What you’ll learn here: Bluetooth is one of the required features in most electronic devices these days and the computer is the one that we use daily for different purposes. Now the question is do computers have Bluetooth or can we add this feature manually?
Here I’m gonna break down everything you need to know about the Bluetooth feature in a computer.
When you are listening to music on your sound system or home theater, people in your home suddenly feel that the music is annoying to them. In that case, you have two options: either stop listening to music or play the music on your headphones or earbuds.
Here we are discussing the second option, listening to music on your headphones using Bluetooth technology on your computer. But for this, your computer needs to have Bluetooth in it.
If there is no Bluetooth on your PC and the device in your hand (headphones or earphones), then there is no wireless connection possible between them.
First, I wanna give you a brief knowledge about Bluetooth like what it is and what it is useful for.
On this page
Bluetooth Meaning-
Bluetooth is a wireless connecting feature that helps to connect 2 to 8 electronic devices wirelessly. The feature came into existence in 1999 and from then the versions have been upgraded from 1.0 to 5.3.
It is not mandatory to have this feature on all electronic devices. In mobile phones, we can see the Bluetooth option in almost all phones these days. But in computers, it is based on the motherboard manufacturer. Here you can find different Bluetooth versions and their specific uses.
Use of Bluetooth in a Computer-
Bluetooth in a computer can be useful in a lot of ways. Some of them are…
- A computer can connect to headphones or earphones with Bluetooth
- You can escape the mess coming up with the cables
- Transfer or sharing data between devices is possible
- You can upgrade the Bluetooth version by replacing hardware and can use the latest features
- With your computer Bluetooth, you can control or cast on other screens or monitors (only if they are supported)
- Bluetooth offers high security so that no one can watch what’s happening between the devices
These are the best things we use Bluetooth on a computer and now you need to know the existence of this feature on a PC.
Are all Computers Bluetooth Capable?
Unlike mobiles, computers don’t come up with built-in Bluetooth. It is based on the motherboard manufacturer of your desktop PC or laptop. You can add the Bluetooth feature to your PC by using an external Bluetooth adapter.
On the high-end motherboards, you’ll definitely find these features – wireless networks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Well, what about this feature on your PC? Does it exist or not?
Does My Computer have Bluetooth? We have multiple ways to find the existence of a built-in Bluetooth feature on a computer. I recommend you go with the article to find all of them.
How to Turn ON Bluetooth on a Computer?
Sometimes, you can’t find the Bluetooth icon on the taskbar even if your computer has the built-in feature. In such cases, you should turn ON the Bluetooth manually before using it. Here I can show you how to turn ON Bluetooth on your PC.
Remember, you can only turn it ON only when your PC has this feature. Re-check the above section to find the existence of this feature on your PC. Here are multiple ways to turn ON Bluetooth on your computer.
Turn ON Bluetooth in Windows Settings
- Go to settings on your Windows PC
- Select Devices
- Turn ON Bluetooth here, if you discover this option. Otherwise, conclude the PC doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth.
Tap the Bluetooth icon in the Taskbar
If you find the Bluetooth icon on your taskbar, right-click on it to find the list of options. You can select any one of the listed options here like ‘Add a Bluetooth Device, Send a File, or Open Settings.’
When you click on the option ‘show Bluetooth devices’, it will take you to the settings page and then you can turn ON the Bluetooth option there.
Click the Bluetooth icon in the Notification Panel
It is a simple way to turn ON Bluetooth on any PC. Just open the notification panel on your Windows PC and find the Bluetooth icon. Click on the Bluetooth icon to turn ON this feature on your PC.
Can You Add Bluetooth to a Computer?
Without a doubt, you can add a Bluetooth feature to your computer even if it doesn’t have a built-in feature. For this, all your computer needs a USB port and an external Bluetooth adapter.
Now you have the device in your hands and the USB port on your computer. Let’s see what we’ll make with these.
How to Add Bluetooth to Your Computer?
