worth starting a new thread on that issue as it is completely separate to reconnecting "dumb" devices.

Apologies if I've misunderstood you.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-08-24T15:54:32+00:00

    I use a bluetooth stereo headset with my Laptop running Windows7/Fedora 12 and also with my mobile phone and with my ipod. I want to connect my headset to one of above devices at a time.

    I have paired my headset with all of above devices (Windows 7, Fedora 12, my mobile and my ipod). Suppose I've currently connected my headset to the ipod and now I want to use it with my mobile. All I have to do is disconnect headset from ipod and connect it to my mobile. (The 'connect' and 'disconnect' facilities are there in both my ipod and mobile).

    Suppose now I want to use the headset with Windows 7. (it's already paired and shown under Bluetooth Devices). Surprisingly in windows 7 there's no way of connecting to a already paired headset. (when you right-click on the headset icon under bluetooth devices there's no 'connect' options.). Now one might ask why don't you restart the headset? But it'll never work since headset will try to connect to the last device it connected. (in this case my mobile phone). Only way I can connect my headset to Windows 7 now is putting the headset back into pairing mode, deleting the headset from windows, and re pair it. This will take a lotof time and this will also install drivers for four bluetooth profiles headset supports. (A2DP, AVRCP, handsfree, headset). (This will also create a system restore point to make things slower).

    Similar to my mobile phone and ipod in Fedora linux it's just a matter of right clicking bluetooth icon and selecting 'connect'. I have not used windows for a long time and may be I miss something very obvious or the way Windows 7 bluetooth works is very frustrating.

    I use Windows 7 professional in a Dell Inspiron laptop. The bluetooth stack used is the one supplied with Wndows 7.

    So, I paid the $99 for a technician, Chandran from the service answer desk at Microsoft to help me connect an A2DP device to my Dell Inpiron 1720 laptop.  32 bit Windows 7.   He has been unsuccessful in getting the devices to connect.  Instead, he downloaded Ricoh memory card dirvers for Vista 32-bit and XP/2K" and ran a software program off of "tweaking.com" !  seriously!

    I need a tech name who can help me connect to the Bluetooth that has been added as a device.  Anyone know a Service Answer Desk , Tier III technician name at Microsoft who will resolve the problem?  Being as I paid my $99 and all....

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-31T08:44:26+00:00

    At least for Windows 8 it seems to work (German version so I hope I remember the terms right):

    1. Go to Settings
    2. Go to Show all printers and devices
    3. Scroll to your bluetooth device (it does not seem to matter in which group it is)
    4. Right-click and hit control (first option)
    5. There you should be able to connect to the device

    All given Bluetooth is turned on.

    If anyone finds a shorter way to this it would be great. Quite remarkable that you cannot reach it from stack directly....

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-04-18T01:11:50+00:00

    Agreed with XanderLopez.

    It is telling that the only reply we had from MS is that guy answering the usual Microsoft gibberish.  Réinstall, reboot...

    Amazing that we keep hoping they will actually do something about it.

    I have been searching the Net for a solution.  It's been a few years.  I thought that someone must have woken up and fixed this issue but, no luck I guess.

    Well, I guess I'll go and and erase the device and re-install it again.  That works like a charm every time...

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-12-14T17:06:51+00:00

    Why do you guys always provide useless information.  The problem issue is that device WAS paired using the latest drivers.  If you pair it to ANYTHING else after using Windows and powering down your PC/Laptop, for some reason Windows makes you go through the same pairing procedure again.  Nothing is being updated, Microsoft's software just can't seem to do the same thing it just did not long before.  The issue is NOT the drivers as they are still the same ones.  The issue is Microsoft's software. 

         Microsoft is doing the "selfish friend" scenario, basically.  In other words, saying "Okay, I know you and we paired up before, but because you hung out with someone else, well now you have to jump through hoops to hang out with me again."

    "Either get on the ball or get off the field"

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