How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to PC: Problems and Fixes

(Last update: March 10, 2021)

Here's how you can connect your Bluetooth headset to a Windows PC and solutions to common connection issues you might encounter.

Getting your first pair of premium Bluetooth headphones can be really exciting. Our first instinct is always to connect them to our phones to take advantage of its optimal wireless portability. But connecting Bluetooth headphones to our cell phones is easy. And the same can't really be said for Windows PCs, especially if you're inexperienced.

What if Bluetooth problems occur? This can be extremely frustrating, especially for people who are not tech-savvy. And those who just don't know how to move forward may think they might too.

stick to wired versions

However, this is not always the best solution. If you want to settle in and enjoy your tunes while working on your PC, don't let these frustrations stop you! Avoid feeling miserable and read this guide instead. With this, you will know how to connect a Bluetooth headset to a PC and fix common Bluetooth connection issues you may encounter.

Woman enjoying wireless headset connected to PC (From: Pexels)

Quick links

Click on the links to jump to the appropriate section.

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to PC

Bluetooth headphones won Do not connect to the PC: what to do

Bluetooth headphones connected but of poor quality: what to do

Conclusion

How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a PC

Before anything else, make sure you know by heart the simple steps to connect a Bluetooth headset to a PC. Whether it be

to play

, for movies or for listening to the occasional music, knowing how it's done correctly can save you tons of headaches. Fortunately, unlike using

A Bluetooth headset for TV

, connecting your headset to a PC is a fairly simple process.

No more guesswork when establishing a Bluetooth connection with your devices!

Here is how to correctly connect a Bluetooth headset to the PC:

Make sure your Bluetooth headset is in discoverable mode. To be discoverable, you must enter the device in '

pairing mode

Note that the steps to put the device into pairing mode may differ on all devices. Be sure to read the manufacturer's guide. For example,

opening the Taotronics SoundLiberty 79 charging case

will automatically put it into pairing mode. Whereas for Sony earphones you usually have to

press and hold the power button

Put your headphones in "discoverable mode". p>

Click on your PC's Start menu and go to your PC's settings. There, click on

Devices

In Settings, go to Devices

From there, turn on your Bluetooth by clicking the toggle and click

Add Bluetooth or another device

Enable Bluetooth and click Add Bluetooth Devices

On the pop-up window, click Bluetooth. This should automatically scan for any nearby Bluetooth devices.

Scan nearby Bluetooth devices

Once your headphones appear, click

Connect

Pair the device.

Depending on your headset model, it should connect immediately or prompt for a password. If a password is needed, just check your headset's manual. Or try "0000" (four zeros) as the usual default passcode.

These simple steps can help you enjoy your Bluetooth headset as much as you want. But, too often, pairing Bluetooth devices with your PC can fail. If your Bluetooth headphones are not connecting to PC, be prepared to perform the fixes we have listed for you in the following sections of this article.

Bluetooth headphones do not connect to the PC: what to do

Bluetooth may be the standard wireless connection today, compared to

other wireless connectivity options like RF and IF

, but that doesn't free it from specific defaults. And before delving into the more complex causes of Bluetooth outages, it's worth making sure where the problem lies first.

To do this, simply try connecting your Bluetooth headphones to different devices (like your phones, tablets, etc.). And see if it will work. If not, it's safe to say that the problem lies with your Bluetooth headphones. If so, on the other hand, you should look into your PC.

Either way, we've prepared some easy-to-follow steps on what to do when your Bluetooth headphones won't connect to your PC.

For Bluetooth Earphone Problems

There are two common causes of headphone-related connection failure. Those are:

The battery level is getting too low.

The Bluetooth configuration needs to be reset.

If that's not the problem, you should contact the manufacturer for warranty or take your headset to a professional. However, it is important to rule out these two items before performing any other repairs.

You can also check if your Bluetooth headphones are still connected to another device. While some headphones support more than 3 multipoint connections, others like the

Sony's WF-1000XM3

can only connect to a maximum of 2 devices at a time.

Check the battery

For Bluetooth to work properly, your headset's battery must be at optimal levels, otherwise you may experience an issue when trying to connect your device.

