Bluetooth is a convenient alternative to wires. With Bluetooth, y'all can connect supported phones, mice, headsets, printers, keyboards, tablets, and many other devices to your reckoner, as long equally it too supports Bluetooth.

Overall, Bluetooth is pretty uncomplicated to employ, but information technology can be a bit confusing to new users. To connect ii Bluetooth devices together, one (or both) of the devices must exist "discoverable." And this initial Bluetooth connection procedure is known as "pairing."

Sound confusing? We'll show you lot everything you need to fix Bluetooth for Windows 7.

Note: It'south time to upgrade to Windows 10! Read our article on how to manage Bluetooth on Windows 10 when y'all upgrade your computer!

Plough on Bluetooth on Your Computer and Device

First, ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your computer. Many laptops come with Bluetooth support, just it may be disabled by default to save battery power. Often, you can find a button on your laptop's keyboard that toggles Bluetooth. Y'all might likewise take an icon in the Organization Tray at the lesser-correct of the screen or an option in your calculator manufacturer's included software.

If your estimator doesn't accept Bluetooth support (which is the case for many desktops), yous can buy a cheap Bluetooth adapter. This is a pocket-size USB dongle that provides Bluetooth access on any machine.

Adjacent, ensure Bluetooth is enabled on the device you want to pair with your estimator. Bluetooth is enabled by default on Bluetooth mice and headsets, simply it may be disabled on smartphones and tablets.

The exact location of this option will depend on your device.

On Android, swipe down from the peak of the screen twice to admission Quick Settings, and so make certain y'all haveBluetooth enabled. iOS users should open Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (iPhone 8 or earlier) or swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen (iPhone X or later). So tap theBluetooth icon to enable it, if information technology's not already.

Make the PC and Devices Discoverable

While Bluetooth is now enabled on both your estimator and device, they still can't see each other. For a Bluetooth device to run across another, it must be discoverable. In discoverable fashion, your PC or device sends out signals advertising itself. This is disabled by default for security purposes; it merely needs to be enabled when yous're pairing devices.

You lot only need to make i of the devices discoverable. Doing this for either your PC or the device you desire to connect will piece of work, just it doesn't injure to do it for both.

To make your Windows 7 PC discoverable, click the Start button and select Devices and Printers on the right side of the Offset menu. And so correct-click your computer proper name (or Bluetooth adapter name) in the list of devices and select Bluetooth settings.

If y'all need to practise this on newer Windows versions too, we have a guide on how to connect your phone using Bluetooth on Windows 10.

Bluetooth Settings Menu Windows 7

Click the Allow Bluetooth devices to find this computer checkbox in the Bluetooth Settings window, and then click OK. Your computer volition at present be discoverable to other devices.

Windows 7 Bluetooth Options

To make your phone discoverable, get into its Bluetooth options. If you employ Android, you'll notice this atSettings > Connected devices. On iOS, head toSettings > Bluetooth. Both volition display a message likeNow discoverable as [Proper name] when the device is ready to pair.

If yous're pairing a device like a Bluetooth mouse or headphones, follow the instructions in the manual to put the device into pairing way. Typically, you'll need to hold the power push button for several seconds or something like.

Pair the Device

You can now pair the device with your computer. If yous've made your PC discoverable, y'all tin select your PC from the list of bachelor devices that shows on your phone or tablet to initiate the pairing process.

Alternatively, you can pair a device from your PC, every bit long as that device is discoverable. First, click the Add a device button in the Devices and Printers console of Windows 7. (If you want to pair a Bluetooth printer, click Add together a printer instead.)

Windows will look for discoverable Bluetooth devices and nowadays them in the listing. Select ane and click Next to add it.

Windows 7 Add Bluetooth Device

If you don't meet your Bluetooth device here, ensure that it'due south discoverable and has Bluetooth enabled. Equally we mentioned above, this may require a sure button input on Bluetooth accessories like keyboards.

For many devices, yous'll see a passcode. Ensure the key on your PC and the device are the aforementioned. This helps you ensure you lot're connecting the device to the correct machine, and not another nearby computer.

You lot'll have to agree to the pairing asking to initiate the connection. When pairing a phone, you'll need to ostend the lawmaking on both your telephone and your estimator. A window will pop up request y'all to ostend the connection. This helps foreclose other people from pairing with your device when information technology's in discoverable mode.

Windows 7 Bluetooth Pairing Code

In one case you confirm, Windows may install drivers as needed. And then yous're all set up to get-go using information technology.

You can double-click the device in the Devices and Printers window to admission more features, such equally the power to send files and play music. The exact features available will depend on your device.

Windows 7 Bluetooth Device Functions

Discover, Pair, and Go

Now that your device and computer are paired, they'll continue working together. You won't have to go through the pairing process each time you want to use the device, and they'll connect automatically when they're in range and turned on.

When y'all're not actually pairing devices, for your security, you lot should brand certain that both the device and your PC aren't discoverable. You lot may also desire to disable Bluetooth when y'all're non using information technology, which tin can aid save battery power on both your computer and your device.

For more on this topic, check out our FAQ guide to Bluetooth.