Bluetooth audio delay can be incredibly irritating when watching videos or movies. It’s a common issue that many people have encountered with Bluetooth headsets, headphones, and speakers.
The sound you hear doesn’t match up with the action, word, or movement on-screen as the audio is delayed. Fortunately, there are some ways to reduce audio delay in Bluetooth connections.
You might not be able to completely eliminate it but here are a few solutions that you can try.
Factors That Affect Bluetooth Audio Delay
Bluetooth audio delay is an issue that many people face when connecting Bluetooth devices, such as headphones or speakers to their phones and laptops.
To avoid Bluetooth audio delays and other technical issues related to your Bluetooth connection, you should ensure that the codec of your Bluetooth earphones and the source device match. Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail.
Codec
When an audio file is transmitted wirelessly it needs to be converted into a format that is suitable for transmission first. This process of encoding and decoding the audio file is known as Codec.
There are many audio codecs available today, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the newest Bluetooth audio codec — AAC — has relatively better sound quality compared to older codecs like SBC but it consumes more power than its predecessors.
Therefore, if your source device (mobile phone or computer) has a newer Bluetooth version, you should ensure that your Bluetooth earphones too use the same compatible audio codec, or else your setup will simply revert to SBC which might cause significant delays in streaming media due to its low level of compression efficiency and throughput speed.
Interference
Another cause of delay could be interference from other wireless devices operating on similar frequencies as the ones used for Bluetooth communication.
To prevent such situations, make sure all other devices are keeping their distance from your Bluetooth device otherwise you might find yourself facing severe lag issues during playback.
Here’s How To Fix Bluetooth Audio Delay
When Bluetooth first came out, it was intended as a wireless replacement for audio cables. Perfect for music or audiobooks, but as soon as you’re watching videos or gaming, it can introduce latency that makes everything look like a bad dub. No one wants that.
Bluetooth speakers and headphones will always have lag, but there are ways to minimize it. Here’s our guide to help navigate this tricky issue and make sure your video and sound are perfectly in sync with no lip-sync issues.
Bluetooth Audio Delay On Smartphones
If you’re experiencing Bluetooth audio delay on your iPhone or Android device, don’t worry — there are simple and easy solutions that you can use to correct this issue.
Reconnect Device
If you have already paired up a Bluetooth device with your phone, then all you have to do is ‘forget’ the device and reconnect it again. This simple process helps reset any applied configurations which might be responsible for the audio lag in the first place. To forget a Bluetooth device on your phone, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Settings app.
Step 2: Tap on Bluetooth and select your connected device from the list of detected devices.
Step 3: Select ‘Forget This Device’ and tap on Forget Device to confirm the process.
Once you’ve done this, pair up the same device again and check whether it has fixed the audio delay issue.
Minimize Interference
Interference is caused when your Bluetooth earphones receive unwanted frequency signals obstructing the clean signal between your phone and the earphones. It can occur due to various appliances like a wireless mouse, Wi-Fi connections, televisions, etc.
You will notice an audio delay only when such devices are around such as office settings or living room. If you have gadgets of this sort in close vicinity, the best way is to turn off the device that is probably causing interference.
Or, isolate these devices at a farther distance while you are using your Bluetooth earphones. While doing this can help you fix the issue, another important factor is staying within range of connectivity.
Operate On The Right Bluetooth Codec
Earlier this article mentioned that wireless audio transmission involves encoding, decoding, compression, and other processes to send out a signal. All these are handled by an algorithm – which will provide the right sequence and methods to complete the process.
This algorithm is known as Bluetooth Codec – and it’s responsible for high-level operations such as its frequency range, bit rate, and quality of the audio transmission.
There are several Bluetooth codecs available, but some may be better than others. Depending on their features, codecs ensure different qualities of the audio output – and so you should look for device-compatible ones when shopping.
SBC is a basic audio codec that functions at low power levels, providing decent audio ideal for earphones. Higher-end devices come with aptX Low Latency or aptX HD for outstanding sound during videos or gaming sessions as well.
Restart Your Phone
If you are experiencing Bluetooth audio delay, restarting your device might help fix the issue. It might seem like an obvious solution, but, it can sometimes help remedy several system-related issues and problems on your device.
Restarting clears your system cache and resets all open programs, ensuring that all new software is installed correctly and increasing the speed of your device. Here’s how you can restart your device:
On iPhone Devices: Hold down the power button and either volume button simultaneously until the “slide to power off” screen appears. Then drag the slider to turn off the phone. Wait for a few seconds before pressing and holding down the Power button again.
On Android Devices: Press and hold down the Power button until a menu appears onscreen with multiple options displayed (e.g., Restart/Power Off/Airplane Mode). Select Restart; alternatively, press and hold down the power button until a restart option appears to confirm.
Bluetooth Audio Delay On Headphones
Are you struggling with sound delay on your Bluetooth headphones? This can be very frustrating if you’re watching a movie or playing games. If you’re here looking for solutions, then let’s see and discuss what steps to take so that you can try to fix the problem.
Choosing The Right Audio Codec
Selecting the ideal codec for Bluetooth streaming from your audio source device to headphones is crucial in ensuring that you get a smooth and error-free transmission of sound.
For example, if you’re using iOS as your device, then it’s best to find a pair of headphones supporting AAC since this is Apple’s preferred codec choice.