So, make sure to fully charge your batteries before using them to avoid connectivity issues due to low battery level. Take the time to recharge the batteries or replace them if you have spares. Then try to pair the devices again.

Reset the headset

Changes you make to your device, such as changing firmware or installing updates, may affect your headset's ability to connect.

Resetting your Bluetooth headset may be all you need to fix the errors and get it working optimally.

Different headset brands have different guidelines on how to accurately reset your device. The good news is that this ultimate guide to

how to reset your bluetooth headphones

largely covers reset procedures for different brands of headphones. Don't hesitate to check it out!

However, if you made it this far and the above-mentioned procedures did not fix the problem, proceed to check your PC settings.

For PC problems

It's not strange that your PC is the reason why your Bluetooth headphones failed to connect.

Since a PC is a complex device using multiple software and hardware to operate, expect that there will be multiple areas where the problem can occur. Here is a quick guide on how to fix Bluetooth connection issues on PC.

Make sure your PC supports Bluetooth

Disable and enable Bluetooth mode

'Forget' and reconnect the Bluetooth device

Activate the Bluetooth support service

Update your Bluetooth device driver

Use the troubleshooter

Make sure your PC supports Bluetooth

For Bluetooth technology to work, both

devices must be Bluetooth enabled

. The good news is that most modern PCs have Bluetooth capabilities, except for a few lower models and outdated PCs.

To check if your PC has built-in Bluetooth, follow these steps:

Look for the

bluetooth icon

on the taskbar located in the lower right corner of your screen. If you can't see it easily, click the up arrow to reveal the hidden icons and look for the Bluetooth logo.

Look for the Bluetooth icon in the taskbar.

If you still can't locate the Bluetooth icon, go to

Device Manager

To view Device Manager, locate the

Windows Start key

in the lower left corner of your screen, then right-click it or press

Windows key + X

together.

Look for Device Manager. Simultaneously press Windows key + X.

You can easily find Bluetooth in Windows 10 Device Manager. In Windows 7, it's under Devices and Printers. If Bluetooth is listed as one of the hardware in Device Manager, that means your PC is Bluetooth enabled.

If Bluetooth is listed in the hardware list, your PC is Bluetooth enabled.

How to Add Bluetooth to Your Windows PC

If you have followed the steps above and you have not seen any sign of Bluetooth, it means that your PC, unfortunately, is not Bluetooth compatible. However, you can still enjoy the convenience of this wireless technology by using one of these two external hardware:

bluetooth dongle

Bluetooth card

Details on how to add Bluetooth to PC are discussed below.

Use a Bluetooth dongle / adapter

A Bluetooth dongle is a device that plugs into a USB port to allow your non-Bluetooth PC to receive and transmit a Bluetooth signal.

To find out how to install Bluetooth, especially on Windows 10, watch this

short explanatory video.

You can also buy the best bluetooth dongle

here

Install the Bluetooth card

Another way to integrate Bluetooth into an outdated device is to use a Bluetooth card.

Bluetooth cards are ideal for both PCs and laptops as the former is often used for high volume transfers.

Unlike the dongle that takes up one of your USB ports, the Bluetooth card is installed in one of your motherboard's PCI slots. You might be worried that this will take up space on your PCI, but it also frees up one of your USB ports to make room for other peripherals.

Note, however, that installing a Bluetooth card requires a trained professional as it involves tinkering with the PC's CPU.

Look at this

video

for detailed instructions on how to install a Bluetooth card.

Disable and enable Bluetooth mode

Another way to fix connection issues is to restart Bluetooth mode. Disabling and re-enabling the Bluetooth function works the same way as resetting your device; it clears connectivity errors. By doing so, the PC starts scanning nearby devices again.

To disable and enable Bluetooth, go to

To start up,

and select

Settings

. Choose

Devices

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to PC: Problems and Fixes

, then select

Bluetooth and other devices

To disable and enable Bluetooth, go to Start and select Settings. Choose Devices, then select Bluetooth & other devices.

Turn Bluetooth off and wait for a few seconds, then turn it back on.

“Forget” and reconnect the Bluetooth device

If you've successfully paired the devices and a connection can't be established, you've hit a software glitch. To fix this, you will need to “forget” and reconnect the device to start a new connection. Here's how:

Make sure the device is not in

airplane mode

Make sure the device is not in airplane mode.

