We wrote an article awhile back on how to synchronize your iPhone with a 64 bit Windows 7 computer and there have been various comments that we wanted to address in a couple different articles. One of those comments was related to an error attempting to play iPhone iPod application music over bluetooth on your Windows 7 computer. After getting some time we were able to duplicate the exact error which is described in detail below along with a couple tricks that can be used to resolve the issue.
Verify Windows 7 Bluetooth Application Has Bluetooth Adapter Turned On:
First you should make sure that Windows 7 doesn’t have the bluetooth adapter turned off which can be done by opening the Windows 7 bluetooth application and then verifying the bluetooth details. To launch the bluetooth application from Windows 7 click the start menu icon, type in bluetooth in the search box as shown in the below example, and then launch the Windows 7 bluetooth application.
Search For Windows 7 Bluetooth Application In Windows 7 Start Menu:
Once the bluetooth application displays underneath the Programs sub section click on the icon to launch the Windows 7 bluetooth application. Once this is clicked the bluetooth icon should now show in the taskbar in the active application section located just to the left of the default location of the clock in Windows 7. Once the notification icons arrow is clicked it will display any hidden notification icons including the bluetooth icon as displayed in the below example image.
Windows 7 Notification Icons Including Bluetooth Icon:
You can now right click the bluetooth icon to see if the adapter is on or off. If the adapter is turned off via the bluetooth application you can simply right click the icon and select “Turn Adapter On” as displayed in the below example image.
Turn Bluetooth Adapter On Via Notification Icon On Windows 7:
If the bluetooth adapter is already on then you you will see an entire menu of options when you right click the bluetooth notification icon on Windows 7 as shown in the below example image.
Bluetooth Adapter Already On: Bluetooth Adapter Menu Displayed From Notification Icon:
Once you have verified that the bluetooth adapter is on and functional on the computer you should be able to connect to your iPhone or iPod Touch fairly easily. The next step would be to verify that bluetooth is active on your iDevice by clicking the Settings icon, clicking on the General menu item, and then clicking on the Bluetooth menu item which will display a screen similar to the below on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
iPhone Settings: Bluetooth Status Before Syncing To Windows 7 Computer:
If Bluetooth on your iDevice is turned off simply slide the button to On as shown in the above example image. Once that is on go back to the Windows 7 computer and open the Bluetooth Devices window by clicking on Control Panel, selecting Devices and Printers, and then clicking Bluetooth Devices to show a window similar to the below.
Windows 7 Bluetooth Devices Management Window:
Obviously if you are configuring an iPhone or Touch it is likely that neither will display in the Bluetooth Devices management window however I took the picture after I already had it configured. Click on the Add A Device option located right under the Explorer navigation menu which will open a new window similar to the below which will guide you through adding the iPhone bluetooth connection. Your iDevice should display but if it doesn’t you should go back to the iPhone/Touch and configure bluetooth to be discoverable.
Windows 7 Add A Bluetooth Device: iPhone
Highlight the iPhone and then click the Next button. After you do the next window will display the bluetooth pairing code on both the Windows 7 Add A Device window as shown in the below example image and a window will pop up on your iPhone confirming the pairing code as well which is also shown in an example image below. You must confirm in both places.
Windows 7 Bluetooth: Confirm iPhone Pairing Code
iPhone Bluetooth: Confirm Windows 7 Pairing Code
Once you confirm in both places the iPhone will now be accepted as a device in the Windows 7 bluetooth devices list. You will still need to make the connection to the Windows 7 computer by clicking Connect from the list of devices displayed on the iPhone’s bluetooth devices list as shown in the below image.
iPhone Bluetooth Device Status List:
In this example you would simply click the XPS-LAP to make the connection to the Windows 7 laptop via bluetooth. Once the connection is established the status would change from Not Connected to Connected as shown in the below example image.
