We ‘ll show you how to find out if your Windows personal computer, Mac, or Chromebook has Bluetooth built in, and what you can do if it does n’t .
How to Check for Built-in Bluetooth on Windows 10
On Windows, you can check a few unlike places to see if your machine has Bluetooth. The easiest one is in the Settings menu, which you can access using Win + I or by clicking the Gear picture on the beginning menu .
Once it ‘s open, go to Devices and count for the Bluetooth & other devices yellow journalism on the left sidebar. If you see a Bluetooth luger in this menu, your windows personal computer is Bluetooth-equipped. See how to connect your call to your Windows personal computer using Bluetooth for avail getting started .
There ‘s another rate you can check for Bluetooth handiness in Windows 10 : the Device Manager. This authoritative dialog box holds information about all the hardware inside your calculator, ampere well as external devices. To access it, right-click the Start button or hit Win + X, then choose Device Manager from the resulting menu .
In the list of devices under your computer name, you ‘ll see a Bluetooth submission if your laptop or background has Bluetooth. If you do n’t see this, then your computer does n’t have Bluetooth built in .
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See our usher to fixing Bluetooth in Windows 10 if you have issues using it .
How to Check for Built-in Bluetooth on a Mac
The majority of modern Mac models ( both iMacs and MacBooks ) have Bluetooth built in. So arsenic long as you ‘re using a current car, there ‘s a thoroughly probability you have Bluetooth. It ‘s slowly to confirm this, though .
If you see the Bluetooth icon in your Mac ‘s menu bar ( at the top of your screen ), then your Mac is equipped with Bluetooth. In case you do n’t see this, click the Apple menu in the top-left, choose System Preferences, and expect for the Bluetooth submission in this menu .
If you open the Bluetooth menu and see options for turning on Bluetooth and connecting devices, your Mac has Bluetooth built in. Follow our tips for using Bluetooth on your Mac to get started .
For one more method, cluck About this Mac from the Apple menu, then hit the System Report button. On the resulting menu, expand the Hardware segment of the impart menu and click the Bluetooth entrance .
If you see information under Hardware here, you can be sure your Mac has Bluetooth. We ‘ve looked at how to fix Bluetooth not working on your Mac if you need to troubleshoot .
Does My Chromebook Have Bluetooth?
Like Macs, most Chromebooks have Bluetooth support built in. To check for Bluetooth on your Chromebook, simply click on the prison term displayed at the bottom-right corner of your screen .
This opens a menu with several shortcut panels and other icons. If you see a Bluetooth entry, then your Chromebook has Bluetooth built in .
How to Check for Built-in Bluetooth on Linux
If you ‘re on Linux, open a end and run the follow command to check for Bluetooth :
lsusb |grep Bluetooth
If this returns some information about hardware, then your calculator most likely has Bluetooth. Otherwise, you credibly do n’t have Bluetooth built in .
It ‘s a moment more difficult to tell on Linux, since the kernel does n’t support some forms of Bluetooth. Try running a search for “ Bluetooth ” on your organization if you ‘re inactive not surely .
How to Get Bluetooth on Your Computer
After checking the above steps, you might have found that your computer does n’t have Bluetooth built in. If this is the case, the easiest way to add Bluetooth to your computer is by purchasing a dongle.
These adapters are cheap and plug into a USB port to provide Bluetooth support. In most cases, you do n’t have to configure them—just plug them in and you can use Bluetooth well .
See how to add Bluetooth to your computer for more avail. The only major retainer is making sure you buy a dongle that ‘s compatible with your system .
Now Your PC Has Bluetooth!
We ‘ve looked at how to check if your computer has Bluetooth built in, and what to do if you do n’t have Bluetooth already. It ‘s easy to check and add, allowing you to take advantage of Bluetooth to connect mouse, keyboards, and other devices .
fair make sure you know how to stay dependable from Bluetooth security risks .
visualize credit : wavebreakmedia/ Shutterstock
Can Bluetooth Be Hacked ? 7 Tips to Keep Your Bluetooth impregnable
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About The writer
Ben Stegner
( 1807 Articles Published )
Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He ‘s been covering technical school tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a master writer for over eight years .
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