How to Remove Old Paired Bluetooth Devices on Windows 10?
How to Remove Old Paired Bluetooth Devices on Windows 10?
Bluetooth technology comes handy in many cases which is why it has managed to find its way into so many consumer gadgets. It enables the user to create a wireless connection between two devices and can be used for various causes like wireless audio transmission, tethering, file transfer and gaming.
However, more often than not, the Bluetooth does not work properly on Windows OS. Previously I used to think my Bluetooth device has an issue but eventually I realised it is something that Microsoft has to fix.
It is a common problem with Windows 10 that when a Bluetooth device is paired with the computer, suddenly it becomes invisible or stops working properly and has to be removed and then paired again. Many users have also complained that they are unable to remove old paired Bluetooth devices from the computer. Either the remove operation is deemed unsuccessful or the devices still appear in the device list after getting removed, making it difficult to repair them.
Not being able to remove old paired Bluetooth devices from the computer can be an annoying bug and can affect smooth functioning of your system. So in this article, I am going to discuss simple ways by which you can remove old paired Bluetooth devices from your Windows 10 PC.
1. Use the Airplane Mode:
The reason why we are unable to remove Bluetooth devices from our PC is still pretty vague so a simple connectivity reset might do the job for you. All you need to do is turn on the Airplane Mode on your computer and then turn it off. Turning on the Airplane mode will disable all wireless signals going to and from your computer and that can fix your issue. To enable the airplane Mode, follow these steps.
- Go to the Start menu.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on Network and Internet and select Airplane Mode from the left pane.
- Turn on the Airplane Mode by toggling the switch. This will automatically disable all wireless networks. Now reboot your computer and turn off the Airplane Mode.
Now try removing the Bluetooth device from your computer and see if any issue comes up or not.
2. Remove Bluetooth device using Control Panel:
The control panel in Windows 10 gives us access to a lot of things that Settings app doesn’t. By using the control panel, you can unpair the Bluetooth device from your computer and that could fix your issue of not being able to remove old paired devices. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Start menu and select Control Panel.
- From the Control panel window, click on Devices & Printers. A new window will appear that will show all the devices connected to your computer.
- Now right click on your Bluetooth device that you want to remove and select Remove Device. This will result in removing the device from your computer.
This is a really simple way to remove Bluetooth devices from your PC. If the problem still persists and the device continues to appear in the list of paired devices, don’t worry, we have other solutions to try.
3. Remove Bluetooth device using Windows Device Manager:
When you add a Bluetooth device to your computer, it is also added to the Device Manager that keeps a record of all the devices and drivers and helps you manage them. Sometimes, hidden devices might prevent you from removing a particular Bluetooth device from the computer. Using the Windows device manager, you can see all the devices, hidden or not and can remove a particular Bluetooth device. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Start menu and click on Device Manager.
- From the Device Manager Window, click on View and then click on Show hidden devices. This will display all the devices on your computer including the ones that aren’t currently connected.
- Double click on Bluetooth and it will show all the Bluetooth devices connected to your system.
- Now right click on the Bluetooth device that you want to remove and click on Uninstall Device option.
This will remove the required device from your computer and you will be able to add it again without any issues.
4. Set Bluetooth services to Automatic:
Many Windows features work using Windows Services that keep a record of all the background services running on the operating system. Similarly, Bluetooth also has a service of its own that can be restarted or set to Automatic. This may help you to get rid of your problem. Here’s how to do it:
- Press Windows key + R to launch the Run box.
- Type services.msc command and press Enter.
- Now check if the Bluetooth Support Service is turned on and set to Automatic. If it isn’t right click on Bluetooth Support Service and select Properties.
- Now from the drop down menu, select Automatic and click OK.
Now try removing your device from the PC and see if it can be done.
5. Use the built-in Troubleshooter:
Windows 10 provides a built-in troubleshooter that helps you in fixing general technical issues. So try running the troubleshooter and then see if you can successfully remove the Bluetooth device from your computer. Follow these steps to run the Troubleshooter:
- Go to the start menu and click on Settings.
- From the Settings window, select Troubleshoot and then click on Bluetooth.
- Now select Run the troubleshooter. This will fix technical issues with the Bluetooth if there’s any.
Now try removing a Bluetooth device using the conventional method or any of the other methods i have discussed so far. Still not successful? Head to the other solutions.
6. Update your drivers:
Sometimes, outdated drivers can hamper the normal functioning of Bluetooth devices and this might be the reason you are unable to remove old paired devices from your system. So you need to update the drivers of the various Bluetooth devices connected to your PC either manually or using any driver updater that is safe for your system.
Follow these steps to manually update your drivers:
- Open the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- From the Device Manager Window, click on Bluetooth. This will show the list of Bluetooth devices connected to the computer.
- Now right click on the device that you want to update and select Update driver.
Once you have updated your driver, now try removing the device. See if the issue still persists or not.
7. Restart Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity:
After you’ve tried everything and nothing works, try something simple like turning off your Bluetooth and then turning it on again. Who knows? This might do the job for you!
Follow these steps to restart your Bluetooth connectivity:
- Open the Start menu and click on Settings.
- Now select Devices from the Settings window and select Bluetooth.
- Click on the Bluetooth toggle switch to turn it off. Wait for a few seconds before turning it on again.
After you’ve restarted your Bluetooth connectivity, try removing the Bluetooth device from your computer. Hopefully this will fix your issue.
These are some of the alternative ways and methods that might come handy in case you are having difficulty in removing old paired Bluetooth devices from your Windows 10 PC. Hopefully you will find them helpful in trying to improve your Windows experience.
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