Bluetooth Headphones Stuttering (Windows 10) 10 Fixes

Bluetooth headphones have, without a doubt, revolutionized our access to quality audio services. These days, you can spend a few hundred dollars and get access to some of the best in sound quality when you connect to your laptop or PC. However, you may have noticed that in some cases, the sound can start stuttering, especially with a Windows 10 PC. What does this mean, and how can you fix this problem?

There are many different ways to fix the stuttering issue in bluetooth headphones, but the first step is to understand a cause, and then troubleshoot possible fixes. These can range from recharging the battery, all the way to troubleshooting bluetooth issues and restarting your computer and headphones.

Using bluetooth headphones, you can continue listening to audio without any need for wires and interruptions. However, if you are run into issues with the devices stuttering, you will undoubtedly have a worse experience with the headphones. So, to solve the issue of stuttering headphones, follow the information in this troubleshooting guide to address your problem!

How To Fix Bluetooth Headphones Stutter

We often take our headphones for granted. After all, with the advancements in technology recently, we are able to enjoy high quality audio experiences like never before. In fact, many years ago, this kind of quality was unimaginable on a commercial scale. However, for all of the benefits they bring to the table, bluetooth headphones can also run into issues.

One such issue is the bluetooth audio stutter. The way to describe this is to imagine that the sound will come in, and then immediately cut out on your headphones. While this is a common issue, it can still be incredibly frustrating. And, we wouldn’t blame you if you are already considering throwing out your headphones. But what if there was a fix?

In fact, there are many fixes available for this issue, and the one that will work for you can depend on a number of factors. So, if you want to fix headphones that are prone to stuttering, follow this troubleshooting guide. Follow each of the instructions, and if it doesn’t work for you, move on to the next step until your issue is solved. Let’s get started!

Charge Headphone Batteries

We all know that it is best practice to always responsibly charge our bluetooth headphones. However, we are all human, and sometimes you don’t notice the battery drain while you are listening to music or watching your favorite TV show. In any case, you should know that a drained battery is one of the first possible causes of stuttering to consider.

When the battery on your device is low, the audio will cut out and become choppy because the headphones do not have the battery power to transmit audio signals correctly. In this case, you need to try and charge the battery completely. If the headphones work correctly when they are fully charged, you just need to make sure they have battery available when you use them, and you have already solved your issue.

Reconnect The Headphones

There is often a joke between experts in technology that more times than not, switching something off, and then switching it back on is sometimes the most straightfoiward way of taking care of an issue. The reason behind this is that if there are software glitches causing issues, when you turn off the device, the software reboots.

This is why this is an effective way to try and fix issues with your bluetooth headphones as well. When you switch off the bluetooth on your computer and reconnect the headphones, it can help disrupt any glitches in the bluetooth connection. Pairing the headphones again will help to take care of minor issues and may get rid of your stuttering problem.

Move Closer To PC

One of the things you need to understand about how a bluetooth signal works, is that the closer you are to source, the better your connection will be. Distance plays a very important role in the determination of quality of a bluetooth connection. Therefore, one reason you could be hearing stuttering is if you are further away from the computer.

Another reason there could be disruptions with your bluetooth connection could be because of objects that are in the way between your headphones and PC. The connection can become interrupted if there are walls or doors in the way, so make sure there is open space between you and your PC, to help improve the signal to your headphones.

Disconnect Other Devices

Sometimes you can connect multiple bluetooth devices to your computer. This may be necessary, for example if you have a bluetooth keyboard or mouse as well. However, doing this can cause interruptions to the bluetooth signals on your computer that go to the headphones. As a result, you may find that there is a stutter in the sound.

Sometimes, the issue is not that the devices are actively connected, but that they are being switched. So, if you connected different devices, the PC can try and connect to them even when you don’t intend to use them. The best way to take care of this problem is to disconnect all other paired devices, or to switch them off to limit stuttering on headphones.

Use Different Sound Modes

It is important for you to understand that any audio device connected to your PC needs to identified as the kind of sound device it is. There are two options within the Windows 10 system in this regard. The first one is a stereo audio speaker, and the second one is a hands-free device that you can use for calls. You can try changing the sound mode:

In the system tray on the right side of the taskbar, click the sound icon.
Press the arrow at the toip of the volume button that you see.
Here, select the playback device you want to use.
Ensure that the bluetooth device is set to stereo audio speaker.

This will help to ensure that your bluetooth connection is seamless, and that you continue to hear clear audio without any stuttering in the sound.

