Share via

How to re-enable handsfree audio on bluetooth device (Sony WH-1000 XM4) [URGENT]

Anonymous
2023-12-31T19:21:31+00:00

I was trying to fix an audio issue on my Sony WH-1000 XM4 headphones where the audio would always be the bluetooth handsfree AG audio, which would have poor audio quality. I found a fix online saying to uncheck handsfree telephony under Control Panel > Devices and Printers > WH-1000 XM4 > Services > Uncheck handsfree telephony.

I did not realize this would disable all of handsfree audio, which has now rendered the headset's microphone completely useless. I have tried the following things to revert the settings back to the way they were (where handsfree audio was available), with no success:

  1. Re-checked the handsfree telephony box
  2. Fully removed the device and re-paired
  3. Performed full factory reset on the headphones (and confirmed with another computer that the problem is with my windows 10 machine and not the headphones)
  4. Confirmed that the handsfree audio exists, but is just disconnected (image attached)
  5. Right-clicking handsfree audio and clicking connect

I cannot find any drivers specific to the headphones, so I am wary of messing with those. I need help restoring the audio settings! The microphone is now completely useless.

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.

0 comments

1 answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-01T03:59:57+00:00

    Hi Alexandre Menon1,

    Welcome to Microsoft Community.

    As for the first problem of poor audio quality of Bluetooth hands-free audio that you described, this phenomenon is affected by the inherent hardware performance limit of Bluetooth and the standards of the Bluetooth protocol established by the Bluetooth Alliance.

    The Bluetooth protocol has different profiles for different purposes.

    • For example, the Hands-Free Profile (HFP) is designed for voice communication, such as phone calls or voice chat.
    • Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) is designed for streaming high-quality stereo audio, such as music or movies.

    When you use your Bluetooth headphones with your computer, you can't use both at the same time.

    This is because they have different requirements and limitations, such as bandwidth, latency, and power consumption.

    • When using the HFP profile, the computer treats the headset as a hands-free device and uses a mono audio codec with a low bit rate and frequency response. This codec is optimized for speech, but not for music or other sounds. The HFP profile also allows you to use the microphone on your headset, so you can talk to other people.
    • When using the A2DP profile, your computer treats the headset as a stereo device and uses a stereo audio codec with a high bit rate and frequency response.

    Regarding the second question, the cause of this problem is that the service used to manage the hands-free function is deactivated, and there is no problem with your headset.

    Would you mind sharing more information on this issue with us?

    • Will the situation be different after executing the following command using Command Prompt running as administrator and restarting the device? You can use shortcut keys to copy the following commands, and then use the right mouse button to paste in Command Prompt. If a single copy failed, please try a few more times.
      Set-Service BthHFAud -StartupType Automatic

    Bluetooth driver manages these Bluetooth-related services.

    The driver worth testing should be the Bluetooth driver itself.

    Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows - Microsoft Support

    If I misunderstand your situation, feel free to correct me and share the information.

    Best Regards,

    Kyo - MSFT | Microsoft Community Technical Support

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments