bluetooth drivers

Question

computer has lost bluetooth drivers during a internet outage

Answer 1

Hi gary sumpter,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that your Windows 11 computer lost Bluetooth functionality after an internet outage.

Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following.

To help narrow this down, could you please confirm:

1, Is this a laptop or a desktop PC, and does it have a physical wireless or airplane mode switch or key?

2, Is the Bluetooth toggle completely missing from Windows settings, or does it appear but cannot be turned on?

In the meantime, you can try these steps:

1, Check Bluetooth Support Service

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
• Locate Bluetooth Support Service
• Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic
• If the service is stopped, start it; if it is running, restart it

2, Verify Airplane mode and wireless state

• Open Settings and go to Network & Internet
• Make sure Airplane mode is turned off
• Toggle Wi‑Fi off and back on once, then recheck Bluetooth

3, Show hidden devices and clean up old Bluetooth entries

• Open Device Manager
• Select View and enable Show hidden devices
• Expand Bluetooth and remove any greyed‑out Bluetooth devices
• Restart the PC after removal

4, Use the Windows Bluetooth troubleshooter

• Open Settings and go to System
• Select Troubleshoot, then Other troubleshooters
• Run the Bluetooth troubleshooter and apply any suggested fixes

5, Check system firmware visibility

• Restart the PC and enter BIOS or UEFI settings
• Verify that wireless or Bluetooth is enabled at the firmware level
• Save changes and exit if any option was disabled

6, Perform a full shutdown reset

• Shut down the PC completely
• Disconnect the power cable and any external USB devices
• Wait one minute, reconnect power, then start the PC and test Bluetooth again

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Answer 2

Hello,

Most bluetooth or wifi issue can be resolved by doing a power reset.

To do so, turn off the computer, unplug the computer from the power cord, then hold down the power button for 30 seconds. Turn the computer back on to see if it works.

If not, Can you share with me two screenshots please?

1. Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters, I would like to see what's listed.
2. Please type msinfo32.exe in the search on the taskbar and hit enter, then share a screenshot of the pop up.

Thanks!

Answer 3

If your computer has lost Bluetooth drivers during an internet outage, you can try the following steps to reinstall or recover the drivers:

1. Check Device Manager: Open Device Manager and look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark under the "Bluetooth" section. If you find any, right-click on the device and select "Update driver" to search for drivers automatically.
2. Use Windows Update: If the automatic search does not find any drivers, you can check for updates through Windows Update. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and click on "Check for updates". This may help in downloading the necessary drivers.
3. Install Generic Bluetooth Driver: If you are unable to find the correct driver, you can try installing a generic Bluetooth driver. In Device Manager, right-click on the Bluetooth device, select "Update driver", and then choose "Browse my computer for drivers". Select "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer" and choose the generic Bluetooth driver if available.
4. Reboot Your Computer: Sometimes, simply rebooting your computer can help restore the Bluetooth functionality if the drivers are present but not functioning correctly.
5. Check Manufacturer's Website: If the above steps do not work, visit your hardware manufacturer's or OEM's website to download the latest Bluetooth drivers compatible with your version of Windows.

If Bluetooth is still not working after these steps, you may need to file feedback in the Feedback Hub with details of the issue you're experiencing.

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References:

• Installing a Bluetooth device
• Bluetooth radio reset and recovery