Could not Start Microsoft Bluetooth Stack: 5 Fixes to use

Restarting the service is often effective

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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After restarting your Windows computer, you may be unable to start the Bluetooth stack service error due to the Bluetooth control driver malfunctioning. The message can also occur when connecting to another Bluetooth-enabled device.

Several users have reported similar errors in theMicrosoft communityforum:

I am aunable to transfer imajes via blue tooth to my laptop from my camera – failure reason- this transfer is forbidden by the target device.I keep on getting BTTray – unable to start the bluetooth stack service after some time on the laptop.

If you are also troubled by this error, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the unable to start the Bluetooth stack service error in Windows.

Why does Could not start Microsoft Bluetooth stack message appear?

TheCould not start Microsoft Bluetooth stackerror message typically appears on a Windows computer when there is a Bluetooth driver or service issue.

Here are some possible causes and solutions:

Once you know the cause, some of the fixes we explore below could be useful.

How can I fix the Unable to start Bluetooth Stack Service error?

1. Remove theWIDCOMM Bluetooth driver

TheWIDCOMM Bluetooth driver by Broadcom in Dell laptops is a known cause of Bluetooth stack service errors. However, severalusers have reported that removing the driver did help them resolve the error in Windows.

2. Start Bluetooth Support Service

If the issue persists, even after restarting the Bluetooth Support Services, do the following:

3. Disable Bttray from Startup

4. Update the Bluetooth driver

You can also try updating your Bluetooth driver automatically using reliable third-party software likeOutbyte Driver Updaterto find the latest versions from its comprehensive vault.

5. Install Windows updates

Updating your Windows OS can fix bugs and glitches with the previously installed drivers and other compatibility issues.

The inability to start the Bluetooth stack service error is common to Dell laptops due to theWIDCOMM Bluetooth driver being used to manage the Bluetooth function. However, the driver is known to cause the blue screen of death and other issues during startup.

If removing the WIDCOMM Bluetooth driver did not help, follow theother steps in this article to resolve the issue. If you solved the error using any other method, leave it in the comments,and we will try to update the article.

Could not Start Microsoft Bluetooth Stack: 5 Fixes to use#

Why does Could not start Microsoft Bluetooth stack message appear?#

How can I fix the Unable to start Bluetooth Stack Service error?#

1. Remove theWIDCOMM Bluetooth driver#

2. Start Bluetooth Support Service#

3. Disable Bttray from Startup#

4. Update the Bluetooth driver#

5. Install Windows updates#