How to check for Bluetooth 4.0 on Windows 10

Bluetooth goes through various versions. When the hardware of a Bluetooth chip improves, the software likewise also improves. The software is, of course, subservient to the hardware; it will only take you so far before you need to get a better chip. If you’ve recently bought a new desktop or laptop PC, chances are you have at least Bluetooth 3.0, or later.

When it comes to Bluetooth, most users only care if they have it or not. The aim is to be able to connect a Bluetooth peripheral or two like a mouse and keyboard or a pair of headphones. It’s only when you have to communicate with more sophisticated Bluetooth devices that you need to know which version you have.

Bluetooth 4.0/Low Energy

Bluetooth 4.0 aka Bluetooth LE aka Bluetooth Low Energy is not the latest version of Bluetooth. The latest version, at present, is 5.2 but 4.0 is important because it brings Low Energy technology. You need it when you have to communicate with other BLE devices such as beacons, sensors, and specialized monitors.

The average user may not need it, and your usual Bluetooth peripherals have no use for it but for systems that do interact with these types of sensors, Bluetooth 4.0 is the minimum requirement.

Bluetooth 4.0 Support

It’s very easy to check if your Windows 10 PC has Bluetooth  4.0 support.

1. Turn on Bluetooth. You can do this by opening the Action center (Win+A), and click the Bluetooth toggle.
2. Open Device Manager.
3. Expand the Bluetooth group of devices.
4. Check if Bluetooth LE Enumerator is listed there. If it is, your system has Bluetooth 4.0 support.

OS support

Bluetooth 4.0 is supported on Windows 10 and Windows 8/8.1. It is not supported on Windows 7 and older versions of the OS.

Troubleshooting Bluetooth 4.0

It is possible that your hardware supports Bluetooth 4.0, but you do not have the right drivers for the job. In that case, the Bluetooth LE Enumerator device won’t show up under Bluetooth devices. Here’s how you can fix that.

First, you need to check if there is actually support for Bluetooth 4.0 since Bluetooth LE Enumerator doesn’t show in Device Manager.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Bluetooth devices.
3. Right-click your Bluetooth radio and select Properties from the context menu.
4. Go to the Advanced tab.
5. In the Firmware field, check the LMP value.
6. If the value is 6 or above, your Bluetooth switch supports Bluetooth 4.0, and you need to update your drivers.

To update Bluetooth drivers;

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Bluetooth Devices.
3. Right-click your Bluetooth device and select Update driver from the context menu.
4. Install any drivers that Windows 10 finds, and restart your system.

Conclusion

Bluetooth 4.0 is fairly old at this point. In fact, phones have had support for it for years now. The iPhone 4S had support for it, and it was released in 2011, almost nine years ago. Most recent PCs and laptops will have it, if not a later version.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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