2. Bluetooth
  3. Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
  4. After a Certain Amount of Time, A...

After a Certain Amount of Time, Around 20 to 30 Minutes, My Bluetooth Devices Disconnect

Last Update: October 16th, 2026
Article ID: 684908

Applicable To

  • Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 adapter (Broadcom BCM20702 chipset)
  • Plugable USB-BT5 Bluetooth 5.0 adapter
  • Windows

Bluetooth devices that drop their connection to a Plugable Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0 adapter are usually affected by the computer's USB controller turning off the adapter to save power. Windows and the paired Bluetooth device are responsible for reconnecting, and disabling the USB power-saving settings below commonly resolves the issue.

Troubleshooting Steps

  1. Search for Control Panel in the Start menu and open it.
  2. Open Power Options.
  3. Click Change plan settings next to your active power plan.
  4. Click Change advanced power settings.
  5. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting, set it to Disabled, and click OK.
    Power options for USB selective suspend
  6. Right-click the Start menu button and choose Device Manager.
  7. Expand Bluetooth and double-click your adapter to open its properties. Bluetooth 4.0 adapters appear as Broadcom BCM20702 Bluetooth 4.0 USB Device. For the USB-BTL Bluetooth 5.0 adapter, double-click the Bluetooth 5.0 adapter listed under Bluetooth.
  8. Select the Power Management tab.
  9. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power and click OK.
    Device Manager power options for devices
  10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each USB Root Hub under Universal Serial Bus controllers. Note: This option may not be available on all computers.

Expected Result

Your Bluetooth devices stay connected to the Plugable Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0 adapter, including after periods of inactivity, without needing to be re-paired or reconnected.

If the Issue Persists

If this does not resolve the issue with your Plugable Bluetooth adapter, please contact us at support@plugable.com.