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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

40+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

67 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-01-02T15:31:54+00:00

    I have the same problem. I use Samsung SBH500. The device is installed and paired. It works perfectly fine. The only issue is, as soon as it is disconnected, the Headsets Icon disappears from the Sound devices panel. In the context menue of this Icon, there is a "connect" menue item. As soon as the Headset is disconnected, the icon disappears, and so there is no way to connect any more. The "Show deactivated devices"  and "Show disconnected devices" checkboxes are checked.

    The only ways to reconnect now are

    1. Restart the computer

    or

    1. Deactivate and activate the Bluetooth adapter

    or

    1. remove and (re)add the headset from the Bluetooth devices

    This makes Bluetooth Audio with Windows 7 completely unusable. I have to be able to reconnect to a disconnected Bluetooth Audio device without restarting the whole adapter or restarting the computer.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-12T22:20:10+00:00

    I would just like to point out that I have the same problem with my bluetooth mouse and bluetooth numeric keypad.  With all the bluetooth devices out there, I can't actually believe that MicroSoft failed to have considered or come across this problem before issuing Windows 7.  Totally retarded!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T06:25:18+00:00

    Same here. I have a RocketFish Bluetooth headset, and once paired to Windows 7 and disconnected (from the device) and can not reconnect to it. I have to remove it and pair again. My friend that recommended this device has no problem having this headset paired with his MAC and his BlackBerry. I like a lot of things from Windows 7 (compared to Vista)... but definitely very disappointing to have this issue.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-01-26T08:42:40+00:00

    :( Well there is a way to re-connect :( BUT it is a hassle too.

    1. Right click on bluetooth icon on status bar
    2. Click Open Settings
    3. Select Audio tab
    4. Turn on your device
    5. Select what you need i.e. headset or earphone and click connect

    WHY THE #$#@ THIS CAN NOT BE SIMPLIER !!!!!!

    STUPIDITY

    Whoever coded this in Microsoft deserves Shnobel Prize of the Year.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments