If sound quality is reduced when using Bluetooth headphones with your Mac
- June 7, 2024
- Apple
Table of Contents
If sound quality is reduced when using Bluetooth headphones with your Mac
Quit any apps that use your Bluetooth headphones’ built-in microphone, then try your audio again.
Learn how Bluetooth headphones connect
If you listen to music or other audio via Bluetooth headphones, and then you open an app that uses the Bluetooth headphones’ built-in microphone, the audio quality and volume are reduced. You might also hear static or popping sounds.
This happens because Bluetooth has two modes: one for listening to higher- quality audio, and another for both listening and speaking through the microphone. When Bluetooth switches to the second mode, the quality of the audio that you’re playing is reduced until the microphone is no longer in use.
Close apps that use the microphone
If sound quality is reduced when using Bluetooth headphones with your Mac, quit any apps that use the Bluetooth headphone’s microphone, and make sure that the Sound pane in System Preferences isn’t open.
Reselect your headphones
If audio quality is still reduced, try selecting your Bluetooth headphones again:
- Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Sound.
- Click Output.
- Select Internal Speakers in the list of devices, then reselect your Bluetooth headphones.
Published Date: December 13, 2018