How to Reinstall the Bluetooth Driver in Windows 11

To reinstall the Bluetooth driver in Windows 11, right-click Start, select Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click your Bluetooth adapter, select Uninstall device, and confirm with Uninstall. Then shut down the PC, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. Windows detects the adapter at startup and installs its driver again.

Applies to: Windows 11 (Home and Pro) on desktops and laptops with a built-in or USB Bluetooth adapter.

When reinstalling the driver helps

A driver is the small piece of software that lets Windows talk to a piece of hardware. Reinstalling the Bluetooth driver removes the adapter’s current entry in Windows and lets the system set it up from scratch. It is a standard fix for Bluetooth problems and worth trying when:

• The Bluetooth adapter shows a warning icon in Device Manager or reports an error code.
• Bluetooth won’t turn on, keeps turning itself off, or the toggle is greyed out.
• Devices that used to connect now fail to pair or keep dropping, even after you remove and pair them again.
• Bluetooth stopped working right after a driver or Windows update.

If all you want is a newer driver version, updating the Bluetooth driver on Windows 11 is the gentler first step. When Bluetooth is only switched off, turning Bluetooth back on in Windows 11 is all you need.

Before you start

• Use an administrator account. Driver changes in Device Manager, such as rolling back a driver, need administrator permission.
• Keep a wired keyboard and mouse handy if you normally use Bluetooth ones. They stop working the moment you uninstall the adapter and only come back after the driver is reinstalled.
• Save your work. The process ends with a shutdown or restart.
• Stay connected to the internet, ideally by Ethernet or Wi-Fi that doesn’t depend on Bluetooth, so Windows Update can supply a driver if the built-in one isn’t enough.
• Note your PC’s make and model (on a label underneath a laptop or on the back of a desktop). You need it if you end up downloading the driver from the manufacturer.

Reinstall the Bluetooth driver with Device Manager

This is the standard method, and it works for most built-in adapters.

1. Open Device Manager. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. You can also select Start, type Device Manager, and pick it from the results. A window opens listing hardware categories.
2. Expand Bluetooth. Select the arrow next to Bluetooth. You’ll see several entries. The adapter itself usually has a brand name and may include the word “radio” or “Bluetooth”. The other entries are services and paired devices.
3. Uninstall the adapter. Right-click (or press and hold) the adapter and select Uninstall device. A confirmation box appears.
4. Confirm. Leave the box labeled Attempt to remove the driver for this device unchecked for a normal reinstall, then select Uninstall. The adapter disappears from the list, and Bluetooth stops working for now.
5. Shut down and start again. Select Start > Power > Shut down, wait a few seconds, then turn the PC on. A full shutdown gives the Bluetooth hardware a clean power cycle; a restart (Start > Power > Restart) also triggers the reinstall. Holding Shift while you select Shut down makes sure the PC powers off fully.
6. Let Windows reinstall the driver. After you sign in, Windows detects the adapter and installs its driver automatically. Give it a minute, then open Device Manager again and check that the adapter is back under Bluetooth without a warning icon.

If the adapter doesn’t come back

Open Device Manager, select the Action menu, and choose Scan for hardware changes. Windows searches for connected hardware and installs drivers for anything it finds. If the adapter appears under Other devices instead of Bluetooth, Windows found the hardware but couldn’t install a suitable driver. Use Windows Update or the manufacturer’s driver, described below.

About the “Attempt to remove the driver for this device” box

The usual Bluetooth reinstall leaves this box unchecked. As its name says, ticking it also tries to remove the driver itself, not just the device entry. Use it only when you suspect the driver files are the problem, and only if you’re online or already have the manufacturer’s driver package saved, because Windows may then need Windows Update or a manufacturer download to get Bluetooth working again.

Get the driver from Windows Update

Windows 11 installs recommended drivers through Windows Update automatically, but optional drivers are not installed until you choose them. If Bluetooth is still missing after the reinstall, check both:

1. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update, then select Check for updates. Install anything offered and restart if asked.
2. On the same page, select Advanced options. Under Additional options, select Optional updates.
3. If a Bluetooth or wireless driver is listed under driver updates, select it and choose the option to download and install it.
4. Restart the PC after the installation, even if Windows doesn’t ask you to.

If no optional updates appear, check your PC manufacturer’s support site for newer BIOS, UEFI, or firmware updates for your model, because a missing Bluetooth adapter can also be a firmware problem.

Install the manufacturer’s Bluetooth driver

When Windows can’t find a working driver, or its driver causes problems, use the one your PC maker publishes for your exact model.

1. Go to your PC manufacturer’s support website and search for your model number.
2. Choose Windows 11 as the operating system and download the Bluetooth (sometimes listed as wireless or network) driver.
3. Run the downloaded installer and follow its prompts, then restart the PC.

If the download is a folder of driver files rather than an installer, open Device Manager, right-click the adapter (look under Other devices if it isn’t under Bluetooth), select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers, select Browse, and pick the folder you extracted.

For Intel Bluetooth adapters, Intel offers drivers on its Intel Wireless Bluetooth download page and recommends its Intel Driver & Support Assistant to update them. Intel also advises checking with your system manufacturer first, because the PC maker’s driver may be customized for your computer. Read the notes on that page before upgrading: some Intel driver upgrades require you to unpair your Bluetooth devices first and pair them again afterward.

