Introduction - Bluetooth Wireless Technology faq 2012 July 24, 2012 Abstract

This FAQ provides answers to a range of common questions about how Windows® supports Bluetooth wireless technology. For convenience, the following list provides links to the questions.
General Operating System Support
Which versions of Windows support Bluetooth wireless technology?
Which Bluetooth versions does Windows support?
What is new in Windows 8?
What is new in Windows 7?
What is new in Windows Vista?
Which Bluetooth profiles have in-box Windows support?
Which Bluetooth versions does Windows support?
How many Bluetooth radios can Windows support?
Do users have to re-pair their Bluetooth devices after they upgrade a system to Windows 7?
What programming interfaces are new for Windows 8?
What programming interfaces are new for Windows 7?
What programming interfaces were new for Windows Vista?
How can Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios coexist effectively?
How do I enable AFH in Windows?
How do I enable remote wake in Windows?
Bluetooth Host Radio Support
Which Bluetooth host controllers does Windows support?
In Windows Vista, can the Bluetooth stack be forced to load if Windows cannot match the device ID?
How do I ensure in-box support for Bluetooth radios in Windows Vista?
Should third-party INF files use the Microsoft-defined class GUID?
Why is the Control Panel Bluetooth application missing in Windows 7?
Why does the Bluetooth icon not appear in the taskbar?
Does Windows support Bluetooth radio firmware updates?
Does Windows support vendor-specific pass-through commands?
Does Windows support vendor-supplied profiles?
Why are only some Bluetooth profiles and protocols enabled by default?
Can Group Policy block Bluetooth radio installation?
How do I change the Device ID Profile record published by Windows 8?
User Interface
What is the Bluetooth File Transfer Wizard?
How do I unhook Fsquirt.exe (enhancing the in-box Bluetooth File Transfer Wizard)?
In Windows Vista, why does the Bluetooth notification area icon sometimes disappear?
Can vendors add tabs to the Control Panel Bluetooth Settings application?
Why does Windows 7 and Windows Vista display a dialog box when a Bluetooth audio device is initially connected?
How do I enhance the functionality and better represent my Bluetooth device in Devices And Printers?
Windows Hardware Certification Program
Where are the Windows Hardware Certification Program requirements for Bluetooth wireless technology?
Does Windows 8 have new Bluetooth requirements?
General Operating System Support Which versions of Windows support Bluetooth wireless technology?
The following versions of Windows include in-box support for Bluetooth wireless technology:
All SKUs of Windows XP with SP2 and later versions
All SKUs of Windows Vista
All SKUs of Windows 7
All SKUs of Windows 8
The following versions of Windows do not have in-box support for Bluetooth wireless technology:
All SKUs of Windows 2000
All SKUs of Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012
Although these versions of Windows do not have in-box Bluetooth wireless technology support, third-party Bluetooth drivers might be available from independent hardware vendors (IHVs).
Note: The Windows XP SP1 release supported Bluetooth wireless technology, but did so with a driver that was available only to PC system partners. Windows XP SP2 integrated Bluetooth wireless technology support into a regular service pack release and was available to all customers.
Which Bluetooth versions does Windows support?
Windows supports Bluetooth version 1.1 and later versions. Windows does not support Bluetooth version 1.0 because that specification lacks several critical updates that Windows requires to support Bluetooth wireless technology well. Windows Vista with SP2 and Windows 7 both support Bluetooth version 2.1. Note that Bluetooth version 2.1 radios and devices are backward compatible with earlier versions of Bluetooth and will run on Windows XP and Windows Vista without SP2. However, these Windows versions cannot take advantage of the full Bluetooth version 2.1 feature set because the Bluetooth version 2.1 specification was not ratified before Windows Vista was released.
Windows 8 is Bluetooth Smart Ready, it supports Bluetooth version 4.0, and is able to connect with Bluetooth Smart devices.
Windows support for different versions of the Bluetooth specification depends on the Windows version, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Windows Support for Bluetooth Versions
Windows version
|
Supported Bluetooth versions
|
Windows 2000
|
Not supported.
|
Windows XP
|
Version 1.1
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 with enhanced data rate (EDR)
|
Windows Server 2003
|
Not supported.
|
Windows Vista
|
Version 1.1
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 with EDR*
Version 2.1 with EDR**
|
Windows 7
|
Version 1.1
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 with EDR*
Version 2.1 with EDR
|
Windows Server 2008
|
Not supported.
|
Windows Server 2008 R2
|
Not supported.
|
Windows 8
|
Version 1.1
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 with EDR*
Version 2.1 with EDR
Version 4.0 with EDR
|
Windows Server 2012
|
Not supported.
|
*The EDR support for Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista is enhanced relative to the Bluetooth stack for
Windows XP.
**Version 2.1+EDR is supported in Windows Vista with SP2.
| What’s new in Windows 8?
Windows 8 includes the following enhancements to the Bluetooth stack and related software:
Support for Bluetooth version 4.0:
Bluetooth Low Energy support allows Windows to connect with Bluetooth Smart peripherals.
eL2CAP enables enhanced re-transmission and flow control for profiles that require this functionality.
An extensible transport model allowing support for Bluetooth radios on non-USB buses.
Support for the HFP, A2DP, and AVRCP Profiles.
What is new in Windows 7?
Windows 7 includes the following enhancements to the Bluetooth stack and related software:
Support for Bluetooth version 2.1:
Secure Simple Pairing allows Windows to determine the best pairing method to use between devices, rather than requiring users to make that determination.
