I've just acquired a bluetooth adapter for my W10 (1909) desktop PC and have tried to set it up to provide hands-free control of my Moto G6+ phone running Android 9. [The phone works fine in my car - where I can make and receive calls using the car's speaker and microphone.]
I was expecting the PC to work the same way but it doesn't! The phone and PC pair ok using BT, and I can see my texts, photos, address book and call log on the PC. I can use the PC to dial calls - but I don't hear ringtone or speech through the PC's speakers. I don't hear it at all unless I click on 'use phone' - when I can then hear it on the phone, but that defeats the whole object of the exercise. For incoming calls, both the phone *and* the PC ring - compared with the car where only the car speaker rings.
Thanks. I saw that, but it doesn't really help. It's more to do with getting the phone and computer to communicate - which mine do after a fashion - rather than about how the thing works in detail.
Maybe the phone needs to be set up to use the link for input and output instead of itself? I can make calls using my echo dot using the address book in my Iphone and the phone remains silent. Brian
I think Bluetooth allows multiple profiles to be open with a single device.
Maybe a Handsfree profile of some sort, is needed to turn your computer into a "Bluetooth Speaker" ? Then the question is, why isn't My Phone doing that for you. A tick box ? Permissions ? Don't forget all those silly permissions in both phones and in Windows 10 Settings. You can't expect the My Phone application to "suggest" a setting.
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Imagine the fun debugging something like that, and figuring out what broke.
I don't use that app, so the following is a guess. When you load a program or app that issues sound API calls to the OS, it may get listed in the Sound Mixer (right-click on the sound tray icon, select Open Volume Mixer). Since Windows 7, each source can be separately controlled from the base volume. This has f***ed over users ever since because most just want the volume level the same across all sound-enabled programs rather than individual volume settings.
With the Your Phone app loaded, is there an entry for it in the Volume Mixer dialog? You may have to drag the horizontal scrollbar to view all playback devices. If so, is its volume the same as the base/master volume level (often marked as Speakers, but depends on what you selected as the Playback device in the sound config)? If it's there, also check that it is not a muted source (the speaker icon under the volume slider).
Some programs add their own playback device (software based or virtualized device). Go into the old Control Panel (control.exe) under Hardware and Sound, and click on Sound. You get one of the old wizards that Microsoft is trying to eliminate, but have yet to incorporate all the same features into their new Settings wizard. Under the Playback tab, normally the Speakers device is selected as the default playback device. Did the Your Phone app add its own sound device to that list? For example, this is where I have to go to switch to my USB headset when I plug it in to switch audio from speakers to the headset.
Not all Bluetooth devices properly report their capabilities. Go into the Bluetooth devices list (enter "bluetooth" in the taskbar's search, and pick "Bluetooth and other devices"), and right-click on your phone and select Properties. Yeah, another Settings dialog that is worthless. Scroll down in the right panel to select "Devices and printers". Your BT paired phone should be listed there. I don't have a BT device currently paired to my PC, so I cannot walk the path to the properties of the device to check its capabilities. In all the online articles I found, none focused on configuring which capabilities (BT protocols) a device would support. My recollection is you went into the properties of the BT device and under there was a list of different BT protocols you could disable or enable. Been too long, but I remember having to go there to enable a BT audio protocol to get remoting to the phone to work for audio. When you look at the Properties of the BT device, you should get the old-style properties dialog with General, Hardware, Services, and Bluetooth tabs. I suspect you go under the Service tabs (different BT protocols are also called services, not in an NT service running in the background but as a protocol that supports a type of service or function).
Ah, found online images of the Services tab (articles were useless, so instead I searched on images), which were at:
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The list of services, and even their names, might not match what you see in your list of "Bluetooth Services". The list is affected by the type of BT device. I had to play around enabling one at a time, test if problem got resolved, deselect (put back to old setting), and try another.
Many thanks for that - there are a lot of good suggestions there. Meanwhile, I've pretty much decided that there are some compatibility issues with my cheapo BT dongle, because it was telling me in one place that the devices were paired and in another that my PC didn't have BT or that it wasn't turned on. I have ordered (what I hope is) a better one. I'll have another go when that arrives, and look closely at your suggestions if I still have issues.
