What Is Bluetooth 5 and How to Upgrade?
Plus bad news about smartphone upgrades
Along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth has become a nearly universal communication technology. From headsets to thermostats, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a device that doesn’t communicate via Bluetooth. So what is Bluetooth 5? And can you upgrade your PC to be Bluetooth 5 compatible?
Below, we’ll explain what Bluetooth 5 is, then cover how you can check your PC’s Bluetooth version and upgrade your adapter to the latest version.
What Is Bluetooth 5?
Bluetoothis a short-range wireless technology found in almost all new electronic devices. It enables you to connect devices together.
For example, it’s used to connect smartphones to wireless devices including wearables (like wireless earbuds), smart home devices, peripherals (like wireless keyboards), and audio devices (like a car’s audio system).
Bluetooth 5 is the latest version of Bluetooth, introduced in 2016 to replace the older Bluetooth 4.2. The first Bluetooth 5-enabled devices were released in 2017, including the Apple iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy S8.
Bluetooth 5.0 brought several new features to the table, including increased data rate and bandwidth. Its functionality has improved further with Bluetooth 5.1, Bluetooth 5.2, and the most recent new version, Bluetooth 5.3.
Compared with previous versions, Bluetooth 5.0 had:
Luckily, each Bluetooth iteration is backwards compatible, meaning that if your Bluetooth devices are only Bluetooth 4.2-compatible, they’ll still work with a Bluetooth 5 smartphone — but they will run on Bluetooth 4.2.
How to Check Which Bluetooth Version You Have
To check yourWindows PC Bluetooth version:
How to Upgrade Your PC to Bluetooth 5
If you want to make the most of the latest Bluetooth technology, but your PC only supports Bluetooth 4, it’s possible to upgrade. All you need to do is purchase a new Bluetooth adapter that’s compatible with the best Bluetooth specification and connect it to your PC.
To disable your older adapter:
Now, simply plug-in the new adapter. To check that it’s connected properly and recognized by your PC:
Can I Upgrade My Smartphone to Bluetooth 5?
Unfortunately, if your smartphone (or other handheld device) isn’t Bluetooth 5-compatible, there’s no way to upgrade it. Instead, you’ll have to purchase a new device that is compatible with Bluetooth 5. However, all new Bluetooth 5-enabled peripherals will be backwards compatible with your phone.
Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio
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