Quick Fixes for Bluetooth Headphone Sound Delay on Windows 11
Experience seamless audio with your Bluetooth headphones on Windows 11 Resolve minor glitches that cause sound delay with these quick and easy fixes Ensure device range, reconnect, unpair and re-pair, try different apps, troubleshoot, disable audio enhancing, restart audio services, update drivers or replace adapters and headphones Enjoy uninterrupted sound and elevate your audio experience
If you're experiencing delayed sound from your Bluetooth headphones or earbuds while using a Windows 11 PC, there may be a minor glitch causing the issue. Luckily, there are a few potential solutions to fix it.
Ensure Your Devices Are in Range
Bluetooth devices operate within a specific range, typically with a range of up to 10 meters (30 feet). It's important to ensure that both devices are within this range to establish proper communication. To resolve your sound delay issue, try bringing your devices closer together. This applies to all of your Bluetooth accessories, not just your headphones. If that's not possible, consider moving your PC closer to you or to another room.
Disconnect and Reconnect Your Bluetooth Headphones
If you're experiencing issues with your headphones or earbuds connecting to your PC, there are a few simple fixes you can try. First, try moving your devices closer to your computer to establish a stronger connection. If that doesn't work, the next step is to disconnect and reconnect your headphones or earbuds.
To do this, open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC by pressing Windows+i. Then, select "Bluetooth & Devices" from the left sidebar. In the top-right corner of your device box, click the three dots and choose "Disconnect." This will help resolve any connection issues you may be experiencing.
If simply reconnecting your headphones did not fix the issue, try unpairing them from your PC and then pairing them again. Unpairing is a more thorough solution as it will clear your device and its settings from your computer’s memory.
To unpair your headphones, open the Settings app on your PC by pressing Windows+i. From there, select “Bluetooth & Devices” in the left sidebar. In the top-right corner of your device’s box on the right pane, click the three dots and then select “Remove Device.”
After selecting “Yes” on the prompt, your headphones will be successfully unpaired from your PC. To re-pair them, navigate to the “Bluetooth & Devices” page and click on “Add a Device.”
To re-pair your headphones with your PC, simply follow the standard Bluetooth pairing process.
Try Playing Audio in a Different App
If you're experiencing a delay in sound when using your headphones with your PC, it may be due to a faulty media player app. This can cause audio signals to be sent with a delay, resulting in the issue you're encountering.
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If you're experiencing sound delay issues on your PC, try using a different audio player to see if that solves the problem. For instance, if you're currently using the default media player, consider switching to VLC Media Player and see if it makes a difference.
In case the app you wish to use is indeed causing the sound delay problem, try repairing or reinstalling it on your computer.
Use the Windows Bluetooth Troubleshooter
Windows 11 comes equipped with various troubleshooters that can assist in identifying and resolving issues with your devices. If you're having trouble with Bluetooth, make use of the Bluetooth troubleshooter to detect and resolve any problems with your headphones or earbuds.
To initiate the Bluetooth troubleshooter, access your PC's Settings app by pressing Windows+i. Choose "System" from the left-hand sidebar and then select "Troubleshoot" from the right-hand pane.
Next, click on "Other Troubleshooters" and then select "Bluetooth." Click "Run" to launch the troubleshooter.
Turn Off Windows’ Audio Enhancing Feature
If you're experiencing Bluetooth issues on your device, you can try using the built-in troubleshooter to find and solve the problem. Simply wait for the troubleshooter to scan your system and offer potential solutions.
For those using Windows 11, there's an audio enhancement option that may be causing sound delays. To check if this is the issue, head to Settings > System > Sound > All Sound Devices on your PC. From there, select your Bluetooth headphones and turn off the "Enhance Audio" option.
Check for any audio delay while playing your music.
If the Enhance Audio feature is not visible on your device during testing, proceed to the next step.
Restart Windows’ Audio Services
To ensure smooth functioning of music apps on Windows 11, several audio services run in the background. However, if one or more of these services malfunction, it could lead to sound delay issues. The solution? Simply restart the affected services and your problem should be resolved. To do this, press Windows+R to open the Run dialog box, type in "services.msc" and hit Enter.
To restart the Windows Audio service, open the "Services" window by typing "services.msc" in the search box and hitting enter. Once the window pops up, locate the "Windows Audio" service in the right pane and right-click on it. From the drop-down menu, select "Restart" to restart the service.
Next, find the "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder" service in the same window, right-click it, and select "Restart" from the options. Once you have done this, close the "Services" window and try playing your music again.
Update Your Bluetooth Driver
If you're experiencing sound delay issues with your headphones, it could be due to outdated Bluetooth drivers on your PC. Older drivers tend to have more problems, but fortunately, updating them can easily solve the issue.
To update your PC's Bluetooth drivers, start by right-clicking on the "Start" menu icon and selecting "Device Manager."
Expand the "Bluetooth" option in the Device Manager and right-click on your Bluetooth adapter. From the options displayed, select "Update Driver." Next, choose the "Search Automatically for Drivers" option to initiate the driver update process.
If you have followed the previous methods and still experiencing the same issue, chances are your Bluetooth hardware is causing the delay in sound. No matter how many software fixes you apply, the issue will persist. It is important to note that Bluetooth technology has evolved over the years and if you are using an outdated version, it could be limiting your device's performance and causing the delay. Consider upgrading your Bluetooth version or adding a Bluetooth adapter to your computer for better performance. Check out our guide on how to add Bluetooth to your computer for more information.
