Why Do My Bluetooth Headphones Keep Cutting Out?

Going cordless is definitely the wave of the future. That’s why Bluetooth technology has been such a revolution for our increasingly digital world.

But there are times when it can be trying, like when you’ve got your laptop, smartphone, or tablet connect via Bluetooth to wireless speakers or your headphones and then the audio playback creating a bit of a stutter.

So, you scramble around, trying to figure out what in the world is going on with your audio settings.

After all, they SHOULD be able to transmit efficiently without incident. But depending on your devices, there can be many different problems that create that Bluetooth stutter.

For most cases, it is likely the cause of a partial disconnection or even an interruption of the signal that’s going between those wireless points.

If your computer or your smartphone’s operating systems are going through changes, like when those fun updates occur (at the most inconvenient of times too), or even when there are bugs in your car stereo system.

Since so many different devices rely on Bluetooth, how you correct the problem for one device might not work when you try it with another.

But fear not, for if you keep reading, you’ll soon be a whiz at correcting that Bluetooth stutter and can listen to your Bluetooth headphones in harmonious bliss!

Why Do My Bluetooth Headphones Keep Cutting Out?

You probably love your Bluetooth headphones because they’re one of the best ways to listen to music or keep connected while you do other things. But when those headphones keep disconnecting and cutting out, it’s really not such a convenience anymore. Instead of being hands-free, you’re now hands-on, trying to figure out what’s going on.

There could be a few things that are causing the problem.

■ A Low Battery

When the battery for your Bluetooth headphones isn’t fully charged, it’s going to cause more disconnections.

Keeping it fully charged will prevent many of these issues with cutting out. When you buy a new set of Bluetooth headphones, keep an eye on it to see how long it takes to run out of battery.

If you have a low battery indicator on it, see if you notice the problem occurring when the indicator is on. It’s likely you just need to charge it up.

■ Something Is Interfering

Another big possibility is that another device is interfering. Some Bluetooth headphones can connect to more than one device.

If you have another person in the room trying to access the same device, the Bluetooth will go with the primary connection.

On higher-quality devices, there are indicators that will clue you into which connection it has paired up with.

Some will automatically pair to any Bluetooth headphones within its range. To keep this from happening, you should check out the manufacturer’s pairing procedures in your product manual.

For Bluetooth headsets when you’re driving, you may find that there is interference coming from others driving around you and their mobile devices.

That’s because these wireless devices need a particular spectrum to allow function. When multiple devices keep trying to use the same spectrum, it leads to disconnections.

This is why choosing a higher quality of Bluetooth headphones is a better option because they are much less likely to have this problem.

■ It’s Not Compatible

Sometimes, it’s just that your Bluetooth headphones aren’t compatible with the device you want to connect it to.

When that happens, it malfunctions during use. To avoid this, you should make sure you read the product specifications before you buy it so you know you’re buying one that will work with the devices you want to use it with.

■ You’ve Got Too Many Apps Going On

Too many apps running in your background is a common and easy fix.

When Bluetooth is trying to pair with them, it causes interference with the connection. Plus, some devices are rather limited in the number of apps that it can run at the same time.

■ Too Great a Range

If you have too much distance between your Bluetooth headphones and the device you’ve connected it with, your connection can easily drop.

For most headsets, the max range is 32 feet. If you move closer to the device you’re using, it should solve the problem.

You should also check the specifications on your headphones to see what it advises for how close a range you should keep for effective connection.

■ Duplication of Contacts

Your list of contacts sync to Bluetooth headsets which can often cause duplications to pop up.

When you’re initiating a call, the device will attempt to figure out these multiple numbers and that’s why your calls might be dropped.

Take a moment and go through your contacts. If you see duplicates, delete them and that should resolve this issue.

■ Quality of Your Bluetooth Headphones

One thing to really consider is the quality of your Bluetooth headphones. If you got it free with purchase or super-cheap, you need to realize the quality is likely not up to par.

You should choose one with the highest quality in your budget. Thankfully, there are many of them that offer pristine sound quality, impeccable comfort, premium features, and better connectivity to meet your needs, and they cost less than you might think.

Case in point, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is the best one I found so far, the design is simple, yet elegant, it doesn’t have any weird buttons and best of all, the pairing process is straightforward and could be done by a 4-year old, check out their current price on Amazon by clicking here!

What to Do to Stop Headphones from Cutting in and Out

For those of you that are determined to solve your issues with your Bluetooth headphones to keep them from cutting out and you’re sure the quality of your item isn’t a total bust, you should try the following tricks.

These should help you resolve problems with audio cutting in and out or dropping out altogether.

■ Move Them Closer

Move your Bluetooth headphones or headset and your device closer together. It could merely be interference due to distance.

Most Bluetooth devices can give you a maximum of 32 feet in range, but for best operation, staying within 2 feet is advisable.

