Why Do Bluetooth Headphones Keep Cutting Out And In? (Easy Methods And Fixes To Try)

Learn about the various reasons why your Bluetooth headphones keep cutting out, as well as how to troubleshoot the problem.

Anyone who has ever used Bluetooth headphones or speakers has probably experienced audio stutters. It's the way audio cuts in and out while you're listening to music or watching a video. It can be jarring to the senses at the very least. With constant repetition, however, it can be downright enrage-inducing.

Not to worry – we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of possible causes for Bluetooth audio dropouts in your devices. We’ve also compiled some easy, straightforward ways to troubleshoot the issue, so let’s get to it!

WHY DO MY BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES KEEP CUTTING OUT?

If your Bluetooth frequently disconnects and you hear a stuttering voice, there could be several causes. There is no need to be concerned if the Bluetooth headphones have not completely stopped working.

Your device is not being squandered, and you can easily resolve the problem. Before we get into the reasons, let's take a look at some of the possible causes of Bluetooth headphone sound skipping.

Along with these reasons, some other exceptional reason for Bluetooth headphones cutting out are going to discuss on the rest of the article.

HOW COMMON IS A BLUETOOTH AUDIO STUTTER PROBLEM?

Bluetooth audio stuttering is a relatively common issue. Simple Bluetooth connection troubleshooting often resolves static issues. This includes the following:

1. Using Bluetooth to turn it off and then back on
2. Checking to ensure that the headphones and the audio source device, such as a phone or a stereo system, are properly paired
3. Restarting both the headphone and the source device, and then continuing playback to see if the stutter disappears
4. If these simple fixes do not resolve the stuttering issue, it is time to employ more advanced techniques.

But to solve the issue, you need to know what you are doing. You don’t want to destroy your brand new, expensive headphones while at it. So, the best place to start is to establish what could be causing the audio stutter issue.

COMMON REASONS WHY BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES KEEP CUTTING OUT

Bluetooth technology has been around for over two decades. So, how come Bluetooth is still a problem after all these years of development? The ISM radio bands were designed to be used for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) applications.

This includes, among other things, industrial heating, induction or microwave heating, and medical imaging (MRI and ultrasound).

The ISM frequencies are unregulated, and no FCC license is required to use them. As a result, it is extremely appealing to manufacturers. As a result, these frequencies are overloaded with various devices. Other possible causes for your Bluetooth headphones to keep cutting out include:

1. Interference issues

As previously stated, many devices use the same frequency bands as Bluetooth. All of this can wreak havoc on your internet connection. Aside from the aforementioned devices, one of the more common sources of interference is your Wi-Fi router.

Because they share the same network, there may be some crosstalk between the devices. This can have an adverse effect on how your Bluetooth headphones receive data. As a result, when on a call or listening to music, audio skips or disconnections occur.

Interestingly, cross-body interference is another cause of signal interference. This can happen to people who use Bluetooth earbuds or AirPods. For example, if you have your left earbud in and your phone in your right pocket, you may experience audio stuttering.

This is due to the fact that Bluetooth signals cannot travel through water. When they do this, their range is drastically reduced to mere inches. Because the human body is 70% water, it can interfere with your Bluetooth connection and cause audio stuttering.

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2. Too Much Distance From The Audio Source

The farther you are from an audio source, the weaker the connection gets. Bluetooth devices fall under one of three classes – Class 1, 2, or 3. These classes are distinguished by the length of their connection range, which are as follows:

• Class 1: 40-100 meters (130-330 ft)
• Class 2: 15-30 meters (50-100 ft)
• Class 3: 5-10 meters (16-33 ft)

3. Internet problems when streaming

If you listen to music via online streaming apps such as Spotify, the quality of your internet connection will most likely cause audio stutters.

Slow, jerky internet connections prevent the app from pre-loading enough audio data to ensure smooth playback. As a result, your music will constantly buffer, resulting in audio stutters.

4. Low-battery headphones

Bluetooth, contrary to popular belief, has little effect on your battery life. However, if you've been using your headphones for a while and haven't charged them, you may experience audio stuttering as the battery drains.

