Letting Chrome use Bluetooth on Windows

Windows manages Bluetooth at the system level. Here is how to confirm everything is set up for ToyControl in your browser.

On Windows, Chrome and Edge use the system's Bluetooth automatically. Unlike Mac, there is usually no per-app permission to grant. If pairing is not working, the cause is usually one of three things: Bluetooth is off, the wrong Bluetooth adapter is active, or the toy was paired in Windows before and is now being held there.

1. Make sure Bluetooth is on

  1. Open Settings (the gear icon in the Start menu).
  2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
  3. Make sure the Bluetooth toggle at the top is on.

The system tray on the bottom-right of your screen also has a Bluetooth icon. If it has a slash through it, click it and turn it on.

2. Forget the toy if Windows is holding it

This is the most common cause of "the toy is missing" on Windows. If you pair the toy through Windows Settings, the browser cannot see it any more (the system has claimed it).

  1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
  2. Find your toy in the list.
  3. Click the three dots next to it.
  4. Click Remove device.

Then back in ToyControl, click the + in the sidebar to pair the toy through the browser instead.

3. Use the right Bluetooth adapter

Some laptops have both built-in Bluetooth and an external USB Bluetooth adapter plugged in. Chrome uses whichever the system is set to.

If you have a USB Bluetooth dongle, make sure the laptop's built-in Bluetooth is disabled (or remove the dongle for a session and rely on the built-in chip).

To check which adapter is active:

  1. Open Device Manager (right-click the Start button > Device Manager).
  2. Expand Bluetooth.
  3. You will see one or more adapters listed. If both are showing as "OK", Windows is picking one.

4. Use Chrome (not the Microsoft Store edition)

Some users have reported issues with the Microsoft Store edition of Edge. The standard Chrome download from google.com/chrome is the most tested option on Windows.

Next steps