Jul 15, 2026 23:00:00

The 'Logi Bolt' dongle that comes with Logitech's wireless mice and keyboards is not just a simple USB dongle.

Logitech mice and keyboards sometimes come with a proprietary USB dongle called 'Logi Bolt' that wirelessly connects the product to a PC. Because there has been online discussion about what this device actually is, the overseas tech media outlet LTT Labs contacted Logitech to get more details.

Logi Bolt Receiver: Not Just a Bluetooth Dongle | LTT Labs

https://www.lttlabs.com/articles/2025/10/24/logi-bolt-receiver-not-just-a-bluetooth-dongle

According to information shared by Logitec with LTT Labs, the Logi Bolt is a device that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as its base technology, but also employs Logitec's own wireless receiver technology.

Logi Bolt-enabled devices use BLE 5.0 or later, taking advantage of security features introduced in BLE 4.2 while maintaining backward compatibility with BLE 4.0 hosts.

Generally, BLE connections can operate at different security levels. The highest level of security in BLE is Security Mode 1, Level 4, which requires authenticated pairing and AES-CCM encryption with a 128-bit key, providing stronger protection against eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. Lower levels allow weaker or unauthenticated pairing, and the host may be configured to switch to a lower security level.

According to Logitech, Logi Bolt enforces Security Mode 1, Level 4 for all connections via the receiver, resulting in a more secure and predictable wireless connection without falling back to a weaker security level like a typical BLE connection.

The Logitech

MX Master 4 mouse, released in October 2025, uses the same Bolt protocol as its predecessors, the MX Master 3 and 3S, but features significant improvements to its RF (radio frequency) performance. The Printed Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA), which enables efficient omnidirectional communication, has been moved slightly forward, reducing interference from the user's hand and improving signal quality. The transmission power has also been increased from +4dBm to +8dBm, which is expected to provide a more stable connection, especially in congested radio environments such as offices.

Logi Bolt doesn't change the performance limits of BLE itself, but it consistently maintains the fastest reporting interval of 7.5ms. In contrast, with a normal BLE connection, this interval can vary depending on the host's settings. According to Logitec, because Logitec controls both ends of the communication with Logi Bolt, antenna design and frequency hopping can be more optimized, resulting in improved stability even in congested wireless environments.

LTT Labs explained, 'The Logi Bolt receiver is not just a dongle, nor is it an entirely new, proprietary wireless communication method. It's based on BLE, but with security, report rate, and RF operation optimized by Logitec.'