To turn on Bluetooth in Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices, then switch Bluetooth to On. To connect headphones, a speaker, or a mouse, put the device in pairing mode, select Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth, and choose it from the list.
You can also turn Bluetooth on or off from the Bluetooth tile in Action Center.
Applies to: Windows 10 laptops and desktops with Bluetooth, including Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, and only PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates still get security fixes, through October 12, 2027.
Turn on Bluetooth in Settings
- Select Start > Settings > Devices.
- Select Bluetooth & other devices.
- Switch Bluetooth to On.
Turn on Bluetooth from Action Center
- Select the Action Center icon at the right end of the taskbar, next to the clock.
- Select the Bluetooth tile so it’s highlighted. Select Expand if you don’t see it.
If the tile is missing, go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions > Edit your quick actions, select Add, and choose Bluetooth.
Connect a Bluetooth device
- Turn on the device and put it in pairing mode. On most headphones and speakers, hold the power or Bluetooth button until a light flashes.
- In Bluetooth & other devices, select Add Bluetooth or other device.
- Select Bluetooth.
- Choose your device in the list and select Done when it shows it’s ready.
If Windows shows a PIN, check that the same PIN appears on the other device, then select Connect.
Connect Bluetooth headphones and hear sound through them
After pairing, Windows usually switches sound to the headphones. If it doesn’t, select the speaker icon on the taskbar and choose the headphones as the output. You can also make them the default audio device.
- Your PC may not have Bluetooth. Many desktops don’t. A USB Bluetooth adapter adds it.
- The adapter may be turned off. Right-click Start > Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click your adapter, and select Enable device.
- The driver may be missing. Try updating the Bluetooth driver.
- Airplane mode is on. Turn it off in Action Center.
Devices that won’t pair or keep disconnecting are covered in fixing Bluetooth problems in Windows 10.
If the Bluetooth switch won’t turn on or stay on
- Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, select Bluetooth, and select Run the troubleshooter.
- Start the Bluetooth service. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, double-click Bluetooth Support Service, set Startup type to Automatic, select Start, and select OK.
- Do a full shutdown. Hold Shift while you select Shut down, wait 30 seconds, and turn the PC back on. With Fast Startup on, a normal shutdown saves the adapter’s state instead of resetting it. Holding Shift skips that, just as a restart does.
Send or receive files over Bluetooth
Once a phone or another PC is paired, you can swap files without cables or internet. Go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices and select Send or receive files via Bluetooth on the right.
- To send: select Send files, pick the device, choose the files, and accept on the other device.
- To receive: select Receive files before sending from your phone. Windows asks where to save each file when it arrives.
Bluetooth is slow for big files, so it’s best for photos and documents rather than videos.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my PC has Bluetooth?
Open Device Manager. If there’s a Bluetooth section with an adapter in it, your PC has Bluetooth. See how to download Bluetooth in Windows 10 for drivers and adapters.
How do I remove a Bluetooth device?
In Bluetooth & other devices, select the device, then Remove device and Yes.
Does Bluetooth drain the battery?
A little. Turn it off when you’re not using it to save power.
Why does my Bluetooth device keep disconnecting?
Move it closer to the PC, keep USB 3 devices and Wi-Fi routers away from a USB Bluetooth adapter, and stop Windows from turning the adapter off to save power: in Device Manager, open the adapter’s Power Management tab and clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
Related: pair an Xbox controller with Windows 10 or send files from an iPhone to Windows 10. On Windows 11, the steps for connecting Bluetooth headphones are a little different.
Microsoft Support also has a page on how to turn Bluetooth on or off in Windows.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.