Smart & Connected Life > Working From Home How to Connect a Laptop to Bluetooth Speakers Get rad sound without wires By Luis E. Chavez Saenz Luis E. Chavez Saenz Writer New Jersey Institute of Technology Luis Chavez is a former Lifewire writer and a System Administrator with 5+ years' experience writing about technology for end users. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 26, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Make Your Speakers Discoverable Connect on Windows Connect on a Mac Extra: Troubleshoot a Pairing Failure This article explains the process of connecting your Windows or Mac laptop to Bluetooth computer speakers. Instructions apply to Windows 10, macOS, and Mac OS X. Follow different instructions to turn on Bluetooth in Windows 7. Make Your Bluetooth Speakers Discoverable To connect Bluetooth speakers to any laptop, make sure the speakers are discoverable—that is, set them to pairing mode. Typically, you'll press and hold the power button or the Bluetooth button for about five seconds. When the Bluetooth LED blinks, the speakers are ready to be paired with the laptop according to the steps below. If you don't see the blinking LED, consult the documentation that came with the speakers, or go to the manufacturer's website for specific instructions. How to Connect Your Windows Laptop to Bluetooth Speakers Although most modern Windows computers support Bluetooth, some business-class desktop PCs and some old consumer-class PCs do not. If you can't find the Bluetooth settings, purchase and install a hardware USB receiver to enable Bluetooth compatibility. To pair a new device in Windows 10, press Win+K, then select the device from the list that appears in the Action Center window. The devices pair automatically. Some devices—for example, Bluetooth keyboards—might have additional setup instructions, such as typing numbers or confirming a code. Consult the device's documentation or the manufacturer's website for instructions. How to Connect to Bluetooth Speakers on a Mac The steps for connecting with a laptop running OS X or macOS are similar to connecting a peripheral on Windows. In the Apple menu, click System Preferences. Or, go to the Dock and select the System Preferences icon. In the System Preferences window, select Bluetooth. In the Devices list, select the Connect button for the Bluetooth speakers. When the Bluetooth speakers are paired, they show as Connected. Troubleshoot a Pairing Failure When it works, pairing Bluetooth speakers and a laptop is a simple process, but sometimes things don't go smoothly. Here are a few simple fixes that might help: Confirm that the speakers are turned on.Use the pairing technique recommended in the documentation.Turn Bluetooth off and on again on the laptop.Position the speakers within five feet of the laptop.Fully charge the laptop and the speakers (or attach to a power outlet).Move away from the Wi-Fi router, which can interfere with the connection.Turn both the laptop and the speakers off and back on.Remove any obstructions between the speakers and the laptop. How to Connect a Bluetooth Speaker to a Computer Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit