How to Update the Bluetooth Driver Using Device Manager in Windows 11

Update Your Bluetooth Driver Using Device Manager

First, open Device Manager. The update is done from there, so the rest of this tutorial follows these actions in order:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the Bluetooth 🔷 category.
3. Right-click your Bluetooth 🔷 adapter and choose Update driver.
4. Let Windows search for a driver and install it 💿.
5. Restart the 🔄 PC.

1Open Device Manager

1. Press the Windows key, type ‘devmgmt.msc’, and press Enter. The Device Manager window opens with a list of hardware categories.
2. Or right-click the Start button and select “Device Manager” from the quick link menu. Pressing Windows + X opens the same menu.

2Find Your Bluetooth Adapter

Device Manager lists your computer’s hardware by category. You only need the Bluetooth 🔷 section.

1. Scroll through the list and find Bluetooth.
2. Click the small arrow next to it. The category expands to show your Bluetooth adapter and any paired devices.

Changing drivers for unrelated hardware can cause system instability.

If you cannot find a Bluetooth category, the adapter may be switched off, disabled, or missing its driver. In that case it can show up under Other devices with a yellow warning icon. On a desktop PC without built-in Bluetooth, there may be no adapter at all until you plug in a USB Bluetooth dongle.

3Start the Driver Update

1. Look through the expanded list for the Bluetooth adapter. Names vary by manufacturer, and a common one is "Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R)". Entries for individual paired devices, such as headphones, are not the adapter.
2. Right-click the adapter entry. A context menu opens.
3. Select "Update driver". The Update Drivers window opens and asks how you want to search for drivers.

4Let Windows Search for Drivers

Now tell Windows to look for the driver itself.

1. In the Update Drivers window, click Search automatically for drivers. Windows starts searching and shows a progress message.

Explanation: Windows Update supplies recent driver packages, though newer versions sometimes exist only on the manufacturer's support site. This step starts the automatic search through what Windows can reach.

5Follow the On-Screen Prompts

1. If Windows finds a newer version, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. Bluetooth may drop for a few seconds while the driver installs. This is normal.
2. When the install finishes, read the final message. It tells you whether the driver was updated successfully.

Tip: If Windows says the best drivers for your device are already installed, it means its catalog has no newer package. It does not always mean you have the latest version that exists. You can check Settings › Windows Update › Advanced options › Optional updates for driver updates, or download the driver from your PC or adapter manufacturer's support site.

6Restart Your PC

Restart your PC so the new driver loads fully.

1. Click "Restart now" if Windows offers it. Otherwise, open the Start menu, click the Power button, and choose Restart.
2. After the PC starts again, test your Bluetooth devices. Check that the mouse, headphones, or other gear connects and works.

If something works worse after the update, you can undo it. Go back to Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth adapter, and choose Properties. Open the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver. The button is greyed out when there is no earlier driver to go back to.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/update-bluetooth-drivers-in-windows-82985c06-6e99-4928-9585-900cd36d1dbc

Summary

Updating the Bluetooth driver through Device Manager in Windows 11 can resolve connection errors and make your wireless hardware more reliable. If the problem stays after the update and a restart, check the manufacturer's site for a newer driver.