Fancy boosting your Windows PC's Bluetooth capabilities? Here's how to check which versions your computer supports, and how to get Bluetooth 5.

You probably use Bluetooth every day to listen to music on your wireless headphones or a speaker. Or use a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard with your computer.

You may not feel the need to know the Bluetooth version of your PC, as your devices work fine with it. However, newer technologies like Bluetooth 5 offer several benefits—to take advantage of them, you should first know your PC's Bluetooth version. So let's explore how you can do that and how easy it is to upgrade to Bluetooth 5.

Your PC's Device Manager is the place where you can determine what Bluetooth version your computer supports. Let's see how:

So you've checked the Bluetooth version of your PC and discovered that it's Bluetooth 4.2, 4.0, or older. But that doesn't mean you can't go in for Bluetooth 5 or higher version devices.

Bluetooth 5 is backward compatible with older Bluetooth versions, and Bluetooth 5 devices like headphones will work with your Bluetooth 4 PC. But they will function as Bluetooth 4.2 headphones only. You won't be able to utilize the enhanced features of Bluetooth 5.

For example, a cool feature of Bluetooth 5 is that it lets you connect two pairs of headphones or two Bluetooth speakers to your PC simultaneously. You could even stream your favorite songs to your headphones and play another piece of music for your friend on his speaker, from your PC, at the same time.

Moreover, Bluetooth 5 has a range of 40 meters indoors, 4 times the range of Bluetooth 4.2. This means that you can enjoy music on your wireless headphones even if you're far away from your PC. There'll be fewer audio dropouts too.

Bluetooth 5 offers higher reliability and uses less power too, which means a longer battery life. So your headphones will run longer till the next charge.

Also, Bluetooth 5 is faster, with data transfer speeds of up to 2 Mbps, which is double the rate of Bluetooth 4.2. You can check out our article on a few steps to take to ensure speedy Bluetooth transfers.

You'll be glad to know that it's fairly easy to enable Bluetooth 5, 5.1, or 5.2 support on your Bluetooth 4 Windows PC. You just need to buy a Bluetooth USB adapter and plug it into your computer.

You can easily buy Bluetooth 5 USB adapters online. They are inexpensive and also come in tiny sizes like a mini USB drive that you can plug in and leave.

If you'd rather go for the higher Bluetooth 5.1 or 5.2 ones, those adapters are available too. Yes, they are more expensive but won't break the bank.

Before you install and start using your Bluetooth 5 USB adapter, you must disable your PC's Bluetooth adapter. This will ensure that you don't run into stability problems and conflicts as Windows may recognize the old adapter.

To disable your old adapter:

Once done, your PC will no longer interact with the old Bluetooth adapter, and you shouldn't face any issues installing and using your new Bluetooth 5 adapter.

Once you plug in the Bluetooth 5 adapter, the driver should install automatically if your PC is connected to the internet.

Then to make sure that your Bluetooth 5 USB adapter is recognized:

Once the adapter and its driver are installed correctly, you will see the Bluetooth 5 adapter listed under Bluetooth in Device Manager. Now you can connect Bluetooth 5 headphones and other devices and enjoy the benefits of advanced technology—like connecting multiple audio devices on Windows.

If you're considering buying new wireless headphones, speakers, or earbuds, check out our comparison of aptX Low Latency and Bluetooth 5 to make an informed decision.

Bluetooth technology is evolving and newer versions bring many exciting features. But you don't have to wait to buy a new PC for that —just upgrade to a higher Bluetooth version and enjoy the latest Bluetooth devices.

Neeraj has been exploring new products and technologies, and writing about their wonders for over two decades as a professional writer and Creative Consultant. His love for tech and smart devices keeps him adrenalized and going for more.

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