After upgrading to Windows 8.1, my Bluetooth device doesn’t work.

Anonymous
2013-11-11T23:32:10+00:00

After upgrading to Windows 8.1, my Bluetooth device doesn’t work. How can I get it working again?

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 No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-11-11T23:33:10+00:00

Hi,

 First, try updating the device’s driver:

1.      Check Windows Update for driver updates.

a.      Swipe in from the right to bring up the charms, and select Settings.

b.      Tap or click Change PC Settings.

c.      Select Update and recovery, then select Windows Update.

d.      Select Check for updates. Make sure to look at the Optional updates in the results.

2.      Check the device manufacturer’s site for updated drivers.

3.      Check the radio manufacturer’s site for updates. To determine what make and model of Bluetooth radio you have:

a.      Swipe in from the right to bring up the charms and select Search, and search for device manager. Open Device Manager from the search results.

b.      In Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, and look for a device with a name starting with Broadcom, Intel, or Qualcomm Atheros (these are the major radio manufacturers). Check the website of your radio manufacturer for driver updates.

c.      If you don’t see one of these manufacturers, but instead see Generic Bluetooth Adapter:

 i.     Press-and-hold or right-click on Generic Bluetooth Adapter, and select Properties

ii.     Select the Advanced tab.

iii.     Note the number next to Manufacturer ID.

iv.     Find that manufacturer ID on this page: https://www.bluetooth.org/en-us/specification/assigned-numbers/company-identifiers  (Common ones will be 2 = Intel, 15 = Broadcom, 69 = Atheros)

4.      Once you have updated your Bluetooth drivers, please try using your device again. In many cases, updating to the latest drivers will resolve the issue. In some instances, you may need to un-pair and re-pair the device from the Bluetooth settings (from the Settings charm, select Change PC Settings, and then select Bluetooth) to completely fix the issue.

If, after updating to the latest available driver and re-pairing the device, your Bluetooth device is still not working, please provide the following information in your post:

·              PC manufacturer and model

·              Bluetooth radio manufacturer and model

·              Remote device manufacturer and model

This information will help Microsoft to further understand your issue and determine if it is a known issue or a new problem that needs additional investigation.

Was this answer helpful?

50+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

184 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-07-15T00:22:48+00:00

    my bluetooth problems were solved by doing the following...

    NOTE: my solution did not require updating drivers or software but did require looking in the USB section of DEVICE MANAGER (which seems counter intuitive) but may only be appropriate for my hardware

    i went to device manager to check on hidden devices and noticed that a usb device had a "down arrow icon" next to it, which meant it was DISABLED

    i right-clicked and ENABLED it and the bluetooth icon appeared on the task-bar and my bluetooth mouse was WORKING

    it seems that switching AIRPLANE MODE from off to on only switches ON the WiFi and NOT bluetooth, with my particular hardware

    below are screenshots that may be clearer than my description...

    no bluetooth icon on task-bar

    device manager showing DISABLED device

    ENABLE device

    device manager now shows NO problem

    and the BLUETOOTH icon is on the task-bar

    and my mouse is working again! hope this helps others

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2015-07-18T04:34:50+00:00

    here is a fix for bluetooth in windows 8.1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BOzC0LN0lA

    It worked for me . I hope it also works for you

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-18T10:17:50+00:00

    here is a fix for bluetooth in windows 8.1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BOzC0LN0lA

    It worked for me . I hope it also works for you

    hello, this is what comes up when it starts to install....

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2015-09-24T22:47:09+00:00

    Do This

    After struggling for hours It turns out windows update downloaded the wrong drivers for my device which is why it stopped working. To find the right drivers do this:

    Download HWINFO from their website (google is your friend) and install. It will show you the exact model of the device your looking for so it works for anything your having trouble with. In my case it confused one Atheros device for another.

    Open the program and under NETWORK on the left-hand side click the expand (plus-sign) button and you will see a list of devices that are on your machine.

    Google the name or model of your device and include drivers in your search and voila, you will be searching for the correct drivers. Try to stick with the manufacturers website for your device ie; Intel.com for an intel device or in my case killer.com. Download the appropriate driver and install by double-clicking. If you are un-able to double-click to install search google for "how to manually install drivers".

    Good Luck!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments