Is Windows not discovering your Bluetooth speakers? Try These 5 Fixes!

When a Windows PC is unable to discover a Bluetooth speaker, it means that the PC is unable to detect the presence of the speaker and establish a connection.

There could be several reasons why your Bluetooth speaker is not showing up on your Windows device. The speaker might be out of range, improperly paired, incompatible, or there can be a problem with the Bluetooth function of your Windows system. 

In this guide, we will be exploring the different troubleshooting methods you can try if the Bluetooth speakers are indiscoverable on your Windows device.

1. Identify the Problem

The problem at hand can be caused due to both hardware and system-related issues. There is a chance that you are facing the problem because of one or more of the following hardware-related reasons

• The speaker is either not enabled or not within range.
• The speaker needs to be recharged.
• There is a problem with the hardware of the speaker.

Hence, to get started we suggest that you make sure the issue is not hardware related. Once you are sure that the problem is with the software, move to the troubleshooting methods below.

2. Run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter 

As a first step, we recommend recommending the Bluetooth troubleshooter which is a built-in tool for diagnosing and resolving common Bluetooth connectivity problems on Windows PCs. You can use it to fix pairing issues or devices that the system cannot discover automatically.

It works by analyzing the Bluetooth state on your PC and looks for common problems. In the event the troubleshooter detects a problem, it will provide you with a list of possible solutions and, if possible, fix it automatically. Should the troubleshooter not be able to fix the problem automatically, it will provide you with detailed instructions for manually resolving it.

Here is how you can run the Bluetooth troubleshooter in Windows:

1. Press Win + I keys together on your keyboard to open Windows Settings.
2. Choose System from the left pane.
   
3. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
   

   

4. In the following window, look for the Bluetooth troubleshooter and click on the Run button for it.
   

   

5. Wait for the troubleshooter to complete its initial scan. If it finds any issues, it will notify you with recommend solutions. Click on Apply this fix to proceed.
   
6. If the troubleshooter cannot find any problems, click on the Close the troubleshooter and move to the next method below.
   

   

3. Restart the Bluetooth Support Service

Windows’ Bluetooth support service manages Bluetooth functionality on your computer in the background. It’s responsible for setting up Bluetooth devices, connecting to them, and disconnecting from them, and managing their settings and preferences. It also maintains a list of paired devices and allows your computer to discover the new devices.

You might be facing the issue under consideration if the Bluetooth support service is not working properly on the system. An easy way to fix the issue in this case will be by restarting the service.

Here is how you can do that:

1. Press the Windows + R keys together to open Run.
2. Type services.msc in Run and click Enter.
3. In the Services window, look for the Bluetooth Support Service and right-click on it.
4. Choose Properties from the context menu.

   

5. Now, check the status of the service. If it is disabled, click on the Start button to launch it.
6. If the service is already running, click on Stop, wait for a few seconds and then hit Start again.
   

   

7. Expand the dropdown for Startup type and choose Automatic.
   
8. Click on Apply > OK to save the changes.
   

You can close the Services window and check if the Bluetooth device is now discoverable.

4. Enable System’s Visibility (If Applicable)

With the visibility for Bluetooth, you can make your PC discoverable or visible to other Bluetooth devices. You might be facing the issue is the system’s visibility is disabled. 

It is worth noting that when the visibility is turned off, you can still connect to devices that are already paired with your PC. This means that this scenario is likely to occur if you are trying to pair a new speaker to your computer.

Follow these steps to enable the system’s visibility if it is disabled on your computer:

1. Press the Win + I keys together to open Windows Settings.
2. Choose Bluetooth & devices from the left pane.
3. In the following window, navigate to View more devices > More Bluetooth settings.

   

4. Checkmark the box for Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC and click Apply > OK.
   

   

Re-try connecting your Bluetooth speakers to the computer and check if the issue is fixed.

5. Update the Bluetooth Drivers 

The issue might also be caused due to outdated or corrupt Bluetooth drivers. If this scenario is applicable, updating the drivers should fix the problem of undiscoverable speakers. 

In this process, you will install the latest version of the software that connects software to hardware, allowing the system to communicate more effectively with the hardware. This will fix any performance issues, crashes, and errors that were occurring due to a faulty driver.

Follow these steps to proceed:

1. Press the Windows + S keys together to open the Windows search utility.
2. Type Device Manager in the search bar and click Open.
3. In the following window, expand the Bluetooth section and right-click on your Bluetooth driver.
4. Choose Update driver from the context menu.

   

5. Next, click on Search automatically for drivers and let a system pick a driver version.
   

   

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
7. Once done, close the Device Manager and check if the issue is resolved.
8. If the error persists, head over to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest version of the Bluetooth driver from there.
9. After the download process completes, follow steps 1-4 again.
10. Choose Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer and install the driver you just downloaded. 
    

    

11. Finally, close the Device Manager and check if replacing the driver made any difference.