■ Try Changing Sides

The Bluetooth antenna is always located in the inline remote, so if you move your device closer to the side of your Bluetooth where that remote is located, you should stop losing calls or cutting in and out of them.

So, if your inline remote is on the right side, move your device to your right.

■ Give It a Reset

Sometimes, a simple reset is all it takes. Turn your device’s Bluetooth capability off for one minute. After that, turn it back on and see how it performs.

■ Reset Your Audio Device Too

Sometimes, it’s just that your device is having trouble with the Bluetooth. Reset it by turning it off and then on again.

How to Fix Bluetooth Audio Stuttering

Stuttering sounds ruin the enjoyment of music. Because most wireless headphones connect to their devices through Bluetooth, sometimes the mobile app that goes with your headphones is the problem.

An example of this would be a set of Bose wireless Bluetooth headphones and the Bose Connect app for your smartphone.

When using your Bluetooth headphones with any mobile device, always look at the operating system of your device and make sure it’s up to date. If it isn’t, set the updates.

You should also make sure the app for your headphones (in this example, Bose Connect), is the latest version.

When you have completely wireless headphones, they can be more prone to stuttering than other models.

Some people found this to be true with the Apple AirPods, Samsung Gear IconX, and Altex Lansing Freedom True Wireless Earbuds.

The problems seemed to be that they were trying to connect between two earbuds or sync them. These can be tough to correct since it is likely your head that is interfering with the signal.

Don’t feel bad if you already own these models mentioned here. Some of the manufacturers are advising that you update the firmware which will improve syncing and other problems.

It should work, but if not, you can troubleshoot by looking up additions to the manuals by the manufacturer.

It should give you step by step guides on how to load the latest firmware and keep your Bluetooth wireless headphones and earbuds updated.

Why Bluetooth Pairings Fail

While Bluetooth technology is amazing, it’s hardly perfect. Nothing in this world is. Bluetooth requires the use of both hardware and software to function.

If your device and your Bluetooth headphones can’t bond on common Bluetooth language, they simply can’t connect.

Bluetooth is what they call ‘backward compatible.’ This simply means that Bluetooth devices that support Bluetooth 5 standard should still be capable of pairing with devices that use an older version, like Bluetooth 2.1.

Only in rare cases is this not true. For example, when you have a gadget that uses a low-energy version of it (this is called Bluetooth Smart), it operates on a different protocol than older Bluetooth devices.

These are not backward compatible. They won’t acknowledge older devices that can support Classic Bluetooth.

But if a device can support Bluetooth 4.o, 4.2, or 5.0, it should be able to pair with both Bluetooth Smart and the Classic version.

Bluetooth 4.0 items are labeled with Bluetooth Smart Ready and for later versions, it’s a sure thing, like knowing the sun rises in the morning.

Personal health gadgets like fitness bands and heartrate monitors also rely on Bluetooth Smart. They will only pair with a smartphone or tablet that uses this version, or if they’re Bluetooth Smart Ready.

Most smartphones available today are compatible including iPhone with iOS 7 and newer, Windows Phone 8.1 devices, Androids with 4.2 or newer, and all Blackberry 10 items.

No matter which one you have, you should make sure it’s running the latest version of its operating system.

If your device is older though and can’t run current software, you’re likely not able to pair it with your fitness gadget.

Some devices do come with specific Bluetooth profiles. If it’s the common language to connect your devices, you can probably make it work.

If you use a smartphone with a wireless headset support from the Hands-Free Profile, you should be able to make them work.

The pairing failure may be user error though, for which you should keep reading to make sure you’ve got everything set just right.

Remember, before you buy anything to connect with any of your devices, you should check to be sure it’s compatible and that your operating systems are up to date!

What You Can Do about Pairing Failures

Still having problems connecting? Try these tips to troubleshoot and you might find success!

• First, make sure your Bluetooth is enabled. It should show a little symbol for Bluetooth at the top of the screen of your phone. If it’s not there, go into settings so you can enable it.

• Next, figure out what the pairing process for your device should be. They vary be each one, so having your manual handy can help. Can’t find the manual? You can always find one online! Sometimes, you’ll need to input a code into your phone while others may require you to physically touch your smartphone to the device you’re trying to pair it to. This is very common for Androids and often is called Near Field Communications (NFC). Some require you to hold down a button on the speaker to get it to pair up with your phone. Always check for each device!

• Switch on the discoverable mode and that might just do it. For example, if you’re trying to pair your phone with your car’s system for hands-free calling, navigation, and texts, you should first go into your phone’s setting. Then select Bluetooth which will make your car’s system recognize your phone. Press the buttons on the infotainment system (you’ll find them on the steering wheel or in the center of the system) and it should locate your device.
  Once it has found your phone, your car’s infotainment system may request a numeric code to confirm the linking up of your phone. After that, it should be paired up. Do remember though that if you take too long during this discovery mode though, you’ll have to start over. Make sure you have any codes you need ready to go to avoid having a delay in setting the system up.