Did you use Device Manager and get some chipset info from the HardwareID ?
Maybe there are some notes out there on the chip.
For example, mine is a Broadcom. And it would be using the built-in profiles and driver code. Whereas on Windows 7, I would be using the WIDComm software on the DVD in the box.
It could be, that the disagreement on whether a BT dongle is present, is caused by some "Bluetooth" service. Take a look in services.msc and see if there's a Bluetooth item and it's started.
Different "services" (1) are available in different BT versions. Make sure the new BT dongle supports BT 3.x, or higher. I had an old BT 1.x dongle that was pretty much useless except for file transfer.
(1) The "services" (protocols) you see listed in the properties of a BT device (right-click on the BT device listed in Control Panel to show its properties, and go under the Services tab). Not the NT service defined in services.msc. The Bluetooth services listed in the Services app (services.msc) might be set to Manual startup (they start when called by some process), but the BT device itself still doesn't have full support for all its features. The BT device is supposed to send a list of attributes that define the protocols (services) the device supports. I had a BT Boombot speaker where all Bluetooth was configured correctly, and the device was paired to my computer, but still had audio problems until I went into the Properties of the BT device and enable some of the services listed under the Services tab. You didn't identify which BT dongle you tried. With the new replacement, make sure it supports BT 3.0, at a minimum. BT 4.x have some more features (faster, lower energy, using BT for the handshake but passing the connection to wifi which is faster), but you won't need those extra features. Just make sure the BT radio in your phone also supports BT 3.0, or higher.
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According to that, the G6 support BT 4.2 and the G6+ support BT 5.0, so a BT 3.0 dongle will suffice, but a higher BT version would be better.
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That lists some USB BT dongles sold at Newegg (and by Newegg, and not some 3rd party using Newegg to frontend an e-store for the 3rd party). BT 4.0 dongles go for about $20. I got the Asus BT400 from them for an old computer that didn't have a BT radio. It's now sitting in a drawer since my new build has a BT radio on the mobo (but I don't use BT anymore, so I disable BT in Windows).
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Yeah, useless to determine which connection methods are supported. Even Bluetooth isn't mentioned there. From that article, you install the Your Phone app on your PC, Your Phone Companion on the Android phone, and also the Link to Windows app on the Android Phone. Did you install all three? The Your Phone Companion will require permissions which you should get prompted to allow. If you don't allow those permissions, that ancilliary app will likely not function properly. Apparently, since this is a Microsoft app, it uses a Microsoft account, so both the PC and the Android phone must be logged into Microsoft; i.e., you need a Microsoft account on both devices. The Microsoft account is used to link the PC and phone (in addition to the BT which is the physical connection).
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Well, that page mentions using wifi, like for data sync and for "improve the connection". If the Your Phone can use wifi to connect the phone to your PC then dump Bluetooth and go with wifi (faster, more reliable, easier setup). Yet ...
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says you need to use Bluetooth to make/receive calls. Seems stupid they would support wifi from some transfer protocols but not for calls.
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"Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network for easier communication."
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That says Microsoft Bluetooth, but maybe just the BLE protocol. The Link to Windows app uses wi-fi, a much better choice for wireless connection. If you can go to wi-fi, stop trying to use flaky confusing Bluetooth.
There are so many configurations for Bluetooth that are disconnected or presented poorly that getting it to work only happens for simplistic BT devices that can manage to work under a standard BT device type. If you give up on the Your Phone app and using BT to remotely control your phone from your PC, you might what to look in other ways to remote to the phone. For example, instead of using an app that represents its own functions to impose on the phone, you could mirror the phone on the PC screen to operate your phone on your PC just like you use the phone. The ones that I've tried in the past were Mobizen and AirDroid (via their AirMirror app). I think even Teamviewer has something like this to remotely control an Android phone on a PC.
