My Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 headphones work normally with my phone over Bluetooth and work when connected to my PC with a cable, but they will not appear in the PC's list of available Bluetooth devices. This has happened repeatedly with both my current pair and a previous pair of the same model. I have updated Windows and the PC's Bluetooth drivers, used the built-in Bluetooth troubleshooter, turned Bluetooth off and on, and disabled Bluetooth on my phone before trying to pair them. The headphones have connected to this PC successfully in the past, so I'm not sure whether the issue is a Windows Bluetooth problem, a saved pairing issue, or something specific to these headphones.
3 Answers
If other Bluetooth devices work but this headset still does not show up, use the Bose app or the headset’s reset procedure to clear its stored connections, then pair it again as a new device. Also check whether the PC has a separate Bluetooth adapter or antenna that may be loose or malfunctioning. A USB Bluetooth adapter can be a useful test if the built-in adapter continues to find every device except the headphones.
Make sure the headphones are truly in pairing mode rather than just powered on. Turn them off, then hold the Bluetooth or power button until the indicator announces or shows that they are ready to pair. Keep the phone’s Bluetooth disabled during the test. If the headphones still do not appear, test the PC with another Bluetooth device. If nothing else is discoverable, the problem is likely the PC adapter, its driver, or the Windows Bluetooth service rather than the Bose headset.
Because the headphones work with your phone and through a cable, the headphones themselves are probably fine. The next thing I’d try is clearing the old Bluetooth pairing from Windows and resetting the headphones’ saved device list. In Windows Bluetooth settings, remove any Bose entries, then open Device Manager and uninstall the PC’s Bluetooth adapter before restarting so Windows can reinstall it. After that, put the headphones into pairing mode manually and search for them again. Also check that the PC’s Bluetooth adapter is enabled and that its service is running.
I’ve already updated the drivers and tried toggling Bluetooth, but I haven’t completely removed the adapter or cleared the old pairing data. I’ll try those steps since the headphones no longer appear in the device list at all.
They have paired with this PC several times before, and I always disable Bluetooth on my phone first. I’ll test another device to determine whether the PC can discover anything at all.