After replacing my motherboard and CPU, I tried to connect a Bluetooth device but Bluetooth does not appear anywhere in Windows Device Manager or Settings. I have an MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk Max WiFi, purchased used, which should include built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I downloaded the drivers from MSI, but the Bluetooth installer reports that no drivers are available. I also reinstalled the AMD chipset drivers and tried several troubleshooting guides without success. My system uses a Ryzen 5 5600X, GTX 1650 Super, 32GB of Corsair Vengeance memory, an Arctic Freezer 13 CO cooler, and a Seasonic Focus Plus 550W Gold power supply. What should I check to get Bluetooth working?
4 Answers
Before buying extra hardware, check that the Wi-Fi antennas are connected to the motherboard. The wireless module handles Bluetooth too, and reinstalling Windows or the correct wireless drivers may restore it. If the onboard module is faulty, a USB Bluetooth adapter or PCIe wireless card would be a practical fallback.
If the SSD was moved over from the previous computer, an old Windows installation or conflicting drivers could be causing this. A clean Windows installation is worth considering after backing up your files, especially if the Bluetooth adapter never appears even as an unknown device.
The chipset package and Bluetooth package are separate. Make sure you download the AMD Bluetooth driver specifically for Windows 10 or 11 from the motherboard’s support page. If an old Bluetooth device or unknown device appears in Device Manager, remove it and select the option to delete its driver files before installing the downloaded package again. Reboot afterward.
That motherboard should have both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in. Check Windows Settings, Device Manager, and the BIOS to make sure Bluetooth or the onboard wireless controller has not been disabled. Also try a complete power drain: shut down the PC, switch off or unplug the power supply, hold the power button for several seconds, then reconnect everything and start it again.
Since this board already includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, I’ll try the BIOS, power-drain, and clean-driver steps before adding another adapter.