1. Go here:
Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® Drivers for Windows® 10 and Windows 11*
2. Download the latest driver again. (23.6.0).
a) You can just try installing it again. If that works, lovely.
b) Or you can click “Remove” and that’ll remove it. This’ll take you back to the previously functional version of the Driver. If you’re happy with that, lovely.
But probably you’ll need this instead…
3. While it downloads, notice that at the bottom of the download page it says this:
- Prior to Upgrading from 23.10.x.x - 23.50.x.x versions to this 23.60.0 driver, the user needs to disconnect all the Bluetooth® devices and unpair all the previously paired devices in the PC.
- Once upgrade is complete, the user can repair the devices and connect them. Fixes for PCs with Bluetooth® drivers prior to 23.10.0 can be upgraded to 23.60.0.
4. Translate that into meaning, “Before installing the Bluetooth driver you just downloaded, uninstall all previous versions of the driver”.
5. So open Device Manager by clicking your Windows button and typing “Device Manager”.
6. In Device Manager expand the Bluetooth option.
7. Once expanded you’ll see all your speakers, headphones, mobile phones etc that you’ve previously connected to your computer by Bluetooth. You’ll also have “Intel (R) Wireless Bluetooth (R)”.
8. Right click “Intel (R) Wireless Bluetooth (R)” and select “Uninstall Device”. Let this run. Then you’ll have to restart your Laptop.
Patiently wait for it to restart…
This will revert you back to the previous Bluetooth driver that was installed. If you have four versions installed, it’ll take you back to the third.
9. Once it’s restarted, go back into Device Manager… and basically follow the same procedure from 6 to 8 above. Keep doing that until there is no Bluetooth option in Device Manager. Everything’s completely gone. This might require a few restarts.
(In hindsight, you could probably just uninstall them all in one go and just do one restart, but that’s not what I did. Woops.)
10. At last, install the latest driver that you downloaded in Step 1.
If you’ve forgotten where your web browser put it, press Ctrl + j from within your browser and it’ll show you the latest downloads.
You should now have a fully functioning Bluetooth again.
Probably your speakers, headphones etc will just happily reappear. If they don’t, connect them all again and have a happy day. 