Bluetooth Paired But not Connected – How To Fix?

We may face problems while trying to connect a Bluetooth device with Windows 10 computer. Even though they are already paired beforehand, they refuse to get connected. It can happen due to many issues like connecting multiple devices together or Bluetooth driver problem.

If you are facing the same issue, there is nothing to be worried about. This is because there are several solutions to the problem also available. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step solution to Bluetooth pair but connecting issue.

How To Fix “Bluetooth Paired But Not Connected” Issue?

We are listing down the different methods to solve the issue. You should try them out one by one and follow the steps minutely.

Method-1 – Give Bluetooth Services A Restart

The first step you should take is restarting your computer’s Bluetooth services. This is because it refreshes the connection and solves the issue if it is not a major one. Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1: On your computer keyboard, press Windows + R.

Step 2: Type “services.msc” and hit Ok.

Step 3: Look for “Bluetooth Support Service” and you have to right-click on it.

Step 4: Click Restart option.

Step 5: Double-click on “Bluetooth Support Service” option.

Step 6: Hit “Startup Type” followed by “Automatic“.

Step 7: Click Apply followed by Ok.

You will now Have to Switch off Bluetooth and Switch it Back Again.

Step 1: Open Settings by pressing Windows + I simultaneously.

Step 2: Select “Devices“.

Step 3: Click “Bluetooth & other services“.

Step 4: The Bluetooth option switch will be ON and you need to turn it OFF.

Step 5: Wait for a few seconds and turn it ON again.

Step 6: Select “Add Bluetooth & other devices” to add the device.

Step 7: Click the Bluetooth icon to connect the device.

If you are using Windows 11, there are the steps to follow.

Step 1: Launch the Settings panel by pressing Windows and I keys simultaneously.

Step 2: Select “Bluetooth & Devices“.

Step 3: Switch Off Bluetooth and switch it ON again.

Step 4: Add the Bluetooth device by clicking on Bluetooth.

Method-2 – Check Bluetooth Device settings

If the connected Bluetooth device settings are not perfect, you will face issue connecting your Bluetooth device. Here are the steps to get the settings perfect.

Step 1: Open the Control panel by going through the search box.

Step 2: Select “view by category“.

Step 3: Hit on “devices and printers“.

Step 4: Locate the Bluetooth device.

Step 5: Right-click on the device to look for properties.

Step 6: Confirm Bluetooth services through the services tab.

Step 7: Check all the boxes and click Apply.

Step 8: Click Ok.

Method-3 – Try A Different USB Port

If your computer does not have an inbuilt Bluetooth connection which is the case with most desktop computers, you are likely to use a Bluetooth connector on your computer to connect external Bluetooth devices. The Bluetooth connector is likely to be connected through USB port. You should try a different USB port when you cannot connect external Bluetooth devices using the Bluetooth connector on your computer. Switching to a different USB port for the Bluetooth connector can solve the problem.

Method-4 – Update Bluetooth Driver

One of the common reasons behind Bluetooth not connecting properly is due to the Bluetooth drivers getting outdated. Here are the steps to update Bluetooth drivers.

Step 1: Launch the Run window by pressing the Windows and R keys together.

Step 2: Type “devmgmt.msc” and click Ok.

Step 3: Select “View“.

Step 4: Select “Show hidden devices“.

Step 5: Double click on Bluetooth.

Step 6: Right-click followed by a click on Update Driver.

Step 7: Select “Browse my computer for drivers“.

Step 8: From the many options, select “Let me pick from a list“.

Step 9: Choose the first option and select “show compatible hardware“.

Step 10: Click “Next” and wait for some time for the update process to complete.

Method-5 – Connect Bluetooth from Action center

You should try to connect your Bluetooth device from Action Center. Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1: Click on the icon of Action center or press the Windows + A button on the keyboard.

Step 2: Hit “Connect” and look for the paired device.

Step 3: Click on the device on the list and the device should be connected.

Method-6 – Connect Device From Settings

If it is not working from the Action Center, you can also connect your Bluetooth device from Settings and here are the steps to follow.

Step 1: Go to “Settings“.

Step 2: Select “Devices“.

Step 3: Click “Bluetooth & other devices“.

Step 4: Select the Bluetooth device and hit “Connect“.

Method-7 – Reinstall Bluetooth Driver

If no update of the existing Bluetooth driver is available, you have to uninstall and thereafter, reinstall the existing Bluetooth driver.

Step 1: Start the Run window.

Step 2: Type “devmgmt.msc” and click Ok.

Step 3: Select Bluetooth and expand it.

Step 4: Right-click on the option Bluetooth adapter.

Step 5: Select “Uninstall device“.

To reinstall the driver, you can follow these steps.

Step 1: Go to Device Manager.

Step 2: Select “Action“.

Step 3: Hit the option ‘Scan for hardware changes.

Step 4: Close Device Manager and restart your computer.

Method-8 – Set The Bluetooth Device as Default

When you have multiple Bluetooth devices paired, the system may be confused which to connect by default. You can set your regular Bluetooth device as default so that it gets connected automatically.

Step 1: Open the Run window by pressing Windows + R.

Step 2: Type “mmsys.cpl” and hit “Ok“.

Step 3: Select the Sound window and click the device you are looking to use.

Step 4: Select “Set as default“.

Step 5: Click Apply followed by Ok.

Step 6: Reboot your computer system.

Method-9 – Turn Off Airplane Mode

If the airplane mode is on, Bluetooth services won’t work. Here are the steps to turn off Airplane mode.

Step 1: Go to Action Center by pressing Windows + A together.

Step 2: Confirm if Airplane mode is off. If not, turn it off.

Step 3: Check if Bluetooth is on.

Conclusion

By going through the above methods, you will be able to connect your Bluetooth device to your computer. However, at times an external device will interfere with the existing Bluetooth connection. This can lead to problems and you will have to fix the issue. Additionally, there are also third-party tools that help to fix the problem. You can use them to replace the missing or corrupt files.