Update or roll back instead of reinstalling

A full reinstall isn’t always necessary. Two lighter options are also in Device Manager:

• Update the driver: Right-click the adapter, select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers, and follow the prompts. If Windows says The best drivers for your device are already installed, Device Manager has nothing newer on the PC; check Windows Update or the manufacturer’s site instead.
• Roll back the driver: If Bluetooth broke after a driver update, right-click the adapter, select Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver. Choose a reason, select Yes, and restart if prompted. Not every driver offers this option; if it isn’t available, use the manufacturer’s driver instead.

Microsoft’s Update Bluetooth drivers in Windows page lists these options alongside the reinstall steps.

Confirm Bluetooth works again

1. Open Device Manager and expand Bluetooth. The adapter should be listed with no yellow warning icon. Right-click it and select Properties; the Device status box should say the device is working properly.
2. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices and make sure Bluetooth is on.
3. Try your devices. If one doesn’t reconnect, pair it again: select the Network, Sound, or Battery icon on the taskbar, select the arrow on the Bluetooth quick setting (Manage Bluetooth devices), put the device in pairing mode, choose it under New devices, and select Done when it connects.

Troubleshooting

There’s no Bluetooth category in Device Manager

• Check Other devices for an unknown device and install the manufacturer’s driver for it.
• Select View > Show hidden devices. Hidden entries include devices Windows remembers but can’t currently see, which tells you the adapter was there before.
• Some laptops have a physical Bluetooth switch on the body. Make sure it’s on.
• Turn the PC off completely (hold Shift as you select Shut down), wait a minute, and turn it back on.
• If the PC never had Bluetooth, a USB Bluetooth adapter adds it.

The Bluetooth toggle is missing or greyed out

Press Windows key + A to open quick settings and make sure Airplane mode is off. Then run the Bluetooth troubleshooter: select Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, and select Run next to Bluetooth. Microsoft also offers an automated Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Its Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows page links to it and covers other connection issues.

Device Manager shows an error code

Right-click the adapter, select Properties, and read the Device status box. These are the codes most often tied to driver problems, from Microsoft’s Device Manager error codes list:

Code	What it means	What to try
Code 10	The device cannot start.	Update the driver, or reinstall it with the steps above.
Code 22	The device is disabled.	Select the adapter and use the Action menu to enable it.
Code 28	The drivers aren’t installed.	Uninstall the device, then use Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Code 31	Windows can’t load the required drivers.	Select Update driver and follow the prompts.
Code 43	Windows stopped the device because it reported problems.	Uninstall and scan for hardware changes; if it returns, contact the manufacturer.
Code 45	The hardware isn’t connected.	Reconnect the adapter; the error clears once Windows sees it again.
Code 52	Windows can’t verify the driver’s digital signature.	Install the latest driver from the manufacturer.

“Uninstall device” or “Roll Back Driver” is unavailable

Some driver changes, such as rolling back a driver, need administrator rights. Sign in with an administrator account, or ask the person who manages the PC. On a work or school computer, your organization may control drivers and block changes; contact your IT support team rather than trying to work around it.

Bluetooth breaks again after every update

Roll back the driver, then check the manufacturer’s site for a driver built for your model. PC makers may customize drivers for their systems, so the maker’s version can suit your PC better than a generic one. If the adapter keeps failing with fresh drivers, or a USB Bluetooth adapter works where the built-in one doesn’t, the built-in hardware may be faulty.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to uninstall the Bluetooth driver?

Yes. Uninstalling the adapter in Device Manager doesn’t delete your files, and Windows reinstalls the driver when you restart or scan for hardware changes. The only catch is that Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and headphones stop working until the reinstall finishes.

Will I need to pair my Bluetooth devices again?

Possibly. Paired devices often reconnect on their own, but if one doesn’t, pair it again from the Bluetooth quick setting or Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Some Intel driver upgrades specifically require unpairing first.

Should I restart or shut down after uninstalling?

Either triggers the reinstall. A full shutdown also power-cycles the Bluetooth hardware, so that’s the better choice when Bluetooth has disappeared.

Do I need the internet to reinstall the driver?

Often not, because Windows tries to reinstall the adapter’s driver on its own at startup. Stay connected anyway: you need the internet if you ticked Attempt to remove the driver for this device, or if Windows Update or the manufacturer has to supply the driver.

What’s the difference between updating and reinstalling?

Updating replaces the current driver with a newer one. Reinstalling removes the adapter and sets it up again, usually with the same driver, which clears problems with the device’s setup rather than its version.

Should I use a third-party driver updater?

You don’t need one. Windows Update, Device Manager, and your PC manufacturer are the official driver sources, and Intel recommends checking with your PC maker before installing its own drivers. Stick to those.

I’m on Windows 10. Are the steps the same?

They are similar, but some Settings pages differ, so use the Windows 10 version of these steps.

Once Bluetooth is back, pair your devices again if needed and check Optional updates occasionally so a newer Bluetooth driver doesn’t sit uninstalled.

Still stuck? Try turning on Bluetooth when there’s no toggle, or fixing corrupted drivers in Windows 11.