Guide

Bluetooth gone, or Code 43 in Device Manager? How to fix it

Missing Bluetooth comes in two kinds that are fixed in different places. Either the Bluetooth service is turned off, or the adapter itself does not work, which often shows as Code 43 in Device Manager. Fix the wrong one and it never comes back, however often you start the service.

Updated 24 Oct 2026

Check the service first

Press Win + R, type services.msc and find Bluetooth Support Service. If it says Disabled, double click it, set Startup type to Manual, press Start and restart the PC. Stripped down Windows builds and some tweak packs turn this service off.

Read the code in Device Manager

Right click Start, pick Device Manager, open Bluetooth, double click the adapter and look at Device status. The common codes:

Code 43: Windows stopped the device because it reported a problem.
Code 28: no driver installed.
Code 10: the device cannot start.
Code 22: the device is turned off in Device Manager. Right click it and press Enable device.
Code 32: its driver is set to Disabled.

Code 43: install the maker's driver

If the device is called Generic Bluetooth Adapter, it runs on Windows' basic driver, not the maker's. Get the Bluetooth driver from the laptop or motherboard maker's site for your exact model, or from the maker of the Wi Fi card with Bluetooth built in. Install it and restart. If it is not Generic, do the same: uninstall it and install the maker's driver again.

No adapter at all

Many desktop boards have no Bluetooth, so they need a USB Bluetooth dongle. Almost every laptop has one. If none shows, the maker's driver is not installed yet. Once the adapter works, go to Settings, Bluetooth & devices and pair your device again.

Let Savenz Optimizer check it

The Fixes page of Savenz Optimizer has Something wrong: pick Bluetooth gone and it checks the service, the adapter and its Device Manager code, then says where to fix it. It only reads. If the service is off, the Services page has a Bluetooth switch to turn it back on. Still not working? Ask in the Discord.

Check the service first

Read the code in Device Manager

Code 43: install the maker's driver

No adapter at all

Let Savenz Optimizer check it

More guides

Windows Update eats your internet while you play? Limit it without turning updates off

Should V Sync be on, and what FPS cap to set? For FiveM, VALORANT and PUBG

Vanguard asks for Windows 11 25H2. Do you need it to play VALORANT?

VALORANT VAN 9001 or VAN 9003: how to turn on TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot

Can you run the .reg or .bat files people share for more FPS? Check what they change first

Shader cache: what it is, why the first run stutters, and should you clear it

Game freezes in a Discord screen share or an OBS recording? How to fix it

Rockstar Games Launcher timed out loading both its online and offline content: how to fix it

Make a restore point before tuning the PC, and how to go back when things break

Resizable BAR: what it is, should you turn it on, and how in the BIOS

Your PC says it was hacked, don't turn it off, with a countdown? What to do

The whole PC freezes or turns off while gaming? What to check first

NVIDIA App won't open, There was a problem with NVIDIA App: how to fix it

Should you turn off Enhance pointer precision (mouse acceleration)? And how

Input lag: what it is, how to measure it, and where to cut it

FPS drops after playing a while? Your CPU or graphics card may be slowing down from heat

Graphics card not at 100% and FPS won't go up? What holds it back

How to do a clean install of the graphics driver, and when

FiveM does nothing when you open it, or shows for a second and vanishes? How to fix it

FiveM crashes in legitimacy.dll? How to fix it

FiveM early exit trap: it closes while starting. How to fix it

How to clear FiveM's cache: what to delete and what to keep

FiveM screen goes black for a moment on start or Alt + Tab? How to fix it

Does changing DNS lower your ping in games? A straight answer, and when to change it

C: drive full and games slow? What you can delete without breaking anything

PC slow while playing? Check what is using the CPU, graphics card or RAM in the background

Games slower after a Windows 11 update? Check your NVIDIA driver

FiveM stuck on Connecting to Rockstar Games Services: how to fix it

VALORANT VAN: RESTRICTION 5: how to fix it (Memory integrity)

High FPS but the game still stutters? Find the driver behind it

Ping spikes when someone at home uses the internet (Bufferbloat)

No internet after a Windows reinstall? Save your network drivers first

4000 to 8000 Hz mouse not steady? Which USB port to use

Screen cable in the wrong port, and a 144 Hz screen stuck at 60 Hz

Gaming laptop with low FPS? The picture goes through the CPU's graphics

Graphics card running x8 instead of x16? How to check and fix it

FiveM server list empty or can't join? What to check

FiveM FPS drops when driving fast? Fix the city loading late

FiveM black screen or stuck loading? How to fix it

FiveM crashing? Every cause and how to fix it

FiveM stuttering or FPS drops? Check your PC first

FiveM high ping, lag or warping? Find where it slows down

"Windows protected your PC" when you open a program: what it means and how to stay safe

What are XMP and EXPO, and how to get your RAM to its rated speed

Should the paging file be on? Does turning it off really help games?

HAGS (Hardware accelerated GPU scheduling): on or off?

Should Game Bar and Game Mode be off, and what about Ryzen X3D?

What Win32 Priority and Timer Resolution are, and which value is best

Can a PC tuning program get you banned? What to watch in FiveM and VALORANT

Blue screen codes: what they mean, the usual causes and fixes

Intel 13th / 14th gen crashes and instability: update the BIOS (microcode 0x12F)