Usually those type of remote tools require you enable Developer Mode on the phone, so you can then go under that settings category to enable USB Debugging mode. You have to install an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) driver on the PC. You can connect the phone to PC using a USB cable, via Bluetooth, or even across the Internet (the PC and phone use a service through which the data gets sent between them. I remember AirDroid let you remotely control your phone using a USB cable (fastest), Bluetooth (slower), or through their web site (slowest but depends on your bandwidth). I think they dropped Bluetooth support because it was flaky to setup properly and still flaky during operation, so they went to USB cable or over the web. For wireless, I suspect they went to WiFi Direct (the PC supports wifi and the phone support wifi hotspot). Wifi works so much easier to setup and manage out-of-the-box than Bluetooth.
One way, like with Your Phone, is for an app to emulate some functionality of a phone, but they present their own screen or GUI. Another is to actually see the phone's screen on your PC, and manipulate your phone that way. Instead of just accessing the calling functions of your phone, you can access any app on your phone (Google Maps, WhatsApp, store apps, service apps, or any other app on your phone, including your phone's Phone app). I suppose you could even install AirDroid onto a different phone to use its camera and mic as a remote baby monitor or security camer in another place over the Internet.
It's been too long since I used mirroring setup between phone and PC to remember how they handled sound, like whether the phone made the rings, used its mic and speaker, or if the mirroring app on the PC issued the audio using the PC's speakers and used the PC's mic. These mirroring tools presented the phone's screen on your PC screen.
I've been using it now for about a month or 2. Previously, I was using a 3rd party app (Mighty Text) to allow me to see texts to my Samsung S7 on my PC. It was not reliable and did weird things. The Your Phone app seems to work much better. I can see and send texts on my S7 via the PC. It's especially handy when you do a two step verification when someone sends you a code to unlock their access; easy to copy and paste the code. BTW, sorry I can't help as it seemed to work right out of the "box".
But are you using it for making hands-free voice calls on your PC, or only for texts? Mine is ok for texts because it can use WiFi for that - but it's when it needs bluetooth for voice calls that it doesn't work properly.
No. I actually have a Pansonic cordless phone that blutooths to my cell. So I can use it to make and receive cell calls ... and it has a speakerphone built in. Also, I have 4 handsets. While one person is talking on one handset on the landline, another handset can be talking using the cell. I only wish that Panasonic system had a port for a 2nd landline as my phone company gives me a free 2nd landline. I do have that line tied to the computer modem for receiving faxes.
In 'Your Phone' Settings (bottom-left) there is a setting called: 'Calls' Which says, Allow this app to make and manage calls from my phone On/Off switch (default=off)
Thanks to everyone who has made helpful suggestions.
I've now replaced my cheapo (allegedly BT5) dongle with a tp-link branded BT4.0 adapter - and that worked straight out of the box, asking me for the expected mutual permissions, displaying matching pairing PINs on both devices, etc. - which the first one never did consistently.
Never used it. Saw it when it first appeared but could not imagine anything I might use it for (what the hell is it supposed to do for me anyhow?) so I never bothered to explore its mysteries. If I want to talk on my phone why can't I just pick up my phone and skip the middleman err middleprogram and simplify my life?
I suppose from elsewhere you could remote into your PC to use the phone, but you can do calls from online, so that solution is a Rube Goldberg design.
I suppose you could easier do texting on your PC's keyboard than the tiny virtual keyboard on the phone's screen. But the OP asked about calls.
I suppose you could mirror the phone's screen on the PC, like for games, but the Bluetooth connection is too slow and video and audio will get out of sync. Mirroring the phone using USB connect, USB Debug Mode on the phone, and the ADB driver on the PC would work better. You can also run Android on your PC (e.g., Bluestacks) to run the game app on the PC in the first place and not bother with the phone. But the OP asked about calls. Some tablets have the radios and SIM card slot, so to get a bigger screen you get a bigger device.
Not sure the PC's speakers and mic would surpass those in the phone, but I suppose you could use a headset on the PC for the calls getting initiated by the phone. Oh, you'd have to add a camera to the PC to do the video voice calling possible on the phone. At that point, you'd probably want better PC speakers and a far superior microphone, so you could do the video calls without looking tacky with a headset on your head.
You could get a bigger Android tablet that has the radios (cellular, Bluetooth, and GPS), so the screen would be bigger hence also the virtual keyboard eliminating the need to mirror to the PC.
