Fix: Bluetooth Peripheral Device Driver Not Found on Windows

Did you just try to connect your mobile device with your PC and it turned out that there’s no driver to be found? Did you just see an error message saying “Device Driver software was not successfully installed”? Don’t fret, people have experienced this error and it can be easily fixed. Although this error will prevent you from using your Bluetooth device but this problem is pretty easy to fix.

This error is usually caused due to an error with the default Bluetooth driver responsible for facilitating this connection and data sharing process. It can either be corrupted or just outdated or it might not be installed properly. So, you just have to fix that. Here are a few ways to do that.

Method 1: Update the Bluetooth Driver Automatically

The first thing to do when you see this error is to simply update the driver. There are both an automatic and manual ways of updating the driver. So, here are the steps of updating your driver automatically.

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Then type devmgmt.msc and press Enter or click ok.

3. This will open the device manager with a list of software/drivers.
4. Locate and double click Other Devices
5. In this list, you will see a number of Bluetooth drivers with yellow exclamation marks next to them. You will have to update each driver. Even if there isn’t an exclamation mark, update all the Bluetooth drivers

To update a driver, do the following:

1. Right click the driver and then select Update Driver Software…
2. You will see a window with two options:
   1. Search automatically for updated drivers.
   2. Browse my computer for driver software.
3. Select the Search automatically for updated drivers and let it process.

This will automatically search for the relevant driver, download it and install it for you. Once the process is complete, recheck to see if the error persists.

Note: If you can’t see the Bluetooth drivers under the Other Devices then Click View and select Show hidden devices. This will show the hidden drivers as well.

Method 2: Update the Bluetooth Driver Manually

Before you can do this, you have to download the driver first. And before you can download it, you need to know whether you have a 32-bit operating system or a 64-bit operating system.

To check which operating system you have, do the following:

1. Hold Windows key and press E to open the file explorer
2. Right click on My Computer and select Properties.

In this Window, under System it will be displaying the System type. It will either be 32-bit or 64 bit.

If you have a 32-bit system, click here and click Download to download Microsoft Mobile Device. If your system type is 64-bit, click here and click Download to download Microsoft Mobile Device.

Once downloaded, double click the downloaded file to run the installation. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Once done, here’s how you can update the existing faulty driver:

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Then type devmgmt.msc and press Enter or click ok.

3. This will open the device manager with a list of software/drivers.
4. Locate the Other Devices option and click the plus sign to its left to expand a list.
5. In this expanded list, right click the Bluetooth Peripheral Device and select Update Driver Software.

6. This will open a window with two options:
   1. Search automatically for updated drivers.
   2. Browse my computer for driver software.
7. Left click Browse my computer for driver software.
8. In the next window click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
9. This will display a list of drivers, find and left click Bluetooth Radios from this list and then click Next.

10. This will open a window with two panes: Manufacturer on the left and Model on the right.
11. In the Manufacturer list, select Microsoft Corporation by left clicking it.
12. On the right hand side it will display Windows Mobile-based device support.
13. Left click this model and then click Next.

14. You may get a number of warnings, continue pressing Next and then finally click Finish to complete the process.

After the process has completed, you can check to see if the device is installed. Just expand the Bluetooth Radios in the device manager and look for Windows Mobile-based device support.

Hopefully, after the successful installation of this driver, your Bluetooth will be able to connect with your mobile device without any hindrance.

Method 3: Update the Bluetooth Driver Manually (Alternative)

If the method 2 didn’t work for you then follow the methods given below. There is an alternative set of drivers that you install to solve this issue.

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Then type devmgmt.msc and press Enter or click ok.

3. This will open the device manager with a list of software/drivers.
4. Locate the Other Devices option and click the plus sign to its left to expand a list.
5. In this expanded list, right click the Bluetooth Peripheral Device and select Update Driver Software.

6. This will open a window with two options:
   1. Search automatically for updated drivers.
   2. Browse my computer for driver software.
7. Left click Browse my computer for driver software.

8. In the next window click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

9. Select Ports (COM & LPT) from the newly appeared list. Click Next

10. In the Manufacturer list, select Microsoft by left clicking it.
11. Select Standard Serial over Bluetooth link from the right column
12. Click Next.

13. You may get a number of warnings, continue pressing Next and then finally click Finish to complete the process.

Once done, your issue should be resolved.