How to Connect a Bluetooth Speaker to a Windows 10 Laptop

Hi everybody! Bluetooth can be a little tricky when it comes to connecting a speaker. I’ve explained before how to enable your Bluetooth and I mentioned installing Bluetooth headsets/headphones/speakers there, but this article will be focused specifically on Bluetooth speakers and the issues that you may face with them. Ok, let’s do it!

First of all, enable your Bluetooth

  1. Click on the Action Center icon or press Windows logo key + A.
  2. Click on the Bluetooth icon to enable it if it’s disabled.
  3. You can also right-click on the icon and select Go to Settings.
  4. In the Bluetooth settings page, turn it on and off using the toggle button. You will also be able to see the paired and available Bluetooth devices list.
  5. In the same page, scroll down to the very bottom and make sure to check Download over metered connections, this way your laptop will download any needed drivers for the Bluetooth speaker you’re connecting even if you’re on a mobile data connection. Don’t worry, these drivers are very light in general, that won’t take too much of your data quota.

Note that enabling your Bluetooth doesn’t always mean that your laptop is discoverable by other devices. Follow the next part in order to make it discoverable.

Second, time to change your Bluetooth Discoverability

It’s very important to make your Bluetooth visible so that your laptop and your speaker can see each other. That means having your Bluetooth on doesn’t always mean that you’re visible. Follow these steps to make your Bluetooth discoverable:

  1. Press your Windows logo Key to launch your Run app and then type control panel then press Enter or click Ok.
  2. Search for Bluetooth and then choose Change Bluetooth settings.
  3. On the Options tab, check the checkbox under the Discovery section to Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC.
  4. As you can see there is an option to alert you when a Bluetooth device tries to connect and another one to show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area as well. Feel free to set these however you want.
  5. Now click Apply and then Ok.

Now that your device is visible and ready, let’s connect our speaker.

Now, let’s pair with the Bluetooth speaker

In order to play your laptop audio on a Bluetooth speaker, you have to connect them to each other. This is done via Pairing with the device. But you need to put your speaker into pairing mode, first. Some speakers go into pairing mode once they are turned on and others may require a certain button clicked in order to start pairing, so please your speaker’s manual if you’re not sure how to start pairing. Once your speaker is pairing, follow these steps in order to connect it to your laptop:

  1. Open your Settings from your start menu.
  2. Click on Devices.
  3. You’ll see a list of all the paired devices. To add a new one, click on the Add Bluetooth or other device at the top.
  4. Click on Bluetooth in order to search for Bluetooth devices.
  5. Notice that some speakers with buttons can be detected as an Input device, it’s totally okay. Just click on the speaker you want to pair with.
  6. If needed, verify the code on both devices you are connecting and then click Connect.
  7. Once paired, click Done.
  8. Now you are ready to use your connected Bluetooth speaker for the first time.

What if you’ve already paired with the speaker?

Well, in that case, you’re ready to immediately connect to your Bluetooth speaker. Most of them already save a few paired devices and once you turn the speaker on, it searches for the ones it knows and connects to them immediately. But if this didn’t happen, then you’ll have to do this manually as I’ll explain (4 methods included):

Method I: Connect via Settings

This is pretty easy, just go to Settings> Devices and then click on the speakers then click the Connect button. Be aware not to fall for the device while it’s listed out f the Audio devices list, you can only connect to the speakers from the Audio list.

Method II: Connect via Playback devices

This one is my favorite, you can easily tell which playback device is taking the lead by inspecting the list. You can then disconnect the one you don’t want to play your audio, maybe disable it completely and try to connect the desired one. Here’s how to do it:

  1.  Right-click on the speaker icon in the bottom-right part of the screen and choose Sounds.
  2. Click on the Playback tab in order to see your audio devices list.
  3. Right-click on the speakers you want to connect to and then click Connect. (Aim  for  the  speakers,  not  the  headset).
  4. You’ll then notice that the speaker got activated and it should fire your audio out of it. I would suggest to keep playing a song in the background just to check for the changes.

If none of the last couple of methods worked, we have one more left, check it out!

Method III: Connect via Action Center

  1. Click on the Action Center icon or press Windows logo key + A.
  2. Click the Connect icon.
  3. Now this is a list of all devices you can request a connection to them. Note that all kind of devices can appear here (printers, projectors, screen, speakers …etc) so make sure you know your device name).

