You are using your favorite Bluetooth pair of headphones to listen to a song. But something’s a little off the video is playing a little ahead of the sound? You check it more carefully and slow down a little to validate the difference in the tone. And you were right. There is an apparent delay causing the problem. Minutes later, a fast search on Google tells you encountered Bluetooth audio lag. This post will explain how to address sound delays on Bluetooth headphones and show you different measures to improve the situation.

How to fix sound delay in bluetooth headphones? Explained

Headphone’s Delay/Latency

You need to understand the audio lag first to understand what causes Bluetooth audio delay and how to fix it. First, you can learn how Bluetooth and the different audio codecs are used to transfer audio data wirelessly via the microphone. In a standard wired connection, the average audio latency is around 5-10 meters. For true wireless earbuds and headphones, Bluetooth latency will go from an ideal 34 meters (aptX LL).

You have a sender and a receiver in a Bluetooth audio chain. The audio signal is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver. This audio signal is used to “fly” from source to destination with a specific bandwidth. The larger the audio signal file size, the more bandwidth it requires for the receiver (higher output means larger audio files). If the bandwidth isn’t adequate to accommodate an extensive audio file (e.g., you listen to a lossless recording), the connection would not be as fast and laggy. You are more likely to have a delay of 100-300ms, especially with real wireless earbuds. Fortunately, this period of 100-500ms pause is not that long to display the video as long as the Bluetooth 5.0 level of sound is connected with the headphones.

Factors that Affect the Quality of Bluetooth Audio

Four main elements influence the Bluetooth listening experience.

1. Bluetooth Codec
2. Interference
3. Distance between source and receiver
4. Bluetooth version

Codec for Bluetooth

A Bluetooth codec is an algorithm for digital audio files to be compressed, coded, and decoded. It reduces the audio data’s file size during the compression process and encodes it into any format. It does not consume too much bandwidth. The compressed data would then be decoded such that the audio signal we obtain is understandable by humans.

In Bluetooth, a series of audio codecs are available to compress and transmit audio, each with its algorithm and perks.

The most significant thing is that some codecs are better than others when listening to music over Bluetooth headsets than others. And these are the ones that you want to use as a connection between the source and Bluetooth headphones to better the audio experience.

Interference:

Interference refers to unwanted frequency inputs that obscure and disrupt your Bluetooth headphones’ clean signal from the transmitter. Your mouse, wireless communications, TV, and other similar types of devices and appliances that can send or receive radiofrequency could negatively impact the signal flow to your Bluetooth Headphones.

Option 1: Repair your Bluetooth system

The best way is perhaps the most evident. Restore the headphones and speakers and then try to connect them to your computer after a couple of seconds. The lag will most likely be decreased because there is saved data and stuff that will not be stored by the device. The lag will definitely decrease even if it is a minute or a drastic improvement.

Choice 2: Last Bluetooth Driver Update and Enable

To run the first Bluetooth headphones, Windows downloads the required software. But, if you do it manually, it will most likely be outdated software drivers. In some situations, an obsolete software driver can cause audio lag in Bluetooth headsets. Here are the steps to upgrade the driver edition of your Bluetooth headphones:

1. Search for “Device Manager” in the start menu.
2. Then select “Bluetooth.”
3. A list of all Bluetooth devices connected with your system will be displayed.
4. Search the name of your Bluetooth headphones and right-click on them.
5. Then select the option “Update Drivers.”
6. Now select the “Search automatically…” option.

Choice 3: Troubleshooter via Windows Audio Playback

Windows 10 has an advanced troubleshooting feature to correct the computer’s basic bugs. Follow these steps to try to restore a delayed Bluetooth connection using this feature:

1. Right-click the Speaker button on your taskbar’s lower right corner. Choose “Troubleshoot sound problems.”
2. A list of audio devices will be displayed. Select the one you are having problems with and press “Next.”
3. Windows will automatically diagnose any issues and will display the best solution automatically.

Option 4: Reboot the Windows Audio Service

The last option is to restart the Windows Audio Service, which is a background task that runs all the time to manage all audio playback and output on your computer. To restart it, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows button and the R key together on your keyboard.
2. Type services.msc then hit Enter.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the window until you can see “Windows Audio.”
4. Right-click on it, then select “Properties.”
5. On the “General” tab, select “Automatic” for the Start-Up type.
6. Click the “Recovery” tab.
7. On the drop-down selection for First Failure and Second Failure, select “Restart the Service.” Click OK.
8. Make the same changes in Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
9. Restart your system and then again connect your headphones.

If none of the solutions worked for you, it might be a good idea to check how much latency is written on your headsets’ box. Because it might not be the settings creating the problem, but your headphones might have high latency by default. In that case, you might want to change your headphones.

? Headphone's Delay

First, you can learn how Bluetooth and the different audio codecs are used to transfer audio data wirelessly via the microphone. In a standard...

? Factors that Affect the Quality of Bluetooth Audio

Four main elements influence the Bluetooth listening experience...

? Bluetooth Driver Update and Enable

In some situations, an obsolete software driver can cause audio lag in Bluetooth headsets. Here are the steps to upgrade the driver edition...