Does Your Computer Have Bluetooth Built In?

Whether you have a desktop or laptop, you might wonder if your computer has Bluetooth support. Perhaps you want to take advantage of Bluetooth connections, but don’t want to buy an adapter if your computer already has it built in.

We’ll show you how to find out if your Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook has Bluetooth built in, and what you can do if it doesn’t.

How to Check for Built-in Bluetooth on Windows 10

On Windows, you can check a few different 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 icon on the start menu.

Once it’s open, go to Devices and look for the Bluetooth & other devices tab on the left sidebar. If you see a Bluetooth slider in this menu, your Windows PC is Bluetooth-equipped. See how to connect your phone to your Windows PC using Bluetooth for help getting started.

There’s another place you can check for Bluetooth availability in Windows 10: the Device Manager. This important panel holds information about all the hardware inside your computer, as 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 entry if your laptop or desktop has Bluetooth. If you don’t see this, then your computer doesn’t have Bluetooth built in.

See our guide 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 as long as you’re using a current machine, there’s a good chance you have Bluetooth. It’s easy 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 don’t see this, click the Apple menu in the top-left, choose System Preferences, and look for the Bluetooth entry 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, click About this Mac from the Apple menu, then hit the System Report button. On the resulting menu, expand the Hardware section of the left menu and click the Bluetooth entry.

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 time 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 terminal and run the following command to check for Bluetooth:

lsusb |grep Bluetooth

If this returns some information about hardware, then your computer most likely has Bluetooth. Otherwise, you probably don’t have Bluetooth built in.

It’s a bit more difficult to tell on Linux, since the kernel doesn’t support some forms of Bluetooth. Try running a search for “Bluetooth” on your system if you’re still not sure.

How to Get Bluetooth on Your Computer

After checking the above steps, you might have found that your computer doesn’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 don’t have to configure them—just plug them in and you can use Bluetooth easily.

See how to add Bluetooth to your computer for more help. The only major consideration 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 don’t have Bluetooth already. It’s easy to check and add, allowing you to take advantage of Bluetooth to connect mice, keyboards, and other devices.

Just make sure you know how to stay safe from Bluetooth security risks.

Image Credit: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

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