Fix Bluetooth Device Failed to Delete in Windows Settings

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I placed this here as written for Windows 10, but should work for other versions of Windows.
When fixing a Bluetooth connection of a device that used to connect but now will not, this is the first thing I do and 99% of the time it fixes the problem and allows the device to reconnect.
I posted as a pdf for easy downloading.

Fix-Bluetooth-Device-Fail-to-Delete-in-Windows-Settings

HTH, Dana:))

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Nice try- except:
It doesn’t work for me.
BEFORE reading this post, I just spent 10 minutes trying to uninstall a Motorola Pulse Escape headphone using just this method. EVEN WITH THE HEADPHONES TURNED OFF , when I then performed  “scan for hardware changes” in Device Manager, it reappeared (repeatedly). Same with the Pulse Escape Avrcp Transport (usually, 2 instances). I had to do the uninstall/scan/reuninstall/ rescan, etc. dance 4-5 times before it finally stayed gone.

?Is the secret removing the BT dongle and plugging in back in again? Just doing the “dance until the cows come home, or what??

Thanks to all in advance,

Bill Zigrang

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I usually don’t rescan for hardware changes.  I reboot (I have my reboot set for no fast startup so it i a clean reboot) and the vast majority of the time the device is gone.

After the uninstall and before the rescan for new hardware, is the device still listed in Windows Bluetooth settings?

Zig wrote:

?Is the secret removing the BT dongle and plugging in back in again?

When my posted fix doesn’t work, I uninstall the BT adapter in Device manager and unplug it.  Reboot the PC and then plug the BT adapter back in, starting anew.

HTH, Dana:))

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After the uninstall and before the rescan for new hardware, is the device still listed in Windows Bluetooth settings?

No, but the device still isn’t removed, since the “add device” menu still doesn’t show the headphones. This is without an intervening reboot of Windows.

Zig

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Zig wrote:

but the device still isn’t removed

Do the headphones show in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers ?

PowerShell script to show all Bluetooth devices currently connected

# Get the list of connected Bluetooth devices
$bluetoothDevices = Get-WmiObject -Query “SELECT * FROM Win32_PnPEntity WHERE PNPClass = ‘Bluetooth'” | Select-Object Name
# Display the list of Bluetooth devices
foreach ($device in $bluetoothDevices) {
Write-Host “Bluetooth Device: $($device.Name)”
}

Batch script to show all Bluetooth devices currently connected

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
rem Get the list of connected Bluetooth devices
for /f “tokens=*” %%a in (‘wmic path Win32_PnPEntity where “PNPClass=’Bluetooth'” get Name /format:list ^| findstr /r /c:”^Name=”‘) do (
rem Extract device name
set “line=%%a”
set “deviceName=!line:~5!”
rem Display the list of Bluetooth devices
echo Bluetooth Device: !deviceName!
)

https://www.hexnode.com/mobile-device-management/help/script-to-show-a-list-of-connected-bluetooth-devices-on-windows-10-11/

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Zig wrote:

No, but the device still isn’t removed, since the “add device” menu still doesn’t show the headphones. This is without an intervening reboot of Windows.

The Uninstall of the device in Device Manager removes the device from Windows Settings.  Rebooting with fast boot disabled makes Windows reestablish all drivers and settings.  This reboot completes the removal of the corrupt settings of the Bluetooth connection, which will allow the device to show in Add device and I suspect before the device is added that any Scan for hardware changes in Device Manager will not show the device.  Remember that this is not a physical device but a connection, so Device Manager is reporting only what Windows says is connected from its Bluetooth hardware connection settings (which are corrupt).

I’m sorry if I did not make it clear in my instructions as I always reboot when making deletions in Device Manager because of situations like this.  The Scan for hardware change is usually used when adding/removing hardware devices and not for connections listed as a device.

HTH, Dana:))

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So, it happened again.

No sound from my Pulse Escape headphones again. Went to Device Manager ad uninstalled both the Escape and 2 instances of Avrcp Transport (one hidden, one not). Then restarted Windows (no fast restart). PE STILL shows in “Show BT Devices”, and will not connect. I did this dance twice (once with Escape on + pairing, once with it off). Same result.

Zig

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