When you want to add Bluetooth to your PC, you need to follow the steps listed here. However, it is an easy process and takes one or two minutes of your time.
Step:1 Choose the right Bluetooth adapter for your work and get it
You can find different types of Bluetooth adapters in the market in both offline and online stores. Among all those, you need to choose the best Bluetooth adapter for your work.
Step:2 Install the Bluetooth adapter on the USB port on your CPU or laptop
After you get the adapter, put it in the USB slot on the CPU. I do not recommend putting the adapter on the USB hub slots. The reason is getting the power supply directly from the CPU is better instead of mediators like USB hubs.
Coming to the port version, it is always better to use USB 3.0 than 2.0 because it has good connectivity and signal strength.
Step:3 Wait for a minute, let the Windows OS install proper drivers to use this adapter
Just wait for a minute or two until your Windows operating system will search for the suitable drivers from the library and let them install on your PC.
After the driver installation, your device (Bluetooth adapter) is ready to use. Why are drivers important in a computer? Go through the link.
Along with the adapter, the manufacturer will give a driver CD with it. The CD storage type is outdated and you can ignore it. These are the same drivers that your Windows OS installs on your PC.
Step:4 Check for a Bluetooth option in Windows settings
Now your computer has a Bluetooth feature. Don’t believe me? Let’s go and find a Bluetooth option in the listed areas.
- In Windows settings, you can find Bluetooth. Quick Navigation: Start >> Settings >> Devices
- The Bluetooth icon is there in the taskbar. Check it out.
- In the notification panel, the Bluetooth option is came
- The Bluetooth feature will exist in the device manager
Step:5 Turn ON Bluetooth and connect a device to your computer
Now you need to turn ON the Bluetooth option on your PC. This step isn’t needed in most cases. But when you face trouble in finding the available Bluetooth devices on your computer. Think the problem is turning ON the Bluetooth feature on your device.
I’ve already discussed the topic of turning ON the Bluetooth in Windows settings. Just go through it in case you need it.
Congrats, now you have a Bluetooth feature on your PC.
Testing:
The feature exists is ok but how to be sure whether it is working fine or not? To conclude this, I will show you how to connect a Bluetooth device to your computer.
How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Your Computer?
Remember, whenever you are trying to connect two devices with a Bluetooth network, make sure both devices have a Bluetooth connecting feature. For example, now I want to connect my Boat headphones to my computer. Here, my headphones have Bluetooth connecting features and PC too.
So I’m gonna move the process of connecting headphones to the computer. Just follow the steps I’m listing here so that you can understand what you should do with your PC.
Step:1 Turn ON Bluetooth On Your PC
A few minutes before you’ve read ‘How to turn ON Bluetooth on your PC’ on this page. So I’m not gonna repeat the same process again. You can recall that information just in case you need it.
Step:2 Turn ON Bluetooth On Your Headphones
There is a power button on every Bluetooth headphone, and it may differ from device to device. For example, on my Boat Rockerz headphones, the pause and play buttons act as a power button by holding it for a few seconds. On some headphones, the power button is directly included.
Whatever it is, you have to turn ON the headphones to connect to your computer. If you want help on this, just go through the headphones manual.
Step:3 Go to the Windows Settings and Scan for a Device
After you turn ON the headphones, get back to your PC and go to the Windows settings. In the settings, select ‘Devices’. And then click on ‘Add Bluetooth or other device.’
A new pop-up will appear and you need to select ‘Bluetooth’ in it. Then your computer starts discovering the nearby devices.
Step:4 Find the Headphones and then Connect them to it
Your PC will find your headphones just like my PC did here.
Click on the device and pair and connect to it. Now your device (headphones) is connected to our computer.
Step:5 Play a Song or Audio to Conclude it is Connected
To conclude whether or not your headphones are connected to your PC, just move your cursor to the audio icon at the bottom right of your screen. Click on the audio icon to find what devices are available on your PC.
Now play a song or a video on YouTube to check the audio coming from your Bluetooth-connected device. Here my audio device is working fine.