Microsoft Windows 10 update is breaking Bluetooth connectivity, but there’s a fix

Windows 10’s recent update is causing some major connectivity issues. Read more about the bug here.

Bluetooth speakers won’t work after installing 4505903 update on Windows 10, version 1903 (Pixabay)

Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 KB4505903 update late last month as part of May 2019 Windows update. The update is optional which means it won't automatically get installed unless users manually allow it to. The update, however, is causing some critical issues related to Bluetooth connectivity. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and given a workaround for the problem.

With the Windows 10 KB4505903 update, some users may face difficulties for connecting the PC with a Bluetooth speaker. Even if the speaker connects, the sound output is noisy and of bad quality. In some cases, PC is playing audio through the internal speaker instead of the paired Bluetooth device.

"Additionally, in Device Manager, you notice an entry under the Sound, video and game controllers node for Microsoft Bluetooth A2dp Source that shows a yellow bang (exclamation mark) icon," Microsoft acknowledged on its support page.

Microsoft has also given users a workaround to fix the Bluetooth problem with the latest Windows 10 update.

To fix, users need to launch the System File Check tool (SFC.exe) to fix the missing or corrupted system files. To get here, open command console on your PC and then type "sfc/scannow" command and hit enter. Once the process concludes, restart your PC. Note that the process may take several minutes.

This is not the first time Windows 10 users have experienced issues with Bluetooth connectivity. Another Windows 10 1903 update rolled out this year broke the connectivity for some users. Microsoft had then said the connectivity issue was added deliberately in order to provide keep the platform secure.

"These security updates address a security vulnerability by intentionally preventing connections from Windows to unsecure Bluetooth devices," Microsoft had said at the time. "Any device using well-known keys to encrypt connections may be affected, including certain security fobs."

Tech It and Go: Xiaomi Mi A3 Unboxing