How to Synchronize Your BlackBerry Using Bluetooth
This how-to is a follow up to Monday’s post which described the process used to pair up your Bluetooth devices, if you haven’t done so already make sure to follow the instructions in How to Pair Bluetooth Devices in Windows Vista before proceeding with this tutorial. The ability to synchronize your BlackBerry wirelessly (via Bluetooth) is a plus, the only downsides to this feature is that you cannot synchronize media or install programs and that you must have a Bluetooth radio installed in the host machine. The guide below will walk you through the configuration settings necessary to synchronize your BlackBerry to your computer via Bluetooth. If you have any comments or questions, please post them below.
Note: I used BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.3 (1107) on Windows Vista 64bit, BlackBerry 8830 Version 4.2.2 with Sprint, make sure to accept connections from your computer so that the sync process works, you will not be able to use Media Manager or Application loader via Bluetooth, you must be connected via USB to use these two features
Before proceeding make sure to follow the instructions provided in How to Pair Bluetooth Devices in Windows Vista
Configuring BlackBerry Device Manager to Connect Via Bluetooth
There are two ways that you can reach the BlackBerry Device Manager on your computer.
Method 1 Double-click on the small BlackBerry Device Manager icon located in the notification area to the right.
Method 2 Click on Orb > All Programs > BlackBerry > BlackBerry Device Manager
1. Click on the Device Connection tab and add a checkmark to the Enable Bluetooth Support checkbox, click on the Configure Bluetooth… button.
2. In the Bluetooth Configuration window, click on the Add… button
3. You will be prompted with the dialog box above, make sure that you meet all of those criteria. Click OK
4. Your device should be listed in the Add a Bluetooth enabled device prompt, select your device by clicking on it and click OK to proceed.
5. Click OK again.
6. Your phone should now be listed in the Connection Settings list, click OK to close window.
Note: If your device is not listed, allow some time (about 3 min) for the changes made to be reflected, if nothing occurs, repeat steps 1-4.
Syncing Your BlackBerry Phone with Desktop Manager
1. Click on Orb > All Programs > BlackBerry > Desktop Manager
2. Your phone’s PIN should appear next to the DEVICE CONNECTED (PIN): area, assuming it is listed click on the Synchronize button and you are done!
Note: If your phone is not listed, follow the instructions below
3. Click on the None link that appears where the PIN number should appear (see screenshot above)
4. The Connection Settings window should open, click on the Connection drop-down and select Bluetooth-PIN: YOURPIN#, click OK
5. Click OK to proceed
6. Your device should have been found, click OK to proceed.
Now you may Synchronize your BlackBerry with your computer via Bluetooth.
@Tom E Gunn: Did you take a look at the link I had provided Matt? Also did you verify that your DM and the BB both had the latest software/firmware versions? Please keep us posted. Thanks.
@Matt: Keep us posted on your progress so that others can learn from your experience. Good luck and thanks for getting back to me.
Hi Gil,
Great page, I actually found your page while I was searching for an answer to the same problem that Matt is having. The number of people out there that struggle to connect via bluetooth is amazing, it’s great of you to put this out there to help.
I have never had a problem connecting my BB8830 WE via bluetooth to my dell inspiron 1525, running 32-bit vista ultimate. However, once I close desktop manager (v5.0.0.11), device manager stays open in the taskbar and my blackberry stays connected. If I wait, after about 5-7 minutes, device manager closes and my blackberry will finally disconnect. (Matt, you may want to wait and see if eventually your blackberry does disconnect.) I find that if I disable bluetooth and connect via USB (just to test), I have the same issue. Device Manager stays open after desktop manager has closed for about 5 minutes until it eventually closes, so it doesn’t seem to be only a bluetooth issue. Any ideas? I was wondering if maybe there was a device manager log you know of somewhere in windows I could check to see what is going on during the long delay before disconnect? I am not sure where else to look, the fact that is does eventually disconnect makes me think that it is working properly, but I can’t figure out the delay. Thanks in advance for any help or ideas you have and once again thanks for putting this blog out there.
I’m experiencing the same problem as Matt. After closing down Desktop Manager and connecting through BT to the BlackBerry the Device manager stays open with my blackberry (It used to close down when I shut down Desktop manager before and it was also connected over BT, but that was before my computer crashed and I had to redo everything). Anyone know where to look to shut down Device Manager when Desktop Manager Closes?
Gil,
Thanks for the reply. When I exit Desktop Manager, Device Manager stays up and keeps the device connected to Bluetooth. Usually, when you exit Desktop M, Device M quits also. But, I am staying connected. I read over the article and I think that has some great information. I will try those suggestions and see if it works. Thanks.
hey Gil.
I installed DM5 on Vista 32 and sync with Blackberry Bold. Everything works great with the sync but it will not automatically disconnect from bluetooth after I exit DM. Device Manager is greyed out so I cannot force the disconnect. Any ideas? Thanks.
@Matt: I’m assuming that you have got the latest version of DM and BB software? How have you confirmed that that BT is still connected after exiting DM?
When you say DM is greyed out, is this after closing the app or when you minimize? Please let me know.
Might want to take a look at this article – blackberryforums.com
@Matt: Although it worked before I would urge you to update all the software to the latest versions. From your posting it looks like you’re running 4.3, it would probably be best to upgrade to 4.7 and then try again.
Make sure to backup your files prior to the upgrade. Let us know how it goes. Thanks.
Hi, thanks for your page. I am using DM4.3 in Vista Ultimate and and my BB Pearl absolutely refuses to “see” and pair with my Dell XPS laptop. It worked for a while ages ago. In the Vista bluetooth cpanel the BB is listed and “connected” sometimes appears fleetingly. If it didn’t seem to close (and hadn’t worked in the past) I would give up. Any ideas?
@Jack: It looks like it might be an issue with the Toshiba stack, please see post below;
“I have an 8830 and when I first got it I was extremely frustrated over not being able to get it to sync via Bluetooth. I later found that Desktop Manger was not compatible with my Dell’s integrated Bluetooth that used the Toshiba Bluetooth Stack. I was able to uninstall the Toshiba Stack and modify an INF file to install the MS Windows Bluetooth Stack and Desktop manger now works great.
The problem I now have is that I an unable to use my Bluetooth for the advanced features that the Toshiba Stack supported; most notable the ability to pair with my Bluetooth headset to use with Skype. Does anyone know if BlackBerry Desktop Manger 4.7 is now compatible with the Toshiba Bluetooth Stack or is it still not possible? Any rumors of future compatibility?”
Originally Posted at the BlackBerry Support Forums
It looks like the user changed the stack’s driver from the Toshiba to the one used by Microsoft (which is compatible). Hope this helps. I’ll be updating the article to reflect all of these findings.
Let me know if you need help with that. Have a great day.
Hi Gil,
Thanks for your research. I am using Vodafone UK’s Blackberry Internet Service not Blackberry Enterprise Server.
My sony vaio laptop is running Windows Vista
with Blackberry Desktop Manager v4.3
My Blackberry is running the v4.6 OS
On the BB smartphone Bluetooth options doesn’t show Desktop Connectivity or Wireless Bypass, it only shows: Voice Gateway, COM7, object Push, A/V Remote Control Target & Audio Sink.
It appears for some reason my laptop cannot see certain services in the Blackberry phone.
Do you know if the fact the bluetooth opion is greyed out in the Blackberry Device Manager on my laptop is related to the toshiba bluetooth stack on my laptop?