How to Connect a Laptop to Bluetooth Speakers

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by Luis E. Chavez Saenz
Luis Chavez is a System Administrator with 5+ years' experience writing tech guides for end users. Luis holds a BS in Computer Science.
Updated December 17, 2018

If you have a set of Bluetooth computer speakers you want to use with your laptop, the process is fairly simple to set up on both Windows and Mac. You just need to make your speakers discoverable, and have your laptop search for them. Here's how to connect a laptop to Bluetooth speakers.

Make Your Bluetooth Speakers Discoverable

To connect your Bluetooth speakers, you first need to make sure the device is discoverable. Depending on the model of your Bluetooth speaker, you can accomplish this by pressing and holding the power button or the Bluetooth button for about 5 seconds. You'll then see the Bluetooth LED blinking, meaning your device is ready to be paired.

How to Connect Laptop to Bluetooth Speakers on Windows

  1. On your PC, navigate to the Start Menu and select the Settings icon.

  2. Type "Bluetooth" into the search box, then select Bluetooth and other devices settings when it appears in the search results.

  3. Select Add Bluetooth or other device.

  4. Select Bluetooth.

    If your device doesn't have the Bluetooth setting enabled, it could mean the built-in Bluetooth adapter is disabled or your PC doesn't have a Bluetooth adapter. Fortunately, there are ways to add Bluetooth to your computer.

  5. Once the Bluetooth discoverable devices have appeared, select your Bluetooth speakers.

  6. You will receive a notification on your screen when your device is ready to go.

How to Connect to Bluetooth Speaker on Mac

If you're already an OS X user, the steps are almost identical to setting up a Bluetooth peripheral device on Windows.

  1. Either click System Preferences from the Apple menu, or click its Dock icon.

  2. Select Bluetooth from the System Preferences window.

  3. Select your Bluetooth speakers from the list of available devices.

  4. Once the Bluetooth speakers are paired they will show as Connected.

  5. Go ahead and enjoy your speakers!