Bluetooth on a Dell Latitude 5450 is handled by a wireless card that shares an antenna system with Wi-Fi, and a Bluetooth fault on a business laptop is usually a driver or a service setting, sometimes a policy that an employer has applied, and only occasionally the hardware. Start with the simple steps: open Settings, Bluetooth and devices and check that Bluetooth is switched on, that Airplane mode is off and that the function key combination for wireless has not disabled the radio.
The checks in more detail
Remove the device from the list and pair it again, keeping it within a meter of the laptop and putting it into pairing mode as its manual says. Restart the laptop, since a restart reloads the Bluetooth service. If the Bluetooth icon is missing or the toggle is grayed out, open Device Manager and look for the Bluetooth entry; a yellow mark or a missing entry means a driver problem, and the cure is to update the driver through Dell's support site or the Dell Command Update tool, or to uninstall the Bluetooth device and restart so Windows reinstalls it.
Check Windows services: the Bluetooth Support Service must be running and set to start automatically, found in the Services list. A device that connects and then drops may be affected by power management, so in Device Manager, in the properties of the Bluetooth adapter, uncheck the option that allows the computer to turn the device off to save power. Interference from a congested 2.4 GHz network, a USB 3 hub or a monitor cable near the laptop's antenna can drop a link, so move them for a test.
Update the BIOS and the wireless driver, which Dell publishes together, since many Bluetooth fixes arrive that way. On an employer-managed laptop, a policy may block Bluetooth or certain devices, so ask your IT department before changing settings. Test with a second device to learn whether the fault is the laptop or the accessory. If Bluetooth is missing in the BIOS and in Device Manager after drivers are reinstalled, the card may need replacing under warranty.
Differential
Likely causes of “Dell Latitude 5450 Bluetooth is missing, will not pair or disconnects”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Bluetooth or Airplane mode set wrongly
What separates it The toggle is off or missing
How to confirm Check Settings and the wireless key
- 2
A driver problem
What separates it Device Manager shows a mark or no entry
How to confirm Update or reinstall the driver
- 3
The Bluetooth service stopped
What separates it Devices do not connect
How to confirm Set the service to start automatically
- 4
Power management
What separates it The device drops after a while
How to confirm Turn off the power-saving option for the adapter
- 5
A policy or a card fault
What separates it The setting is locked or the card is missing
How to confirm Ask IT or Dell
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the Bluetooth toggle shows
- What Device Manager lists
- Whether another device connects
- Whether the laptop is managed
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck Settings and the wireless key
ReversibleBluetooth on, Airplane mode off.
Pair the device again
ReversibleRemove it first.
Restart the laptop
ReversibleTo reload the service.
Update the driver
ReversibleThrough Dell's support site.
Check the Bluetooth service
ReversibleIt must start automatically.
Turn off power saving
ReversibleIn the adapter's properties.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Shared antenna
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi use the same wireless card.
- Managed laptop
- Policies can control Bluetooth.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Ask your IT department about policies
- !If the card is missing after a driver reinstall, contact Dell for warranty service
- !Update the BIOS and drivers
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my Latitude Bluetooth toggle missing?+
A driver or service problem is the usual cause.
How do I update the driver?+
Through Dell Command Update or Dell's support site.
Can IT block Bluetooth?+
Yes, on managed laptops.
Why does a device drop?+
Power saving or interference.