Troubleshoot Bluetooth Connection

When there are issues with the bluetooth connection on your Windows 10 PC, there is actually a built-in system you can rely on. All Windows devices come with a program that is there to troubleshoot any issues in your bluetooth connection. In addition to this, the program will also identify the current issues, and either fix them or suggest solutions. Here’s how:

In the Windows taskbar, click the Start Menu.
Select ‘Settings’ and then move on to the link for ‘Update & Security.’
On the left side of the panel, you can select the option ‘Troubleshoot.’
You will be able to see a list of troubleshooting programs.
Scroll down until you find the bluetooth troubleshooter.
Run the troubleshooting program and allow it to assess the issues.
Apply any solutions the program suggests if there are any issues.

If the issue at hand was your bluetooth connection, doing this will solve the stuttering in your headphones. However, if that is not the case, you can move on to the next step.

Change Audio Settings

In some cases, your headphones may be choppy or stuttering because the audio settings are not appropriate for the device. This is commonly an issue that has to do with the sample rate that is set on your computer, or the bit depth for the audio settings. You can try and fix this issue by using different settings and checking if there are any changes. To do this:

Open up the Start menu on the left side of your taskbar.
From here, open up System settings, and then choose and open Sound settings.
From here, right-click the name of your device, and then choose ‘Device Properties.’
Navigate to the Advanced tab on the popup window.
Now, select a different sample rate and bit-depth, and apply the settings.

You can attempt different sample rates and bit depth settings to see what works best for the bluetooth headphones.

Update Bluetooth Drivers

It is entirely possible that the reason you are struggling with your headphones is that the bluetooth drivers on your PC are not up to date. There is a simple way of doing this, which is to use the system’s resources to update drivers so your devices can be compatible and work properly. Here are the steps you need to follow to make this happen:

Open up the Start menu on your Windows 10 PC.
Look for and open up the Device Manager program on the PC.
In the Device Manager, expand the list for Bluetooth devices.
Right-click the name of your Bluetooth device and then select ‘Update Driver.’

The computer will look for new updates and will prompt you to install them if there are any new drivers available. You can also select an option that will allow Windows to automatically update drivers when newer versions become available.

Check For Updates

Your PC and drivers need updates, but so does the bluetooth headphone device you are using. In most cases, you get these firmware updates automatically downloaded to your headphones whenever they connect to a PC or phone with an available Internet connection. However, sometimes this process can fail, which leads to issues in the listening experience.

There is no universal way to look for firmware updates, and the process you need to use depends on the kind of headphones you are using. The best way is to check your instruction manual to see what methods the manufacturer uses to send automatic updates so your device is always on the newest firmware version, leading to fewer audio issues.

Reset Your Headphones

Finally, if none of the above fixes are working, the only thing left to try is to reset the headphones. This can be a drastic step, as resetting the headphone will erase all of the data that you have saved on the device. However, sometimes this can be becesary to get the headphones towork without audio issues like stuttering.

The process to reset your headphone is most likely explained in the instructional manual that came with the device. In most cases, this involves holding down the power button until you hear a beep or see blinking lights. In either case, resetting the headphones will most likely erase conflicts with your PC and get them back in working condition.

What Causes Bluetooth Audio Stutter?

We now know what you need to do when you struggle to get your headphones to work as they should. However, it is also useful to consider what causes stuttering issues in your headphones in the first place. The most common reason that you will come across this is because the signal between your computer and headphones is not working correctly.

There are plenty of reasons why this can happen. Sometimes it has to do with the total distance, or objects being between the two devices, or the signal being too weak. In some cases, this also happens when the battery on your devices is too low to receive or send out a signal in the appropriate manner. However, there are other causes behind a stutter.

Another common cause for this issue is that there may be interference precventing a solid connection from being established. There are plenty of devices all over our homes, and it is common for them to create issues. Devices that have Wi-Fi connections, even microwave ovens can disrupt bluetooth connections and create audio issues.

Sometimes, the problem originates from your PC not being able to process the audio, or not having the right drivers that can take care of the problem. In other cases, the issue also comes from the bluetooth device itself. If it is glitching or not updated to the latest firmware version for the headphones, you may find yourself listening to choppy sound.

Sometimes, this issue is simply not preventable. With some low quality headphones, the interference can even come from your body and presence. This is an unfixable issue that you cannot solve. Other times, the issue may be because the headphones sustained damage either through falling or water. This may call for a replacement instead.

Conclusion

Taking care of choppy and stuttering audio will surely be a relief, and we hope this article helped to solve your problem. Remember, you can also be proactive in caring for your headphones and stay on top of updating software so you never run into this issue again.