I use Windows 10 and have been using a Bluetooth speaker (SoundCore Mini from Anker) for a few years now. This has always worked well with my Windows PC. However, for a few days now I suddenly can no longer play music via the Bluetooth speaker.
The Bluetooth speaker itself connects to the PC immediately, but nothing happens afterwards. I can activate a "hands-free" mode in the sound menu at the bottom right, but I can't play any music. The normal "stereo" mode does not appear as before in this menu. Normally, the Bluetooth speaker automatically switched to this mode after a few seconds. Troubleshooting did not help. But it definitely has to be on the PC because the Bluetooth speaker works well with other computers and smartphones.
Within the sound settings both the "hands-free" mode and the "stereo" mode are displayed. When the Bluetooth speaker is switched on, the "hands-free" mode, the "stereo mode", does not connect at once. However, the "Stereo" mode can't be connected by manually clicking on "Connect". The properties of both modes are "The device is working properly". The drivers also seem to be up to date and my Windows version as well.
Strangely enough, with my Bluetooth headphones, I can connect to the Windows PC in "stereo" mode without a problem, although there's a "hands-free" mode, as with the speaker. A repeated restart of the PC has unfortunately brought nothing and the troubleshooting on Windows has also reported nothing, because the speaker as described can connect itself.
On the official website of the PC manufacturer, I downloaded all Bluetooth drivers and installed the latest updates, but it did not work. I did not change any of the Bluetooth settings on the PC or download any update manually, which could have caused this problem.
This is what the sound settings look like when I connect the Bluetooth speaker. Earlier, the stereo mode was connected immediately. In the meantime, the loudspeaker is only displayed to me as "headphone", probably because of the activated "hands-free" mode. The top speaker is the built-in speaker in the laptop. Within the properties I can't change the "Stereo" mode as opposed to the "Hands Free" mode nor set it as "Standard".
Do you have any idea how the problem can be solved? I'm very grateful for every answer. On the Internet I have not found anything on this topic, only general problems with Bluetooth. I have already written to the official support of Anker, but so far I have received no response.
Problem solved: I reset the PC, then the problem was solved. I still do not know the cause, possibly a faulty Windows update or an incorrect setting. Anyway, the main thing is it works now.