Method IV: Connect via Control Panel

  1. Press your Windows logo Key to launch your Run app and then type control panel then press Enter or click Ok.
  2. Search for Bluetooth and then choose Devices and Printers.
  3. Double click on the device you want to connect to (for example, here is my RB-S2 headset).
  4. Now, you should turn on your Bluetooth headset and quickly click the Connect button.
  5. Once your device is connected, you’ll be able to see it marked and the button turns into a Disconnect one.

Now let’s go for another problem… What if you got connected to your Bluetooth Speaker but you can’t hear any sound. In the following section, I’ll be introducing a few tips to fix this one.

Bluetooth speaker connected but can’t hear any audio

Well, there are many possibilities for this issue, so please follow me in order to go after every existing solution:

  • Make sure the audio isn’t muted. Do this from both the laptop and the speaker.
  • Turn off you speaker and then turn it back on.
  • Turn off your laptop Bluetooth and turn it back on from the Settings app : Settings>Devices.
  • Here’s another way to restart your Bluetooth:
    • Press your Windows logo Key to launch your Run app and then type control panel then press Enter or click Ok.
    • Search for network adapters and then click on View network connections.
    • Now, right-click on your Bluetooth Network Connection and click Disable.
    • Repeat the last step but choose to Enable it this time.
  • Try restarting your computer, sometimes it fixes the issue.
  • Click on the speakers icon at the bottom right corner then on the playback device name, you can change it to the laptop’s speaker and then change it back to the Bluetooth one. This one really works for me.
  • Right-click on the Bluetooth speaker and disconnect it and then reconnect it.
  • If the problem remains, you should remove the speaker from the Bluetooth devices list and pair with it again (Redo all the steps in this guide).
  • Download the Bluetooth driver from your laptop manufacturer’s official website and install it manually and reboot your laptop, this may fix all kind of driver issues.
  • Start/Restart all the Bluetooth services you can find here:
    • Press Windows logo key X and choose Run or press Windows key + R to launch the Run app.
    • Type services.msc and then click OK.
    • In the services list, look for any Bluetooth service, right-click on each one of them and choose Start or Restart if they’re already active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my computer not have Bluetooth?

Some older laptops and computer models might not have an incorporated Bluetooth receiver and transmitter. If you’re certain that your computer or laptop should have one, then there might be a problem with your drivers. Check this article to see how to solve that issue. On the other hand, if your machine doesn’t have any incorporated Bluetooth capabilities, you’re going to need to buy a USB Bluetooth dongle to get the job done.

Do all laptops have Bluetooth?

While Bluetooth is very common in most laptops these days, there’s no guarantee that every single one of them has incorporated Bluetooth capabilities. We recommend checking the technical specifications before making a purchase. If you’re not tech-savvy, you need not worry, because you’ll most likely see a sticker or an LED light with the Bluetooth logo on it. If not, you can either check the user manual or the shop stand that should have the most relevant technical specifications listed out.

Can I download Bluetooth to my PC?

This question appears more often than a tech expert might like, and it needs to be addressed. Nobody can’t stress this enough: you can’t download Bluetooth capabilities, just like you can’t download more RAM or download a new CPU or GPU. These are all physical components and you need to purchase and install them in order to gain their benefits. Websites that scam you into “downloading more RAM” will inevitably infect your computer with viruses, crypto miners, malware, spyware, or even ransomware. Bottom line: don’t fall for it!

Suggested Read: How To Enable And Use Bluetooth In Windows 10

Final Thoughts

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this article and that we’ve managed to cover all the necessary information to get you going and solve all of the potential problems that you might encounter. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments below and share this article with others who might need help getting their Bluetooth speakers to work on their laptop.

Every day, we encounter different problems on our computers and other devices that require immediate response so that our work won’t be put on hold. From typical system errors and installation of various devices to simple information about technical terms, our website offers most of your computer-related questions, especially for Windows 10. Check us out now and you may find helpful tutorials. Or you may directly ask about How To Disable Cortana.

2 Comments

  1. Hi there,
    I have a strange problem maybe you can help me out. I have a Bose Soundlink Revolve + portable Bluetooth speaker that once connected to my Lenovo Yoga 3 Windows 10 laptop, loses its own volume control (you can only control the volume from the laptop) and loses the ability to reach its maximum volume. The speaker works fine on other computers and on Android. I’ve noticed that my laptop pairs the speaker as if it’s headset rather than a speaker, is there a way to change how it recognizes the speaker?
    Thank a lot!

  2. THANK YOU!!! I finally got there and connected my beoplay speaker, method III worked for me and no where else did I find this information.

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