On Windows 10, Bluetooth is a short-range networking technology that allows you to connect compatible devices (such as headphones, speakers, mice, and keyboards) to your computer wirelessly.
Although for the most part, you never need to worry about the version of the Bluetooth adapter you use. Sometimes to use a specific feature, you must have a particular version that includes a specific technology. For example, starting with Windows 10 version 1803, your device must have Bluetooth 4.0 with Low Energy (LE) support if you want to use the Nearby sharing feature to send files and links to nearby devices.
If you need to know the adapter version, you can quickly find out by checking the company’s support website or just checking your system information.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to quickly tell the Bluetooth adapter version installed on your Windows 10 computer.
How to tell the Bluetooth adapter version number on Windows 10
To check the Bluetooth version available on your device, use these steps:
Open Start on Windows 10.
Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
Expand the Bluetooth category.
Right-click the Bluetooth adapter and select the Properties option.
Device Manager Bluetooth category
Click the Advanced tab.
Under the “Bluetooth Radio Information” section, check the “Firmware Version” field and note the LMP (Link Manager Protocol) version number.
Bluetooth LMP number
- Check the LMP version using the table below to determine the Bluetooth version on Windows 10.
Here’s a table with the available Link Manager Protocol versions, which you can use to confirm the actual Bluetooth version:
0 | Bluetooth 1.0b |
1 | Bluetooth 1.1 |
2 | Bluetooth 1.2 |
3 | Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR |
4 | Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
5 | Bluetooth 3.0 + HS |
6 | Bluetooth 4.0 |
7 | Bluetooth 4.1 |
8 | Bluetooth 4.2 |
9 | Bluetooth 5 |
10 | Bluetooth 5.1 |
11 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
Once you complete the steps, you will know the adapter version you have on your computer. If you find out that your device doesn’t have a specific version with a required feature, you can always get an inexpensive USB Bluetooth adapter from Amazon.