On Windows 11, if the Bluetooth option is not available in the Settings app, there is likely one of three things that could be happening. The Bluetooth adapter might be disabled on the computer, you are looking at a driver problem that prevents Windows from detecting the adapter, or the device doesn’t have Bluetooth hardware.
Whatever the problem might be, there’s a solution. You could use Device Manager to enable the adapter or confirm if the computer has a Bluetooth adapter. Also, you can reinstall or update the Bluetooth driver to fix the problem.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to fix the Bluetooth adapter to allow the feature to be available from the Settings app on Windows 11.
Fix missing Bluetooth on Windows 11
To fix the Bluetooth option in the Settings app, use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
Expand the Bluetooth branch.
Right-click the Bluetooth adapter and select the Enable device option.
Once you complete the steps, the Bluetooth option will be available in the Settings app.
If the Bluetooth adapter is not present in Device Manager, the computer does not have Bluetooth-capable hardware. If this is the case, you can purchase an inexpensive USB Bluetooth adapter, such as the TP-Link USB 5.0 Bluetooth Dongle Receiver available on Amazon for around $15.
Resolve Bluetooth driver problems
If the Bluetooth option is missing from the Settings app, but the adapter is present in Device Manager, the problem could be related to the driver.
In this case, reinstalling or updating the device driver could resolve the problem. However, the driver you need will depend on the adapter you have. For example, the Bluetooth hardware usually comes built into the wireless hardware on laptops or motherboards, or it can be a standalone adapter like USB Bluetooth adapters.
Reinstall driver
To reinstall the Bluetooth driver on Windows 11, use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
Expand the Bluetooth branch.
Right-click the adapter and select the Uninstall device option.
Click the Uninstall button.
Restart your computer.
After you complete the steps, Windows 11 should reinstall the device driver automatically, fixing any issues with Bluetooth, and the option should be available in the Settings app.
Update driver
If you have to update the driver, you will need to download the package from the manufacturer’s support website and use its instructions to install the update. However, you can also refer to the steps below to update the device driver.
To update the Bluetooth driver, use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
Expand the Bluetooth branch.
Right-click the adapter and select the Update driver option.
Click the Browse my computer for drivers option.
Click the Browse button.
Select the folder containing the Bluetooth driver.
Click the Next button.
Click the Close button.
Once you complete the steps, the option to add Bluetooth devices should appear in the Settings app.