How to check if there is a bluetooth module in a laptop

Bluetooth modules began to be massively installed in laptops in the mid-2000s. If you have a 2010 or newer model, then it almost certainly has this wireless interface. If your laptop is older, it is better to check the characteristics of the model on the website of the manufacturer or official dealers.

It’s easier for MacBook owners in this regard. You can not check anything, because even in the very first model of 2006 was Bluetooth module.

How to prepare for work

Think about what you would like to connect to your laptop. Smartphone, Bluetooth headphones, fitness tracker or smart watch are all good options.

Unpair this Bluetooth device from other gadgets. For example, disconnect the headphones from the smartphone.

How to turn on Bluetooth on a Windows laptop

Keyboard buttons

Many laptop keyboards have an Fn button. Together with the F1-F12 keys in the top row, it provides access to special functions.

If you see a Bluetooth icon on one of the F1-F12 buttons, press it together with Fn. Or, if your keyboard is configured differently, only on a button with Bluetooth.

Sometimes Bluetooth is turned on and off along with Wi-Fi – through “Airplane Mode”. In this case, look for the button with the Wi-Fi icon and press it – first with Fn, and then without, if you do not know for sure how to do it correctly.

OS tools

Windows 10

Click on the “Notification Center” in the lower right corner of the screen (near the clock), and then on the item with Bluetooth.

After that, the button will become brighter. “Not Connected” means that no Bluetooth devices have been paired with your laptop yet. You can add them by right-clicking on “Go to Settings”.

In the window that opens, you can make sure that Bluetooth is connected and search for the necessary gadgets.

Windows 7

In the notification area next to the clock, look for the Bluetooth icon. If it is here, click on it, then – “Enable adapter”.

If there is no icon, then you need to add it. Click the “Start” button, select “Devices and Printers” from the menu. Right-click on the “My Computer” icon in the list of devices and select “Bluetooth Settings”, then in the window that appears, check the box next to the line “Allow Bluetooth devices to discover this computer” and click OK.

Alternatively, right-click on the network icon in the notification area (or go to the control panel) and select “Network and Sharing Center”, click “Change adapter settings”. Or go to the menu “Control Panel” – “Network and Internet” – “Network Connections”. After that, right-click on the option “Bluetooth Network Connection”, then – “Enable”.

What to do if you can’t turn on Bluetooth on a Windows laptop

Activate the module in the “Task Manager”

Go to “Device Manager”: right-click on the “My Computer” / “Computer” icon, select “Properties” and go to the desired menu. Expand Bluetooth. If there is a Bluetooth device icon with an arrow here, right-click on it and click “Turn on device”.

Check Unidentified Devices

Update the list of devices in the device manager: right-click on any of them and select “Update hardware configuration”. If there are unrecognized devices in the list, try to automatically search for and install drivers.

Update or reinstall the driver

In the “Device Manager” right-click on the desired device and select “Update driver” and install automatically. If you can’t find the driver automatically, go to the website of your laptop manufacturer and try downloading the right one from there.

If there is no driver for your model or operating system, you can find it in a search engine by hardware ID. To find out this ID, click on the device in the task manager, select “Properties”, go to the “Details” tab and select “Hardware ID”.

If you find an installation package, just run it. If you are offered an inf file, save it to your laptop, and then repeat the procedure: click on the device in the task manager, go to “Update driver”, select manual installation and specify the location of the file.

Check your PC for viruses

Bluetooth may not work or may not work properly due to malware. These programs will help solve the problem:

• Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool;
• Avast;
• Avira;
• Sophos Home Free;
• Total AV (free trial for 7 days);
• BullGuard (free trial for 30 days).

How to turn on Bluetooth on a MacBook

In the menu bar, click on the Bluetooth icon if it is greyed out. In the window that appears, select “Turn on Bluetooth”. If the icon turns black, then everything worked out.

If the icon is greyed out but has three dots on top, it means that at least one device is already paired with Bluetooth on your laptop. Accordingly, the module is already included.

If there is no icon in the line, go to “System Preferences” in the Apple menu, select the Bluetooth item and click on the “Turn Bluetooth on” button. We also advise you to check the box “Show Bluetooth in line …