iPhone Bluetooth Devices Status List: Windows 7 Computer Connected
Once the connection is established you can play the iPod on your iPhone through the speakers of the Windows 7 computer by launching the iPod application on the iPhone and clicking play. Right before the music begins to play you will notice a small iPod control panel display on the Windows 7 computer which will allow you to pause, play, fast forward, rewind, or stop the iPod application as shown in the below example image.
iPhone iPod Application Control Panel On Windows 7 Desktop:
Error Establishing Connection: Connecting iPhone Via Bluetooth To Windows 7
I have seen times where the iPod control panel shown in the above example doesn’t launch or the bluetooth connection is not established between the two devices. If this happens you can try turning the bluetooth adapter on the Windows 7 computer off, wait a couple minutes, and then turn the bluetooth adapter back on. Typically this has resolved my issues however there was another time where I did have to turn bluetooth off on the iPhone and turn it back on to get the bluetooth connection established correctly.
Hi Alex,
Thank you for your efforts. I tried to follow the above mentioned procedure.
I really want to be able to play music on my computer from my iPod using Bluetooth.
When I enter the passcode on my iPod Touch, my computer shows that the device is connected. It then gives me the Bluetooth Peripheral Device driver error which I resolved using your other post for installing the driver manually on Windows 7 (I have 32-bit).
The driver error was resolved. My iPod shows my computer on its list. It also says “Not Connected”. Clicking on it does not help as it still shows the same.
I tried removing the devices on both, my computer and my ipod and reinstalling it again but did not help.
Please help me out here. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Hello Sahil,
In the last paragraph I mentioned this a bit…. I had to play around with unplugging, plugging, disabling, enabling, etc. to get it to work right. After I figured out exactly how it would work then it worked fine. After the devices have an established connection play songs on the iPod to see if it opens a mini window on the computer.
Thanks.
alex
Thanks for your reply.
I just tried what you said. I am able to sync my Blackberry with my computer over bluetooth but not my iPod. The iPod keeps saying “Not Connected” even after a some enabling and disabling.
I also made sure that I do have the Apple Mobile device support package installed.
Also tried playing a song, no popup appears and the song plays on the iPod itself.
Hello Sahil,
No problem. I wish I had some better suggestions but I am afraid without access to the device I am not sure what to suggest at this point. When you do locate the problem we would love to hear what it is so others can find resolution to similar issues.
Thanks.
alex
I am having this same issue. I can pair the phone too the laptop, but after it pairs, it disconnects and refuses to establish a connection after that. I have not been able to find a fix for this. Also, my PC bluetooth icon does not show the option to turn the radio on/off.
Hello Phil,
What operating system? I would suggest removing the connection information on each device and adding them back.
Thanks.
alex
I am running Windows 7 Professional. I have an iPhone 4. I have removed both devices from both devices several times (deleted the iPhone from the PC and deleted the PC from the iPhone). They always successfully pair, but drop the connection as soon as they finish pairing and then they no longer establish a connection. I have also tried this with a different BT adapter. My friend has also tried this as well with no success. He has an iPhone 3GS and an HP laptop with built-in BT. He is running Windows XP SP3 and iOS 4. Help!
Hello Phil,
I don’t yet have the iPhone 4 however I have ordered one and it should be hear in a couple weeks. If you haven’t heard anything in two weeks and still have the problem let me know and I will attempt to locate a solution.
Thanks.
alex
Hi Alex
Great guide which I have just stumbled upon via Google.
Just started using W7 Home Premium 64 bit and have attempted to connect my iPhone to this.
Steps so far;
– via Bluetooth window on w7 I found the iPhone and added it as a device
– had the driver issue so followed your advice regarding Microsoft download fix
– updated driver and successfully installed
– when I now try to attempt to connect to the phone via w7 then I get the error establishing connection message.
– The iPhone menu shows “connected” to my laptop.
what I have tried
– removed device and added again
– same driver issue and resolved same way
– turned Bluetooth off on both devices for 5 minutes
– same issue, can show connected to laptop on my iPhone but get the same error message when trying to connect via w7.
Any tips?
Sorry just to add that the Bluetooth is internal and the iPhone is the 3GS
IPHONE4 DOES NOT SUPPORT SYNC VIA BLUETOOTH. I have confirmed this through Apple tech support. They told me to request that this feature be added by going to http://www.apple.com/features I have an iPhone4, one of the most powerful smartphones on the planet, and it doesn’t support bluetooth sync? Even my 3 year old Blackberry curve supported that. What a crime.
Correct link to request this feature:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
Ok Phil, not sure if that was an intended reply to my issue as using the 3GS, but good to know about iPhone 4. Not holding out much hope of resolving this but pointless exercise anyways as pretty much take the cable everywhere for charging purposes anyway.
Hello Max,
I believe if the iPhone 4 won’t accomplish this task then neither will the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G. It will allow you to simply backup contacts over Bluetooth and restore them if necessary I believe.
Thanks.
alex
Hello Phil,
Thanks for the information. I typically sync over USB since I charge my iPhone 4 using my computer anyway. I will also make the request though as if enough people do they will eventually add the feature to sync over Bluetooth.
Thanks.
alex
Alex,
I would assume this does not just affect iPhone 4 hardware models but instead iOS4 users. I wanted to be able to sync contacts & calender over bluetooth as I typically dock my iPhone when I come into the office and use it as my iPod. So when I update my calendar, I have to undock it and plug it into USB to sync up the lateset calendar event. It’s an inconvenience that should be unnecessary. I just feel Apple shouldn’t have hobbled the functionality of bluetooth in their newest release. From all the articles I have read on the internet it looks like this was a capability in pre- iOS4. I appreciate you submitting the request as well though.
Thanks,
Phil
Hello Phil,
So previously you could sync contacts and calendar items via Bluetooth or only calendar items? It didn’t sync via iTunes though right… only direct to Outlook?
Thanks.
alex
Hello Max,
Are you trying to simply play iPod music from your iPhone 3GS over Bluetooth on your Windows 7 computer?
Thanks.
alex
Hi Alex
I was keen to just explore what the options were. I have had it bring the music controls up once but cannot replicate this now. To be honest I have given up on this issue as the Bluetooth support is poor from a functionality viewpoint so I will stick to keeping a spare cable in the laptop case.
Useful info on the site though and appreciate responses to date.
Thanks
Max
Hello Max,
Yeah no worries at all. To be honest I simply did this article at one point when I needed to play music over Bluetooth and typically I just sync via cable. So I pretty much do what you are doing which is keep a spare cable handy at all times…. helps with the charge anyhow. :)
Thanks.
alex
I have the iphone 4 with ios 4.2. Finally got this working with Win 7 64 bit. I did the following –
1 – tried to connect the iphone – got the peripheral driver issue/yellow triangle
2 – downloaded the Microsoft fix for the peripheral driver issue
3 – on iphone, went to bluetooth settings, toggled off then back on
4 – what FINALLY got it working for me – on the iphone clicked on the PC in the bluetooth settings to connect. Prior to this it just seemed to be ‘connecting’ forever. But, after I clicked on the PC, it changed the status to connect. Then, I was able to play audio through my PC.
Thanks for the post!!!
Hello Spencer,
No problem at all. Thanks for adding to what we have in the article. That will likely be very useful for others.
Thanks.
alex
Do you have the link to download the fix?
Hello jc,
I don’t but you might try replying to Spencer’s comment directly so he receives an email letting him know you would like the link to the Microsoft fix he mentions.
Thanks.
alex
I am trying to pair my iphone 4G to Windows 7 for the first time.. Bluetooth works on both devices fine.. Other items are attached to each. I go to windows 7 and add bt device and it sees my iphone 4. Tries to connect and windows prompts with a msg: “Adding this device failed because of an authentication error. This might be due to the use of an incorrect pairing code….” I have done a hard reset on my iphone and still get the same message. Any ideas? Bluetooth works fine on both devices (Laptop –> BT keyboard), (Iphone –> Jawbone, automobile).
Hello Todd,
It sounds like the incorrect pairing code is being used.
Thanks.
alex