Extended Inquiry Response enables sharing a device’s friendly name much earlier in the pairing process.
An improved user experience that enhances management of Bluetooth devices.
Improved installation of USB Bluetooth radios.
Any USB device with a USB\Class_E0&SubClass_01&Prot_01 hardware ID will install as a Generic Bluetooth Adapter.
What is new in Windows Vista?
Windows Vista includes the following enhancements to the Bluetooth stack and related software:
Improved enhanced data rate (EDR) performance.
Adaptive frequency hopping (AFH). This feature improves the coexistence of Bluetooth radios and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) network adapters, both of which operate in the 2.4-GHz frequency range.
Synchronous connection-oriented (SCO) link support. This support is necessary for the headset and hands-free profiles.
Kernel-mode device driver interface (DDI) support for Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), and SCO.
New Bluetooth hardware IDs, which are listed in Table 2.
Table 2. New Bluetooth Hardware IDs for Windows Vista
Vendor identifier (VID)
|
Product identifier (PID)
|
Description
|
03F0
|
011D
|
Hewlett Packard integrated Bluetooth module
|
03F0
|
011D&Rev_0017
|
Hewlett Packard nc4200
|
03F0
|
171D
|
Hewlett Packard integrated Bluetooth module
|
03F0
|
D104
|
BT450 Bluetooth wireless printer and PC adapter
|
044E
|
300A
|
Sony Bluetooth USB adapter
|
044E
|
300C
|
Sony Bluetooth USB adapter
|
049F
|
0086
|
Hewlett Packard integrated Bluetooth module
|
049F
|
0086&Rev_1393
|
Hewlett Packard nx7000
|
0930
|
0508
|
Toshiba Bluetooth adapter
|
0930
|
0509
|
Toshiba Bluetooth adapter
|
0A5C
|
201E
|
IBM integrated Bluetooth IV
|
0A5C
|
2110
|
ThinkPad Bluetooth with EDR
|
0B05
|
1712
|
Generic Bluetooth adapter
|
0DB0
|
6855&Rev_2000
|
Message signaled interrupt (MSI) Bluetooth device
|
413C
|
8120
|
Dell wireless Bluetooth module
|
413C
|
8126
|
Dell Truemobile 355 Bluetooth + EDR
|
Which Bluetooth profiles have in-box Windows support?
Windows includes in-box support for the Bluetooth profiles that are listed in Table 3.
Table 3. Windows 7 and Windows Vista In-Box Bluetooth Profiles
Profile
|
Description
|
HID 1.0
|
Human Interface Device
|
PANU
|
Personal Area Network User
|
SPP
|
Serial Port Profile
|
OPP
|
Object Push Profile
|
DUN
|
Dial-Up Networking
|
HCRP
|
Hard Copy Replacement Profile
|
Windows 8 includes additional and updated Bluetooth profiles as listed in Table 4.
Table 4. Windows 8 In-Box Bluetooth Profiles
Profile
|
Description
|
HID 1.1
|
Human Interface Device
|
PANU
|
Personal Area Network User
|
SPP
|
Serial Port Profile
|
OPP
|
Object Push Profile
|
DUN
|
Dial-Up Networking
|
HCRP
|
Hard Copy Replacement Profile
|
HFP 1.5
|
Hands-Free Profile
|
A2DP 1.2
|
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile
|
AVRCP 1.3
|
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile
|
HOGP
|
HID over GATT Profile
|
Because Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista provide both kernel-mode and user-mode programming interfaces for their Bluetooth stacks, hardware and software vendors can implement additional profiles in both kernel mode and user mode. We encourage vendors that create such profiles to test their software by using the appropriate Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) test suites and have their software packages digitally signed.
Which Bluetooth versions does Windows support?
Windows 8 supports Bluetooth version 4.0.
Windows 7 and Windows Vista with SP2 both support Bluetooth version 2.1. Windows Vista RTM and Windows Vista with SP1 both support Bluetooth version 2.0 with EDR.
Note: Windows Vista with SP1 also supports Bluetooth version 2.1 if it includes a package that was made available only to system partners. Windows Vista SP2 integrated the Bluetooth version 2.1 support into the service pack release so that it is available to all customers.
How many Bluetooth radios can Windows support?
The Bluetooth stack in Windows supports only one Bluetooth radio. This radio must comply with the Bluetooth specification and the latest Windows Hardware Certification Program requirements.
Do users have to re-pair their Bluetooth devices after they upgrade a system to Windows 8?
If users upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 8, they must perform a clean installation of Windows 8. In this situation, any Bluetooth software that the OEM provides must be re-installed and all devices must be re-paired. If users upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8, complex devices such as phones might require re‑pairing so that third-party drivers will reload. However, a simpler device such as a keyboard or a mouse does not require re-pairing.
Therefore, pairing information is preserved if users upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 for some devices, primarily Bluetooth keyboards and mouse devices. This ensures that customers are not required to use a wired keyboard and mouse to upgrade their Windows version. They can use their Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for the entire procedure.
What programming interfaces are new for Windows 8?
Windows 8 introduces new APIs for accessing Bluetooth Smart peripherals via Bluetooth Low Energy, creating a bus driver for non-USB Bluetooth controllers via an extensible transport model, and creating enhanced L2CAP channels. For more information about these APIs, see Bluetooth Devices Reference.
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