How to Use Windows 11 as a Bluetooth Audio Receiver

Did you know you can use your Windows 11 PC as a Bluetooth speaker? This allows you to listen to your favorite music tracks you have on your devices like iPhone or Android on your computer. I’ll show you how to set it up.

Step 1: Pair Your Bluetooth-Enabled Device With Your PC

To listen to music on your Windows 11 PC from a Bluetooth device, you’ll have to pair that device with your PC first. This is how your PC recognizes your device.

To do that, turn on Bluetooth on your device, like your iPhone or Android phone. On an iPhone, you’ll head into Settings > Bluetooth and turn on the “Bluetooth” toggle. On an Android phone, you’ll pull down twice from the top of the device screen and tap the “Bluetooth” tile.

On Windows 11, launch Settings by pressing Windows+i. From the left sidebar, choose “Bluetooth & Devices.” On the right pane, enable “Bluetooth” if it isn’t already enabled. Then, next to Devices, click “Add Device.”

On the Add a Device window, select “Bluetooth.” Wait for your PC to detect your device. When the device appears on the list, click it to select it.

When your PC says Your Device is Ready to Go!, click “Done” to close the window. Both your PC and your device are now paired.

Step 2: Use a Free App to Receive Bluetooth Audio on Your PC

To receive audio via Bluetooth on your Windows 11 PC, you’ll download Bluetooth Audio Receiver from the Microsoft Store. This is because Windows 11 doesn’t have a built-in feature that allows it to act as a Bluetooth speaker.

To get that app, launch Windows Search (press Windows+S), type Microsoft Store, and open the app. Click the search box at the top, type Bluetooth Audio Receiver, press Enter, and select that app on the list. Then, choose “Get” to download and install the app.

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Open Windows Search again, type Bluetooth Audio Receiver, and select the app in the search results. On the app screen, select the device you want to receive audio from. This should be the device that you’ve paired with your PC earlier. After selecting the device, click the “Open Connection” button.

At the top of the device list, you’ll see a [Your Device Name] Connected message, which indicates your PC is ready to act as a Bluetooth speaker for your device.

On your device, launch a music app and start playing audio. You’ll find that the audio plays through your PC’s speakers. You can control the volume using your device’s volume control or by clicking the sound icon in your PC’s system tray and adjusting the volume level.

When you want to stop listening to the music on your PC, access the Bluetooth Audio Receiver window and click the “Close Connection” button. Note that you don’t have to unpair your device.

Fix Issues While Using Your PC as a Bluetooth Speaker

If you run into issues while trying to connect or play music on your Windows 11 PC, the following troubleshooting tips will help fix the problem.

If Your PC Can’t Find Your Bluetooth Device

If you don’t see your Bluetooth device on the Add a Device window on your computer, your device is likely undiscoverable. In this case, access the pair screen on your device.

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For example, on an Android phone, you’ll head into Settings > Connected Devices > Pair New Device and keep this screen open while performing the pairing process on your PC.

If There’s No Audio Output on Your PC

If the connection is established, but your PC doesn’t play the audio, ensure you haven’t muted your PC’s speakers. To verify that, click the sound icon in your PC’s system tray and increase the volume.

If you’re using headphones with your PC, right-click the sound icon and choose “Sound Settings.” On the open window, click “Choose Where to Play Sound” and select your headphones. This ensures your PC routes the audio to the correct output device.

If The Audio Breaks

If the audio breaks, ensure both your PC and your device are close to each other. This is because Bluetooth has a working range of 30 feet (10 meters). Outside of that, your devices can’t talk to each other. Also, make sure there are no obstacles between your PC and your device.

And that’s how you use your computer’s speakers as Bluetooth speakers on Windows 11. Like that, you can also play audio from multiple outputs on Windows 11.