Allow users to add Bluetooth devices GPO?

[Garacesh]

Struggling with this one. Thanks to COVID, management have invested in a bunch of bluetooth headsets so that staff can walk around the room but still communicate with the kids that're isolating through Google Meet.

 

My test user can plug in a USB Bluetooth adapter and Windows will pick it up, the Bluetooth icon shows in the system tray, and double-clicking it brings up the 'Bluetooth & other devices' section of Settings.

However, clicking on 'Add Bluetooth or other device' does naught. The clicking animation plays, the icon gets smaller, the text goes bold, but then... Nothing.

 

The Bluetooth adapter shows up in Device Manager and Devices and Printers as expected, with no warnings.

 

Nothing obvious showing in a gpresult. Is there a policy I'm missing somewhere?

[chazzy2501]

You usually have to choose 1 of 3 categories, wrong one might get no results.

[Garacesh]

You usually have to choose 1 of 3 categories, wrong one might get no results.

Hmm.

I did eventually get it to work but I've changed that many things I'm not sure which one it was.. Oops

 

I did start whitelisting more control panel stuff, though, so it's likely to be either be whitelisting Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters (even though I could get to it anyway..?) or possibly Microsoft.Sound

[garethEds]

Sorry to hijack this thread. I've just been asked the same thing.

 

Our GPOs are set at an LEA level and we can add our own to override them if needed. It works.

 

However on our new staff laptops I have been asked to enable Bluetooth so users can add bluetooth headphones. We have the bluetooth icon in the taskbar but when users click on the 'Add a Bluetooth Device' the settings window opens and then immediately closes.

 

So - what have the LEA set at the high level? Or what would I need to add to enable it? I can see that I can enable some Control Panel settings and have tried with a canonical name for devices - but it doesn't work.

 

I'm clearly missing something. Cannot find much on Google.

 

Cheers all

 

Gareth

[Garacesh]

I'll have a gander at my GPO's tomorrow, see if anything jumps out at me @garethedmondson

[computer_expert]

We have the bluetooth icon in the taskbar but when users click on the 'Add a Bluetooth Device' the settings window opens and then immediately closes.

 

If the new settings app does the same thing then it's likely to be the 'Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC settings' GPO is enabled somewhere.

[garethEds]

Hi All,

 

Another hours research and it was sorted. As @computer_expert said that was one of the settings and then I had to set another GPO option to show the Bluetooth panel only.

 

Gareth