I suppose you could set the sound volume way high for the Your Phone app on the PC, so you could hear the ringtones from farther away. Better not have the PC in your bedroom to jar you awake. For me, I defined an event in Task Scheduler that fires on LockWorkstation to shut up the computer to not bother when when it is locked.
Not sure how the Your Phone app is going to let you do calling when the phone is locked. Maybe you have to allow it permissions to unlock the phone's screen. I don't let any app unlock my phone, even for notifications, just to show a note that an app issued a notification. I don't want my phone unlocking when I'm not around.
I don't see the Your Phone desktop app is a handsfree app. That is, does it let you dangle a BT headset from an ear (you don't really need stereo for phone calls), and issue voice commands to do calling? There are handsfree voice apps that let you answer and hangup with a handsfree call app. BT from headset to phone, and use an app for handsfree calling. The bundled Google Assistant app will let you answer ("OK Google", "hello") and hangup ("OK Google", "hang up" or "end call"); see
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If Your Phone is not handsfree, when a call comes in, you're get interrupted in whatever work you're doing on the PC and have to scramble with the mouse or the keyboard to answer a call. However, if you're going to Bluetooth to the phone, you can get BT headsets for handsfree calling. If the PC is going to be within reliable range of a BT connect to the PC, same for a BT headset. I've not played with using a BT transceiver/booster to extend the range of BT. Hell, if you store your phone on the desk with your PC, just use the phone's own speaker and mic with "(OK|Hey) Google" to take and make calls. You'll probably want to configure the phone so it doesn't lock when charging on the desk, so the phone doesn't lock and can take commands.
The requirements for Your Phone are rather steep (Windows 10 May 2019 on PC and Android 7.0 on phone, and only for Android phones). Debug mode, ADB driver, and USB cable are more reliable, faster, and easier to setup for phone mirroring on the PC. I played with that awhile back, and the phone's sounds played through the PC speakers, used the PC's mic, and the PC's keyboard was obviously a lot easier to use. However, it was just easier to use the phone, even when I was at the computer. System requirements for phone mirroring on the PC (which, by the way, has been around a hell of lot longer than Microsoft's foray into a similar function) are a lot lower. For example, Airdroid/Airmirror's desktop client runs on Windows (don't know if they support discontinued Windows versions, but I've seen some sites listing XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10), macOS, Android (device or an Android emulator running on PC), or even through a web browser (so you could use Airdroid on, say, a Chromebook or Linux host without using WINE), and their matching phone app runs on Android 2.1, and later. To clarify, Airdroid is its own phone manager on the PC versus AirMirror that shows your phone's screen on your PC.
Bluetooth has a short range. Rod mentioned the phone may not be handy when at the computer, so the phone got left somewhere else, but it can't be that far away for a reliable BT connection to the PC. If you're going to interrupt whatever you're doing on the PC to take a call, geez, get off your butt to pick up the phone. If you're too slow to get to the phone, keep it with you. An easy solution is to use Google Voice (free service only available in the USA, G Suite users in select countries), and have it call *ALL* your phones: whatever number of mobile phones you have with their own number, your home phone, your work phone, etc. You can get an interface adapter (e.g., Obitalk, Ooma) at a one-time cost that connects your router to your house's phone wiring, so all phones on that wiring can use the VOIP service of Google Voice. If you're at your computer a lot at home, you really should have a home phone on the same desk. When someone calls my Google Voice number (the only one that I publish when asked for my phone number, and I choose to give it), it will ring my smartphones, my work phone, my desk phone on my desk connected to half the house POTS wiring using the Obitalk adapter to the router, and my home phone (from cable modem to other half of house POTS wiring). You can port your phone's number to Google Voice ($10), or whichever one you consider your primary phone number (the one you dole out to most others instead of having them remember every cell phone number, home phone number, work phone number, yadda yadda). Or just dole out your GV number when asked for a phone number, and update your accounts to reflect a change to your GV number.
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Release date: 10/2/2018 It hasn't been updated since 21 months ago?
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Updated: 7/9/2020
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Updated: 7/9/2020
Those have been updated recently, but no activity on the desktop app?
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