On-Board Bluetooh Device is not showing up in Device Manager - Windows 11 pro

Question

On-Board Bluetooh Device is not showing up in Device Manager - Windows 11 pro

Frank 0

I couldn't get my Bluetooth keyboard & mouse to connect. Following troubleshooting guides on the Microsoft website, I removed the Bluetooth entries in Device Manager and as instructed, selected scan for hardware changes with the intent to reinstall the Bluetooth device drivers. However, the system is not recognizing the on-board Bluetooth device. Does this mean it has failed? Is there anything else I may be missing? TIA

EmilyS726 264.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-29T13:37:55.9033333+00:00
Hello

At this point, it is not possible to tell if it is hardware issue or software issue.

What you did so far was to rely on Windows to find the driver automatically. This may not work well for certain brands of network adapters.

Can you share with me two screenshots please, so I can help locate the OEM driver from manufacturer.

Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters, I would like to see what's listed.

Please type msinfo32.exe in the search on the taskbar and hit enter, then share a screenshot of the pop up.

Thanks!

1 answer

Your answer

EmilyS726 264.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-29T13:37:55.9033333+00:00

Hello

At this point, it is not possible to tell if it is hardware issue or software issue.

What you did so far was to rely on Windows to find the driver automatically. This may not work well for certain brands of network adapters.

Can you share with me two screenshots please, so I can help locate the OEM driver from manufacturer.

Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters, I would like to see what's listed.

Please type msinfo32.exe in the search on the taskbar and hit enter, then share a screenshot of the pop up.

Thanks!

Answer 1

If Bluetooth no longer appears in Device Manager after uninstalling it, that does not by itself confirm hardware failure. The supported next steps are:

Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter:
- Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters
- Next to Bluetooth, select Run.
Check for driver updates in Device Manager:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Bluetooth.
- Right-click the Bluetooth adapter and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart the PC after the update.
If Windows still does not find a newer driver, install the latest Bluetooth driver from the PC manufacturer:
- Go to the PC manufacturer’s support site.
- Search by the device model number.
- Download and install the latest Bluetooth driver for Windows 11.
- Restart the PC.
If Bluetooth previously appeared in Device Manager and was uninstalled, try the reinstall path again:
- Open Device Manager.
- Select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
- If needed, shut down the PC, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on so Windows can try to reinstall the driver.
If Bluetooth worked before a recent driver or Windows update, try rolling back the Bluetooth driver:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Bluetooth.
- Right-click the Bluetooth adapter > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
If this is a new setup or a desktop motherboard scenario, verify the device actually has Bluetooth hardware. Some Windows devices do not include built-in Bluetooth.

A practical interpretation of the current state:

If the Bluetooth adapter reappears after Scan for hardware changes, restart, or driver reinstall, the issue was likely driver detection rather than hardware failure.
If Windows still does not detect any Bluetooth adapter, installing the correct driver from the PC manufacturer is the next supported step.
If the device model does not include Bluetooth capability, no Bluetooth device will appear in Device Manager.