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

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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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-05-29T00:06:59+00:00

    None of the solutions worked.

    SONY SVT15115CXS

    QUALCOMM ATHEROS AR3012

    JBL CHARGE 2+

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-29T01:11:31+00:00

    It's been more than a year now for this thread, and I came to conclusion that with windows 8.1 you can't resolve the Bluetooth problem. The only solution is upgrade to Windows 10. I've been using Bluetooth audio for 6 month and there is no problem at all.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-06T20:45:02+00:00

    That's great if it's a case of not knowing how to enable bluetooth. But many people that have 8.1 upgrades simply do not have bluetooth capability installed for whatever MS oversight.  A bluetooth USB compatible with windows 8.1 has to be purchased for about $15 and plugged in to have bluetooth capability.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-07T06:32:21+00:00

    Hi Muzaffar,

    Apologies for the inconvenience.

    You may try the following and check.

    Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

    Go to RUN(Windows logo + R) and type “regedit” to open registry editor.

    In registry editor go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion

    In Current Version find Current version and change the value 6.3 to 6.2.

    Now check your Bluetooth device

    Hope this helps.

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