My wireless headphones don't work on Windows. How to solve it?

  • Windows 11 uses Bluetooth 5.3 to improve the wireless audio experience.
  • Common issues include headset misconfiguration and outdated drivers.
  • Checking your audio settings is crucial to troubleshooting output issues.
  • Restoring the operating system is an option if other methods fail.

windows bluetooth headphones

To give us a smoother wireless experience, Windows 11 uses Bluetooth 5.3 in addition to other improved audio capabilities. Despite this, many of us still encounter quite frustrating problems: connection errors, low sound quality... That's when, somewhat irritated, we exclaim: "My wireless headphones don't work in Windows". Are there solutions for this problem?

Naturally, there are. As always, when approaching this type of situation, the most important thing is to be able to identify the source of the problem. Then all you have to do is apply the right solution. We explain everything in more detail below.

Why doesn't my PC recognize my headphones?

Bluetooth-Windows

This is a more common problem than it seems. The most common explanations, that is, the first ones that we must consider, are the most obvious: that the headphones are unplugged or have run out of battery. Or even that they are not correctly paired. As these are wireless devices, in this case we cannot blame any faulty cables.

Always, before starting to look for more hidden reasons and technical solutions, it is necessary to carry out a series of preliminary checks In order to rule out the most basic problems:

  • Check that the headphones are plugged in correctly.
  • Rule out that the volume is very low or even silent.
  • Try to connect to another device, to see if the problem is with the headphones, the computer or the connection itself.
  • Unpair our headphones from another computer, mobile phone, etc. to which they may have been previously connected (many headphones do not allow them to be linked simultaneously to two different sources).

Many times, simply by taking the trouble to carry out these simple checks, we will have already resolved the issue. In any case, it doesn't hurt to remember how to connect bluetooth devices to windows. These are the steps to follow:

  1. First of all, you have to activate the Bluetooth connection of the PC. To do this you have to go to Configuration Menu, then to the section Devices and there access "Bluetooth and other devices", where we can proceed to activation.
  2. Then we have to activate the Bluetooth headsets so that they can be detected by the PC.
  3. Finally, on the PC we go again to "Bluetooth & other devices" following the route mentioned in point 1 and there select the option "Add Bluetooth or other device." All that remains is to choose the one that corresponds to the headphones and proceed to pairing.

Most common Bluetooth problems in Windows

windows bluetooth headphones

Once we have ruled out the simplest problems and have successfully executed the connection, everything should be fine. So why don't wireless headphones work on Windows? These are the most likely causes:

Headphones are not set as the main audio output

If this is the case, logically we will not hear any sound in our headphones. The solution is, in this case, very simple. It consists of configuring the audio output correctly. It is done like this:

  1. We click on the speaker icon from the taskbar.
  2. Then, in the small control panel, we select the arrow next to the volume slider.
  3. Finally, in the list shown we select our headphones to set them as the default output device.

Audio drivers are outdated

The audio and Bluetooth drivers and controllers are what make communication between Windows and our Bluetooth headphones possible. If these are outdated, they may no longer fulfill their purpose.. To update them you must follow these steps:

  1. On the PC keyboard, we hold down the key Windows + X Then, we select the Device administrator.
  2. Next, we right click on the name of our device in Bluetooth and select the tab "Properties".
  3. Then, in the driver tab, we select the option "Update driver".
  4. To finish, click on "Find drivers automatically" to start the update process.

How to make Windows recognize headphones?

bluetooth windows

It is possible that, even after executing the solutions in the previous section, we still cannot use our headphones to listen to music, podcasts, etc. The issue of Windows not recognizing the headphones persists. Fortunately, there are still some solutions we can try (and that in most cases usually work):

Restart windows

A classic, simple but effective solution. Turn off and turn on the computer and then try to establish the connection with the wireless headphones via Bluetooth again.

When the wireless headphones do not work in Windows, this reset often serves to resolve conflicts and connection errors that prevent pairing.

Unpair and re-pair

Sometimes there is no clear explanation about the origin of the problem, but it can be easily solved by doing this: unpair the headphones from the PC, wait a few seconds and proceed to pair them again. With this operation minor connection problems are corrected that could have given rise to the error.

Once you check that the PC's Bluetooth connection is activated, You have to go to the Settings menu and access "Bluetooth and other devices", where we can proceed to deactivation. After a few seconds, we follow the same route and, this time, we select the option "Add Bluetooth or other device."

Use the problem selector

When wireless headphones are not responding in Windows, it doesn't hurt use the troubleshooter that comes built into the Bluetooth function. This can help us identify certain problems (pairing difficulties, audio driver errors, incorrect configurations, etc.) and also propose some solutions.

To access the solver you have to go to the Windows Configuration menu and from there select System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters > Bluetooth. From there, all you have to do is press the Run button and follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

Restore windows

The last resort, which we should only use if everything before has failed. In some cases, there is some program that is interfering with the proper functioning of Windows and one of its consequences is that external devices, such as wireless headphones, cannot be correctly connected to the PC.

The radical and definitive solution for this is to completely restore the operating system, following the guidelines already explained in this same blog.


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