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Transferring Files via Bluetooth on Windows

Last Update: October 19th, 2026
Article ID: 694813

How Do I Send and Receive Files Over Bluetooth in Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Applicable To

  • Plugable USB-BT4LE Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
  • Plugable USB-BT5 Bluetooth 5.0 Adapter
  • Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 10 and Windows 11 don't make it obvious how to send or receive files with a phone or other device over Bluetooth, and a number of users have contacted the Plugable support team looking for an easy way to do this. Fortunately, Windows comes preinstalled with a program called 'fsquirt' that handles Bluetooth file transfers, and the steps below resolve this for most users.

Instructions

Open fsquirt

  1. Pair your phone, or other file source, with your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC via Bluetooth.
  2. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
  3. Enter fsquirt in the window that appears, then press Enter.
    Run dialog prompt for fsquirt

Other ways to launch fsquirt (Windows 10 and Windows 11):

  • Go to C:\Windows\System32 then launch fsquirt.exe
  • Right-click on your Windows desktop, or in an empty area of a folder, then choose New › Shortcut. In the window that appears, enter fsquirt then click 'Next'. On the next step of the wizard, enter anything you'd like for the name. You'll now have a shortcut with a Bluetooth icon that launches the fsquirt application
    Creating a shortcut to fsquirt

Once you've launched the fsquirt application, you'll have the option to send or receive files.

Creating a shortcut to fsquirt

Send Files

  1. Select 'Send files'.
  2. In the list of connected Bluetooth devices, select the device you want to send files to.
  3. Click 'Next'. Windows will attempt to send the file to the selected device.
  4. On the receiving device, accept the file transfer when prompted.

Receive Files

  1. Select 'Receive files'. The fsquirt window will display 'Waiting for a connection'.
    Creating a shortcut to fsquirt
  2. On the device you're sending files from, select the file to be transferred.
  3. Send the file using your device's instructions for sending Bluetooth files.
  4. When Windows asks where you want to store the file, choose a location.
  5. Click 'OK' to receive the file.

Expected Result

  • Sending: The fsquirt window displays 'File successfully transferred' and the file appears on the receiving device.
  • Receiving: The file is saved to the location you chose on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.

If the Issue Persists

While it is technically possible to transfer files over Bluetooth, there are much better ways to exchange data between devices.

Bluetooth—without an optional and rarely used feature to work in tandem with Wi-Fi—has a theoretical maximum throughput of 3Mbps, with a practical performance closer to 1.5Mbps (192KB/s). At this rate it would take over seven minutes to transfer eight 10MB photos. Wi-Fi and USB are much better options to exchange data between hosts as their transfer rates are many times greater than that of Bluetooth.

  • Confirm the device appears as paired and connected in Windows Bluetooth settings, then try the transfer again.
  • For large files or many files, use a USB cable or a Wi-Fi based transfer method instead.
  • If you're still unable to transfer files with your Plugable Bluetooth adapter, please reach out to Plugable support for further assistance.