Click on the

Windows key and select the Settings icon.

Click on the device you are trying to connect to.

Select

'Delete device

Delete device

Confirm with a '

Yes p>

Confirm deletion.

To reconnect the device, see

how to connect bluetooth headset to pc

Enable Bluetooth Support Service

Bluetooth Support Service is a Windows service that makes it easy to discover and pair remote BT devices. Stopping this service causes installed Bluetooth devices to fail to work properly.

When the Bluetooth support service is disabled, the PC can no longer discover new devices to pair and prevents previously paired devices from connecting. p>

Therefore, make sure that this setting is enabled on your PC.

To check its status, follow these steps:

Press the Windows key and head to 'p>

Windows administrative tools

Press the Windows key and navigate to “Windows Administrative Tools”.

Click to display a drop-down menu. Click on the menu '

Services

You will be prompted by a list of services.

A list of services appears.

Select

Bluetooth support service

Select Bluetooth Support Service

On the top right side of the services window, you will see the Bluetooth support service status. Press on '

To start up

' if disabled.

Update your Bluetooth device driver

A Bluetooth driver is a device-specific software program that enables communication between your operating system and the Bluetooth device.

This makes it necessary to update the drivers for your Bluetooth device. To do this, follow these steps:

Search for '

Device Manager

' in your search field.

Search for 'Device Manager' in your search field.

Select '

Bluetooth

' under 'Device Manager'.

Select 'Bluetooth' under the 'Device Manager'.

Click the name of the Bluetooth device.

Press and hold the device name then choose

'Update driver'

Press and hold the device name, then choose "Update Driver".

Head to

“automatically search for updated driver software”

Head to “automatically search for updated driver software”.

Follow the stipulated steps and close the menu.

Restart your PC

and check if the connection issues have been resolved.

Restart your PC and check if the connection issues have been resolved.

Use the troubleshooter

If you still haven't reached a solution after running the mentioned fixes, it's time to use the hardware and device troubleshooter. This will help you find the problem and provide specific fixes to your computer issues.

Here's how to use

Hardware and Device Troubleshooter

In the search field, type

'troubleshoot'

and press Enter.

In the search field, type 'troubleshoot' and press enter. .

When prompted by the Troubleshoot window, navigate to

'Find and fix other problems'

When prompted with the Troubleshoot window, navigate to “Find and fix other problems”.

Select

"Hardware and Peripherals"

Choose ''Hardware and Peripherals''.

Click

'Run the troubleshooter'

to start running the troubleshooter.

Run the troubleshooter p>

Perform the on-screen commands to complete the task.

Follow the on-screen commands to complete the task.

Bluetooth headphones connected but with terrible quality: what to do

When you've finally gotten Bluetooth working but you've had other issues with the audio quality of your headphones, we've got help.

If the volume of your headphones is too low: see this article on “

Why are my headphones so quiet?

”.

For cases of sound delays: Go to “

How to Fix Sound Delays on Bluetooth Headphones

If no sound comes out of your headphones: find help in "

Bluetooth headset connected but no sound: PC and mobile fixes

If your audio continues to stutter, read our guide:

Bluetooth Headphones Keep Cutting Out: Problems & Fixes

Other audio problems can be caused by software and hardware incompatibility, such as when the Bluetooth headphones and the audio source do not have the same

audio codecs

, Where

Bluetooth Versions

Conclusion

Bluetooth technology aims to make life more convenient and comfortable by making what would otherwise be a cumbersome way to get around gadgets simple and flexible. Therefore, Bluetooth should be able to connect in no time.

With a trouble-free connection between your

wireless headphones

and your PC, you can enjoy audio quality in an instant, whether you're using it for your remote work, chatting with a loved one, or listening to music and so on.

I hope this guide has helped you get the most out of your Bluetooth headphones with your PC! Just make sure you don't abuse your helmet to protect yourself from anything.

permanent hearing damage

However, if you want to connect your headset to other devices, feel free to check out our other guides as well:

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to a Mac

How to Connect Bluetooth Headset to Switch

How to Connect a Bluetooth Headset to Xbox

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to TV

Did we miss something? Let us know and we'll add it in our next write-up.