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Bluetooth Hands Free AG and Stereo Audio Interaction

Anonymous
2022-07-06T17:10:07+00:00

See a LOT of searches on various sites, including here, related to people who want to use their Bluetooth headphones, get stereo sound when using their applications (Teams, Discord, etc .) AND the Mic from their headphones. Without using a cord between the bluetooth headset and their computer, without using a separate mic, with the option of continuing to listen to music while in a conference, etc. I see many different answers, none of which match MY results, and I have spent quite a few hours trying all the various 'solutions' I could find.

Have tested this on multiple computers, with Windows 10 and Bluetooth 4 as well as 5, with Sony WH-1000XM4, Apple Airpods Pro, Apple Airpods Max, and cheap headphones too. As soon as you select Mic, the headphones switch to Hands-Free AG Audio and sound from other applications stops while sound into headphones goes to AG Audio (poor quality.) So it works, both mic and sound, but at mono quality.

Of course if the device is a laptop you can use the laptop's mic, and use the bluetooth headphones in stereo for listening only.

I take all those headphones and connect them to my new desktop computer running Windows 11, and ALL of them work fine. Sound plays in Stereo, music keeps playing while in chat (Discord/Teams, etc.) if I want, and mic works perfectly fine too. THIS is what I wanted, but cannot do on any other device not running Windows 11. There is not even an Hands-Free AG Audio setting I can select on this machine.

While there are many variables in play here beyond the OS, the fact is in Windows 11 it works while NOTHING I have done in Windows 10 gets it to. Your mileage may vary, but this is what I see.

My question is, why has Microsoft not really clarified the root cause/solution? I can only assume it's because of the fact that there are indeed countless variables in play here across operating system versions, bluetooth devices, drivers, installation configurations, etc. Makes me glad I'm not trying to build and support Windows, but since I also on a Mac I'm glad Microsoft does as the two are quite different (and last I checked, the 2019 MacBook Pro ALSO had this issue with bluetooth/stereo/mic.)

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-10-14T13:33:45+00:00

    It surely can't be a limitation of the Bluetooth protocol when the same headset can work fine for high quality two-way audio on Linux and Android.

    I have a B&W PX and Sony WF-1000XM4.

    40+ people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2022-09-19T07:06:31+00:00

    Its funny when such a big company like microsoft cant make working drivers for headphones for more then a year. GJ MS!!! Issue persist till these days and the only solution which i found is to disable hands free drivers.

    20+ people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2023-01-08T15:52:59+00:00

    dont look for any wires and all fancy stuff, there is one simple solution use the software called "soundswitch" i've attached the link below. https://soundswitch.aaflalo.me/ with this software you can switch the audio ouputs instantly with the help of hotkeys. let me know if this works for you, because this tool helped me to use my bluetooth wireless headphones as stereo for voice (footsteps n all good voice) and mono for the mic purpose only. i want to use mic i just simply switch with the help of hotkeys to ag mode or when im done speaking i simply switch to stereo. this software is money savior.

    9 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2022-08-18T16:33:50+00:00

    I have the same problem.

    operating system: windows 10 pro

    headphones: samsung buds 2

    9 people found this answer helpful.
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  5. Rodrigo Queiroz 77,500 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2022-07-06T17:47:30+00:00

    Hi TechieFan59,

    I'm Rodrigo and I will help you.

    This is a limitation on Bluetooth protocols, not an issue on Windows.

    But I'm interested in what you said about using the Stereo sound and the mic.

    Are you really using the headset microphone while in Stereo mode?

    Please share the screenshots of your audio devices Window while connected and using (Settings > System > Sound > More Sound settings > Playback tab and Recording tab)

    6 people found this answer helpful.
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