5. Headphones and device mismatch

Audio stutters can happen due to hardware and software conflicts between devices. These are often related to:

• Bluetooth versions

Bluetooth 4 and later versions are generally backward-compatible with Bluetooth 3 and 4. However, if you try to pair it with a Bluetooth 2 or 3 device, you may encounter software incompatibility issues that will affect your audio. For example, A2DP-enabled headphones may experience audio stuttering due to different clock speeds in a source device (your phone) and a peripheral device (your headphones).

A good algorithm can correct this by making subtle adjustments to the sample consumption rate to ensure that no data packets are missed. However, if your device is using an older algorithm, it will be unable to do so as efficiently, resulting in audio stutters.

• Bluetooth audio codecs

Audio codecs are responsible for compressing and encoding audio data for transmission. Both receiving and transmitting devices should support the same codecs for the seamless transfer of audio data. In other words, if your smartphone and headphones don’t speak the same codec language, you’re likely to experience audio issues.

6. Headphones defect

What we perceive as connection problems are sometimes caused by a faulty pair of headphones. Try connecting them to different audio sources to rule out this possibility.

Check to see if the issue persists. If this is the case, it is best to attempt to resolve the issue first. Check out our ultimate guide to repairing broken headphones for more information.

7. Audio source issues

Finally, audio stutters can occur as a result of issues with the audio source itself. There are several reasons for this, but here are a few of the more common ones:

• Too many apps running

Having too many apps open when streaming music from a smartphone or tablet can be a problem. By attempting to pair with your Bluetooth connection, some of these apps may be interfering with it. Others, meanwhile, may be clogging up your phone's system with background app activity.

• Updates are required

If you're hearing audio stutters while listening to music on a PC or Mac, it's likely that your Bluetooth drivers are faulty or out of date. If your computer has recently received a system update, it's possible that necessary Bluetooth driver files were lost or moved during the process and must be reinstalled.

• Audio enhancements

Some devices come with audio enhancement features designed to improve our listening experience. In some cases, this feature ends up causing problems because the headphones can’t process the additional sound adjustments. As a result, you get audio stuttering or distortion.

HOW TO FIX BLUETOOTH AUDIO STUTTERS?

There are several approaches to dealing with choppy Bluetooth audio. Some are quick physical fixes, while others are simple software tweaks. But, before you do anything else, make sure you've exhausted all of your basic troubleshooting options.

1. Perform basic troubleshooting

Before scouring the internet for various troubleshooting methods, make sure you've exhausted the fundamentals. Some basic techniques include resetting your Bluetooth device, ‘forgetting' and re-pairing devices, and verifying that devices are properly paired. Here's how you do it:

• Turn the Bluetooth off and on again

Sometimes a soft reset is all that is required to resolve an issue. Simply turn off the Bluetooth function for a few minutes, then turn it back on to see if your audio has changed.

• ‘Forget' your Bluetooth headphones and reconnect them

Some Bluetooth connections may require refreshing, particularly if they are connected to a source device that is paired with a large number of peripheral devices.

This is simple to accomplish by going into your Bluetooth settings and selecting ‘Forget' from the device options. After that, simply re-pair your headphones and see if that eliminates the audio stutter.

• Reset your Bluetooth headphones

You can also try resetting your headphones by holding down the power button in addition to resetting your Bluetooth connection. This method does not work for all headphones. Fortunately, we've compiled a comprehensive list of how to reset Bluetooth headphones based on their brand.

Check to see if the headphones continue to flash red and blue lights. This means that even if you're already connected to a device, the Bluetooth headphones will enter pairing mode. In that case, read our guide on what to do if your Bluetooth headphones flash red and blue.

• Check the battery of both devices

Earlier, we talked about how low battery levels can affect the audio quality and cause audio skips. To avoid this, make sure both your headphones and the device they’re connected to are at least 30% charged for a seamless Bluetooth connection.

2. Change locations to avoid interferences

As previously stated, audio stuttering can occur in areas with high Wi-Fi usage or as a result of cross-body interference. Because Wi-Fi routers all operate on the same frequency as Bluetooth, some interference is unavoidable.

You can fix this by resetting your phone's Wi-Fi connection or simply moving away from the Wi-Fi access point to a less congested location. Change the position of your devices to see if crossbody interference is causing the audio stutter. Having a direct line of sight between devices will most likely resolve the issue.

3. Stay within your headphones’ signal range

We talked about how most mobile devices are Class 2 or 3 Bluetooth devices, which means they work best over short distances.

