How to Fix “Intel Bluetooth driver” Error for Windows 10/11

Bluetooth connectivity has become integral to our daily lives, enabling seamless communication between various devices. However, Windows 10 and 11 users often encounter the dreaded “Intel Bluetooth driver” error, which can be frustrating and disrupt the overall user experience.

This issue can manifest in various ways, such as Bluetooth devices failing to connect or Bluetooth services not functioning correctly. 

Intel Bluetooth lets you wirelessly link devices to computers. This allows easy use of different gadgets. However, some users face errors with the Intel Bluetooth driver in Device Manager.

Fortunately, several solutions are available to address this problem, from updating drivers to troubleshooting specific components.

Key Takeaways

• Intel Wireless Bluetooth driver errors may stem from unsigned drivers.
• Updating your driver or using a dedicated tool is the most straightforward fix.
• Reinstalling the driver and disabling the Fast Startup feature in the power settings can resolve the issue.

Reasons for Intel Wireless Bluetooth Driver Errors

Bluetooth connectivity issues with Intel Wireless drivers can be frustrating, impacting the performance of various devices. Understanding the common reasons behind these errors can help troubleshoot and resolve them efficiently.

Here are the common ones:

Driver Issue: Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible drivers can lead to Bluetooth errors. When the Intel Wireless Bluetooth driver is not installed correctly or fails to communicate with the operating system, it can result in connectivity issues, pairing failures, or even system crashes.

Fast Startup Feature: Windows Fast Startup feature, designed to reduce boot-up time by saving system state to a hibernation file, can sometimes interfere with driver initialization processes. When the system resumes from a fast startup, it may not correctly initialize the Bluetooth driver, leading to errors or malfunctioning.

Addressing these issues often involves updating drivers to the latest version compatible with the system and disabling or tweaking the Fast Startup feature to ensure smooth Bluetooth operation.

Also, performing system diagnostics and troubleshooting can help identify and resolve any underlying hardware or software conflicts contributing to Bluetooth driver errors.

How to Fix Intel Wireless Bluetooth: Quick Guide

• Check Windows update
• Verify if there are any pending Windows updates available.
• Inspect the device for any updated driver software.
• Check Intel’s website for any new driver software updates.
• Utilize the Windows Bluetooth troubleshooter tool.
• Run the Windows Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.
• Uninstall the device and its driver software, restart the system, and allow Windows to detect the hardware changes to reinstall the device. Then, reinstall the driver software.

How to fix Intel Wireless Bluetooth Errors?

Make Sure That Your Windows is up to Date

Keeping Windows updated is crucial when installing new drivers like Intel’s Bluetooth driver. Microsoft releases Windows updates that can affect driver compatibility and stability.

Ensure your system is fully up-to-date before proceeding with the Intel Bluetooth driver installation steps.

Open Windows 10/11 Settings by clicking the Start button or typing Settings in the search field near the Start button.

Go to Windows update ( lower left-side corner of the screen ) as shown below.

Click on the Check for updates button if Windows is outdated.

The image below shows Windows is up to date, so there is no need to click on Check for updates.

Update Bluetooth drivers manually

Go to Intel’s website and type Bluetooth in the search field.

Choose Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® Driver for Windows® 10

Download the driver file after selecting the latest version ( 22.40.0 ) by clicking the Download button shown below.

Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the new driver.

Click the I accept the terms in the license agreement button in the next window.

The Intel Bluetooth installer file will start downloading.

Once the download is complete, open a File Explorer and browse to the downloaded file.

Double-click the downloaded file to execute the driver installation and follow the on-screen instructions. If the UAC screen shows, click the Yes option to continue.

If a driver is already installed for the Intel Bluetooth device, a popup will show to confirm the upgrade from the existing version to the new version of the driver. Click Yes to confirm.

After this, follow the on-screen instructions in the Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® Setup window.

Once the Intel Bluetooth driver installation is complete, click the Finish button to close the setup window.

Auto-update Intel Bluetooth driver

Open the Device Manager on your computer.

Find the “Bluetooth” section and right-click on your Intel Bluetooth device.

Select “Update driver” and then choose “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

Windows will search online and install any available updates.

Update Intel Bluetooth via Device Manager

Open the Device Manager by typing Device Manager in the search bar near your Start button.

Locate your Intel Bluetooth device under the “Bluetooth” section.

Right-click on it and select “Update driver.”

Reinstall Bluetooth driver and disable Fast Startup:

Open the Device Manager and uninstall your current Bluetooth driver.

Restart your computer.

Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do. ( Windows 11 )

In Windows 10, the power options are following the hardware and sound in the control panel room.

Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”

Uncheck the “Turn on fast startup” option and save changes as shown below.

Windows will reinstall the Bluetooth driver upon restart.

Protect Your System with Fortect

In addition to troubleshooting Intel Bluetooth driver errors, it’s crucial to safeguard your system against potential threats and ensure smooth operation.

Fortect’s Premium plan has overall protection and repair solutions to optimize your device’s performance and prevent driver-related issues.

When the drivers of your wireless Bluetooth are corrupted due to malware or viruses, you may encounter the “Intel Bluetooth driver” error on Windows 10/11. Cybercriminals exploit Bluetooth vulnerabilities to infiltrate devices and steal data. 

Fortect’s latest version with Driver Updater protects against Bluetooth threats and resolves driver corruption issues from malicious software. It scans your system for outdated drivers, downloads the latest versions from its secure database, and installs them automatically with minimal user intervention. In short, it easily assesses all current drivers and identifies those requiring updates at a glance.

Try Fortect’s Driver Updater trial version to ensure the safety of all your drivers, including the Intel Bluetooth driver, before committing to the Premium plan.

This cutting-edge driver scanner ensures a smooth and efficient system operation.

This ensures a smooth and efficient system operation.

You can download the latest version here.

In addition to Fortect’s Driver Updater, its advanced software proactively detects and resolves driver errors, ensuring seamless Bluetooth connectivity and overall system stability. Fortect also offers robust malware and virus protection, monitoring Bluetooth, blocking unauthorized access attempts, and encrypting data transmissions.

Protect your system proactively and enjoy hassle-free device communication with Fortect today.

Download and Install Fortect now.