9 Solutions for a Missing Bluetooth Option in Windows

On Windows 11, the Bluetooth option occasionally disappears. Here’s how to resurrect it.

Is the Bluetooth option no longer available on your Windows 11 computer? Unfortunately, the issue is far more widespread than you may believe.

Misconfigured settings, broken Bluetooth drivers, and even issues with the Windows operating system might all be potential causes of this issue. If you’re not sure what’s causing the issue, here are some troubleshooting techniques to restore the missing Bluetooth option.

Run the Appropriate Windows Troubleshooters

Windows troubleshooters are built-in programs that may assist you in diagnosing and resolving a variety of system-level problems. To begin, launch the Bluetooth troubleshooter and enable Windows to resolve any typical Bluetooth-related issues. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. To launch the Settings app, press Win + I.
  2. In the System tab, click on Troubleshoot.
  3. Select Other troubleshooters.
  4. Click the Run button next to Bluetooth.

Windows will examine your machine for problems and attempt to resolve them. You may also use the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter to scan your computer for hardware problems.

Here are the steps you can follow:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic in the Open field and press Enter.
  3. In the Hardware and Devices window, click Next and follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter.

Check the Quick Settings Panel

The Quick Options panel in Windows 11 allows you to access commonly used settings such as Bluetooth. If you can’t find the Bluetooth toggle in the Quick Settings panel, you may have accidentally deleted it. Here’s how to get it.

  1. Press Win + A to open the Quick Settings panel.
  2. Click the pencil icon to edit the Quick Settings panel.
  3. Click on Add and select Bluetooth from the list to add it to the panel.

Check your Bluetooth Settings

If you previously deleted the Bluetooth icon, it may no longer display on the taskbar or system tray.

  1. Open the Start menu and head to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices.
  2. Go to Devices and click on More Bluetooth Settings.
  3. Tick the box that reads Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area.
  4. Hit Apply followed by OK.

Disable Fast Startup

While activating Fast Startup might reduce startup times, it can sometimes hinder Windows apps and features from launching correctly. As a result, if the Bluetooth option is still absent from your computer, it is preferable to disable Fast Startup.

To disable Fast Startup on Windows 11, follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + S to open the search menu.
  2. Type the control panel and press Enter.
  3. Go to Power Options.
  4. Click on Choose what the power buttons do from the left pane.
  5. Click the Change settings that are currently unavailable link.
  6. Under the Shutdown settings section, uncheck the Turn on fast startup (recommended) option to turn it off.
  7. Click Save changes.

After that, restart your PC to see whether the Bluetooth option displays.

Configure the Bluetooth Support Service

The Bluetooth Support Service is a tiny piece of software that must run in the background for Bluetooth to operate on Windows. Such problems may emerge if the service is not operating for whatever reason. Here’s what you can do to repair it.

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type services.msc in the text field and press Enter.
  3. Double-click on the Bluetooth Support Service to open its properties.
  4. Use the drop-down menu next to Startup type to select Automatic.
  5. Hit Apply to save the changes.

After that, restart your PC to see whether the Bluetooth option displays.

Bluetooth Drivers Should Be Updated or Reinstalled

Broken or corrupt Bluetooth drivers on your PC might possibly be the root of the issue. If this appears to be the case, upgrading the troublesome driver should help the majority of the time.

  1. Right-click the Start button and pick Device Manager from the menu that appears.
  2. Expand the Bluetooth section, then right-click the Bluetooth adapter and choose Update driver.
  3. Allow Windows to install the best available drivers by selecting Search automatically for drivers.

If upgrading the driver does not resolve the issue, you will need to reinstall the Bluetooth drivers. To do so, restart Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth driver, and then select Uninstall device.

Restart your computer, and Windows should install the missing Bluetooth driver at startup. Following that, the Bluetooth option on your PC should appear.

SFC and DISM scans should be performed

Such problems might also occur if your computer lacks some key system files. Fortunately, Windows has a few tools that can assist you in replacing any missing or corrupted system files with their cached versions. Here’s how to use them.

  1. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.
  2. Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt shows up.
  3. Run the following command in the console:

sfc /scannow

Wait for the scan to finish before running the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scan.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

After the scan is finished, restart your computer to see if the problem persists.

Boot into Safe Mode

You may start Windows in Safe Mode to avoid installing unnecessary drivers and apps. This might assist you in determining whether the problem is caused by a third-party driver or software operating in the background.

Windows 11 provides various alternatives for entering Safe Mode. Enter Safe Mode using any of your favorite ways and check to see whether the Bluetooth option shows. If it does, it is the fault of third-party software or service. To resolve the issue, you must uninstall any recently installed applications or programs.

Troubleshoot the Issue With Startup Repair

Finally, if nothing else works, you may use the Startup Repair utility to resolve any Windows difficulties. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Open the Start menu from the taskbar and select the power button.
  2. Hold down the Shift key and select the Restart option.
  3. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
  4. Select an administrator account and enter the password, if required.
  5. Click Continue to run the Startup Repair tool.

Windows will scan the system for problems and repair them. Hopefully, this will address the problem.

Restoring the Missing Bluetooth Option on Windows 11

Bluetooth capabilities on your PC may be used to connect headphones, speakers, keyboards, and a variety of other peripherals. Hopefully, going through the above methods has helped you permanently repair the issue, and you may now connect to Bluetooth devices as before.

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