• Think about the proximity. When you’re trying to pair your devices, take a look at how far away they are from each other. While it is wireless, it can’t move mountains, so do think about whether or not what you’re trying to connect is close enough together. If not, move them closer and you should have success.

• Give both devices a soft reset. By simply turning each of them off and then on again, it can usually resolve any issue you’re having. Phones can use the airplane mode – simply switch then in and out and see if that works.

• Get rid of old connections for Bluetooth. This is very helpful for older devices. It could be that your Bluetooth is trying to connect with your roommate or spouse’s phone rather than yours. Older devices aren’t as complex. If a Bluetooth device was once paired with another device, you can turn off the other device. If that older device isn’t being used, you can simply unpair it from your Bluetooth to keep it from causing further problems.
  For iOS, tap its name in the settings and select ‘Forget this Device.’ For Android, tap the device’s name and select ‘Unpair.’ Then you should be able to connect. If your desire is to pair Bluetooth with more than one device, you can reset it so it clears all pairings and then start completely fresh. Look it up on your instructions from the manufacturer and you’ll be golden.

• Make sure both devices you’re trying to pair are charged up. Many devices come equipped with a smart power option that conserves battery power. This will turn off Bluetooth if that battery level is too low. Double check those power levels to see if that’s the cause.

• Try deleting a device and then letting your phone rediscover it. Your phone may see the device but might not be getting the data from it. In this case, starting with a clean slate can be very effective. For iOS, remove a device simply by tapping its name and selecting ‘Forget this Device.’ For Android, tap the device’s name and choose ‘Unpair.’

• Move further from your Wi-Fi router. One thing many people forget is that a Wi-Fi router can easily interfere with Bluetooth pairings. This is especially true if that router uses the same spectrum. Most Wi-Fi routers have been designed to navigate around this problem, but if you’re right in front of it or atop it, you might want to move further and see how that works out for you.

• The same goes for USB 3.0 ports. It’s very possible to get interference from these as well. With newer laptops, they often have high-speed USB 3.0 ports. Check the connection and if it’s not working, try making that Bluetooth pairing away from your laptop.

• Did you check the compatibility? Again, we must ask simply because so many people accidentally read labels incorrectly. You should make sure the devices you’re trying to connect are capable of being paired together. Consulting the manual that came with your devices will help you make sure of it. Don’t waste time digging around your house for them if you’re not sure where they are. You can always find manuals for any device online.

• Try downloading a driver. When you’re trying to pair your Bluetooth headphones with your PC, you might only need a driver to solve the problem. To determine this, do a search for the device you’re trying to pair and add “driver” to the search. This will reveal any applicable drivers to your situation.

• Do a firmware update. When it comes to pairing Bluetooth headsets with automotive audio system, sometimes it won’t work because the Bluetooth drivers weren’t able to work with Bluetooth 4.0. Simply updating that firmware can fix the issue. All you need to do is look up your device’s manufacturer and with a quick search, you’ll find out what firmware you need and how to do the update.

• Choose to limit the data your devices share. With both Android and Windows, you can choose what information is shared between your devices. For example, you can choose to share your phone’s audio, media, text messages, and contacts with your vehicle’s infotainment system. If you don’t need all the data, try deselecting some of the information you don’t need which might make it easier for you to pair your devices.
  In Android, you’ll select Settings, followed by Bluetooth, then select your device. You should see any options that are available there. For Windows, you need to go to Control Panel, then select Hardware and Sound. From there, choose Devices and Printers and right click on your Bluetooth device when you see it. You’ll then select the Services tab to choose what information you want to share between these devices.

• For Android only, you can also clear the Bluetooth cache. You may find that on some occasions, your apps will interfere with Bluetooth and how it works. By clearing the cache, you can clear up the problem. You’ll need to choose Settings, then select Backup. Restart and then choose Reset Network Settings to finish it off.

Conclusion

As you can see, while Bluetooth is an amazing bit of technology, there are many ways things can go wrong.

That just means that you should know how to work with the Bluetooth headphones and the devices you’re planning to use them with.

Ideally, you’re at the point where you’re just about to buy a new set of Bluetooth headphones. Perhaps you’re replacing low-quality ones or you’ve never had them before.

Regardless, by knowing how to troubleshoot as well as what the common problems are (like moving out of range or a low battery for example) you’ll enjoy them all the more.

Make sure that you choose Bluetooth headphones that are compatible with the things you want to use them with.

They’ll do you no favors if you can’t connect them. If you’re sure that you’ve bought the correct Bluetooth headphones to pair with your devices and something isn’t working right, read over the list above and see if you’ve accidentally turned off Bluetooth or something else.

For new devices and headphones, you shouldn’t have any firmware or software issues at this point, but do make a note of it for updates in the future so you can always enjoy your Bluetooth headphones.