9 Best Fixes for Bluetooth Option Missing From Action Center in Windows 10

Bluetooth is one of the most common and essential features of a computer. People use it to connect headphones for Zoom calls, Your Phone Companion app, webcam, etc. Several users complained about the lack of the Bluetooth option in the Action Center, which made it difficult for them to turn Bluetooth on / off from any screen.

It’s only when the Bluetooth option goes away that we realize how much we depend on it. The Action Center Quick Action menu makes it easy to access frequently used settings from any application screen. It allows users to connect apps or devices and get work done quickly.

Let’s understand why this happens and how you can fix Bluetooth missing issue in Windows 10.

1. Modify and expand the Quick Actions menu

The action center is divided into two parts. At the top you will find notifications from various installed apps as well as from the system itself. At the bottom you’ll find the Quick Actions menu, which has all the shortcuts to key settings. To save space or when a number of notifications appear, Windows collapses the Quick Actions menu.

Just click the Expand button to display all of the available toggle buttons.

The Quick Actions menu does not enable all shortcuts by default. That said, the Bluetooth shortcut may have been accidentally disabled. Here’s how to activate it.

Step 1: Open the action center again and click on Manage notifications in the upper right corner.

2nd step: This will open Windows settings. Click on “Modify your quick actions”.

Step 3: This will open the action center again, but this time you can add / remove shortcuts. Click on the Add button.

Step 4: You will now display a list of all available shortcuts that are not already active. Select Bluetooth and Windows will be added to the Quick Actions menu. Click Done to save the settings.

Note that in edit mode, you can also drag and drop shortcuts in any order you want.

2. Run the troubleshooter

All versions of the Windows computer come with a troubleshooting utility that detects and fixes common Windows issues.

Step 1: Press Windows key + I to open the Windows Settings app. Search for “Find and fix problems with Bluetooth devices” and select it.

2nd step: In the following pop-up window, click “Apply repairs automatically” and then select Next. It will try to fix the problem or suggest a solution after running the scan.

3. Troubleshoot hardware and peripherals

Surprisingly, Windows settings no longer includes this particular troubleshooting option. But you can still access and run it from command prompt or CMD. Run this troubleshooter if you’re trying to connect a hardware device such as a headset and find the missing Bluetooth option in the Action Center Quick Actions menu.

4. Update, uninstall and reinstall the drivers

Drivers are how a hardware device interacts with a Windows computer. We wrote a detailed article on updating and reinstalling drivers on Windows.

For reference, when you open Device Manager, click Bluetooth to find all the Bluetooth devices that you have ever connected that are listed there. This is where you can work with drivers to fix the missing Bluetooth option in the Action Center issue’s Quick Actions menu.

5. Check for hardware changes

Step 1: Find and open Device Manager from the Start menu. You will also find it in the hidden context menu which is revealed by pressing Windows key + X.

2nd step: Right click on your computer name and select “Scan for hardware changes”.

Let it run, then check again.

6. Bluetooth support service

You can also test whether the Bluetooth support service is working properly or not.

Step 1: Find the Services app in the Start menu and open it.

2nd step: Find the Bluetooth support service entry in the list and double-click it to open the service settings window.

Step 3: The status of the service should be Running. Otherwise, click Start next to it. The start type must be Automatic. You can choose it from the drop-down menu. Click Apply to save the changes. If everything is as it should, stop and start the service once to get things going quickly.

7. Disable fast startup

Quick Start helps speed up the boot process by taking less time to reach the Windows desktop. However, this can cause occasional problems with programs configured to run on startup.

Step 1: Search for “Power and Sleep Settings” in the Start menu and open it. This will open the Windows Settings app.

2nd step: Click Add Power Settings.

Step 3: Select “Choose what the power buttons do” from the left sidebar.

Step 4: Select “Change currently unavailable settings” at the top, which will allow you to make further changes. Now deactivate “Enable fast startup (recommended)” and save the changes.

8. Run Startup Repair

Step 1: Press and hold the Shift key and restart your computer from the power options on the Start menu.

2nd step: You should see the start screen now. It has a blue background. Go to Troubleshoot> Advanced options> Startup Repair. Select a Windows user account with administrator rights, enter the password, and let Startup Repair run.

9. Restore Windows

The Windows operating system creates a restore point every few days or when it detects a major change. If nothing else works, try to restore to an earlier time to fix the bluetooth option missing issue.

Go wireless

Bluetooth is one of those features that we use on a daily basis. It’s only when Bluetooth isn’t working or goes missing that we really understand its value. Fortunately, the problem is not that big and there are many ways to solve it. As always, if you’ve found another way to fix it, let us know in the comments section below.