Manufacturers typically include the Bluetooth specs of their devices on the box packaging or user manual. So, be sure to double-check what those specs are and, as much as possible, stay within your device’s recommended distance.

4. Close all background apps or software

Having multiple apps open at the same time can cause your system to become clogged. This can disrupt your Bluetooth connection, resulting in audio problems. It is more likely if those apps are attempting to access the Bluetooth function.

To help manage this, some devices allow you to limit the number of apps that can run at the same time. If you don't have that option, simply close any apps that you don't need and see if that resolves the audio issues.

5. Consider an upgrade

If you’re still experiencing problems, upgrading your headphones might be a more painless solution than you think despite the cost. However, this should only be done as a last resort, after exhausting all the above options.

HOW TO KEEP BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES FROM CUTTING OUT IN WINDOWS & MAC?

If your Bluetooth headphones only keep cutting out when connected with your PC, it could be a settings problem. But, first, you need to make sure that your headphones are properly connected with your Windows or Mac.

For this, check out our guide on how to connect your Bluetooth headphones to Windows PC, or to Mac. If that doesn’t fix the problem, there are three other things you can do to solve this issue:

1. Reset your Bluetooth Settings

We can accumulate quite a list of paired devices on our phones and computers as we cycle through devices, replacing the old with the new.

These old pairings can interfere with or stymie your connection with newer devices, resulting in unwanted audio issues. As a result, it's a good idea to restart and reset your Bluetooth settings every now and then. Here's how to go about it:

Resetting Bluetooth Settings in Windows:

1. Go to the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Click Update & Security in the Settings window.
3. Click Troubleshoot in the left-hand sidebar.
4. Scroll down in the Troubleshoot window and look for Find and fix other problems. Select Bluetooth from the drop-down menu.
5. Finally, press the Run Troubleshooter button.

How to Reset Bluetooth Settings on Mac:

1. Press and hold down the Shift and Option keys, then click the Bluetooth icon on the upper right part of your screen. In the menu that opens, click Remove all devices to remove all existing Bluetooth connections.

2. Open the menu again by pressing the Shift and Options keys and clicking the Bluetooth icon. This time, click Reset the Bluetooth module. After this, you can pair your devices again.

2. Disable Audio Enhancements

Open audio settings on a laptop. Although audio enhancements are intended to improve sound quality, they can also be the source of many audio issues. Often, changes made to your computer's pitch, bass, and overall equalization do not translate well over a Bluetooth connection.

As a result, there is distortion and audio stuttering. Disabling this feature may help to resolve these audio issues, but the procedures differ depending on the platform. Here's how you can do it on both Windows and Mac:

How to disable Audio Enhancements on Windows:

1. Go to the Start menu and select Control Panel.
2. Select Sound from the Control Panel.
3. Click the Playback tab in the Sound window that appears.
4. Choose the device for which you want to disable audio enhancements, then right-click on it and choose Properties.
5. Navigate to the Enhancements tab.
6. Uncheck the box labeled “Disable all enhancements,” then click OK to save the changes and close the window.

How to Turn Off Audio Enhancements on a Mac:

The steps below are for Music app users.

1. From the Dock, launch the Music app.
2. Open the Music menu in the upper left corner and select Preferences.
3. In the Preferences pane, select Playback.
4. Check that the Sound Enhancer option is not selected.

3. Update Audio Driver

Outdated drivers can cause latency issues between your headphones and the source device and are one of the leading causes for audio skips and stutters. Updating your drivers will fix this problem. Here’s how to do it:

How to update Audio Driver on Windows:

1. Open the Start menu and click on Settings.
2. In the Settings window, click on Update & Security.
3. In the window that pops up, click Windows Update, then Check for Updates.
4. When Windows is done searching for new updates, click Download and install so that your system can update all the necessary drivers and security files.

How to update Audio Driver on Mac:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top leftmost corner and click System Preferences.
2. On the Preferences pane, select Software Update.
3. Any necessary updates that need to be done will show up on the Software Update window.

CONCLUSION

Bluetooth technology has certainly propelled us to new heights. However, it, like all other forms of innovative technology, is not without flaws. Nonetheless, a few connectivity and audio issues should not be a deal breaker.

Simply understanding how these devices work and how to troubleshoot common problems should enable you to easily overcome these issues.

FAQs On Headphones Cutting Out/In