Other devices such as Android phones offer different options such as aptX LL, aptX HD, and even manufacturer-specific ones like LDAC for Sony and Samsung’s Scalable Codec.
If you’re using any of these smartphones, pop on over to your settings app and enable them accordingly. Then make sure that whichever pair of Bluetooth headphones you buy also support them too. By taking these steps, you’ll be able to enjoy a great wireless listening experience every time.
Match The Source & Headphones’ Bluetooth Audio Profile
If you’re trying to achieve low-latency audio when listening via wireless headphones, then matching the source with your headphones’ Bluetooth audio profile is essential. That means both the source transmitting and the receiver, need to have similar Bluetooth versions and audio profiles.
Using Bluetooth 5.0 for both your source and receiver should improve audio latency significantly, so try to use devices that feature this latest standard. Understanding your current setup can help guide what you need to do next.
For example, if both your source and receiver are using the latest Bluetooth 5.0, then the connection will be utilizing Bluetooth 5.0 standards and its features such as improved bandwidth.
On the other hand, if either the source or the receiver is a version lower than 5.0 (like 4.1), while another one is new-age (like 5.0), the connection will fall back to Bluetooth 4.1’s default settings, which could reduce performance significantly
Fortunately, there are reliable dongles available in the market right now that work with Windows, Mac, and smartphones that will let you transmit audio using Bluetooth 5.0. It’s definitely worth investing in these items if you want low-latency wireless sound quality from your headphones.
Bluetooth Audio Delay On Windows 10
Do you have a Bluetooth speaker and are facing sound delays while using it? This issue can be quite annoying, but luckily there are a couple of methods you can use to fix the problem.
Follow along with this guide to try and fix sound delay issues with Bluetooth audio devices on your Windows 10 computer.
Initial Fixing Steps
If you’re having trouble connecting your Bluetooth audio device to your computer, it may be due to a variety of different issues. Before trying one of our solutions below, it is important to understand what might be causing the problem and take the necessary steps to troubleshoot it.
First off, make sure that your Bluetooth audio device can support the Bluetooth version on your computer. For instance, if your speakers can only handle Bluetooth 2.0, the small bandwidth may not be able to deliver the high bit rate of the audio stream.
In this case, you must find a device that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. Additionally, you should check if you have enough battery on your Bluetooth audio device as low battery levels can prevent “pairing” with other devices.
Finally, make sure that your Bluetooth audio device is close enough to your computer for them to recognize each other; even minor obstacles like walls or furniture can affect this process negatively. With these tips in mind, you should now have a better idea of how to solve any issues with connecting your speakers using Bluetooth.
Reconnecting The Bluetooth Audio Device To Computer
When you experience audio lags on your Bluetooth audio device, one of the quickest and simplest solutions is to just disconnect it and then reconnect it.
All you need to do is simply unplug your device from your computer, switch it back on, and then plug it back in. If this doesn’t solve the issue and the audio still lags, then no worries; there are other options available.
Use Windows Audio Playback Troubleshooter
Windows 10 has a vast array of powerful features, including built-in troubleshooters that can help resolve common PC issues. One such issue is sound delays. So, if you are experiencing sound lags while using your Windows 10 computer, then you can run the Windows audio playback troubleshooter which should help resolve it. Here is how to do it:
- First, go to the lower-right corner of your taskbar, then right-click the Sound icon and choose Troubleshoot Sound Problems from the list.
- If prompted to provide permission to the app, click Yes.
- Then follow the onscreen steps for troubleshooting audio problems and let Windows automatically detect and fix any related issues.
- Once done with that, you should hopefully experience smooth sound lag-free audio playback from your Windows computer.
Picking The Right Default Audio Playback Device
It is possible that your Bluetooth speakers are not set as the default audio playback devices. To eliminate this issue and get rid of sound delays, you need to make sure that your Bluetooth speakers are set as the default audio playback device. Here’s how you can do that:
- Go to the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, then right-click the Sound icon.
- Select Sounds from the list. In the pop-up window, click the Playback tab.
- You will see a list of available audio playback devices that you can use in this tab.
- Choose your Bluetooth speakers and select Set Default. That’s it!
- Your Bluetooth speakers should now be set as the primary source of sound output.
Restart The Windows Audio Service
If you’re experiencing sound lags or other audio-related issues, one of the reasons might be an issue with the Windows Audio service. The Windows Audio service is responsible for controlling sound in your system. Restarting it can often resolve minor audio issues that are likely to happen due to conflicts or hardware problems.
To restart the Windows Audio service, follow these steps:
- Press Windows Key+R on your keyboard. This should open the Run dialog box.
- Now, type “services.msc” (no quotes) and hit Enter. This will open the Services window.
- Look for a service named “Windows Audio” in the list and double-click on it to open its properties window.
- Now, click on “Restart” located at the bottom right corner of the details page to restart this service and check if it resolves your issue.
Conclusion
Whether you’re using Bluetooth headphones or speakers, you should ensure that any devices that are connected are operating on compatible protocols. This may involve making sure they’re both up-to-date, and disconnecting or reconnecting other devices in order to resolve any potential conflicts.
Ultimately, when it comes to troubleshooting Bluetooth audio delays, the key is patience and persistence. Following these tips may help solve the issue but keep in mind that you may need to take multiple steps before reaching the root cause of the problem and successfully resolving it.
