My bluetooth headset doesn't play sounds when I use my microphone, what should I do?

Question

Hello, I have some issues about my bluetooth headset. My headset is definitely in a good state. Only problem i have is that whenever I used my headset, either in a call or meeting, my headset sound just doesn't play. Even when I leave the meeting, my headset still doesn't play sounds till i turn off and on the bluetooth. My theory is that my sound devices kinda conflicts to each other, lets say realtek is my default sound so when I disable my headset sound device and made the realtek default, sounds doesn't play. But when I disabled realtek, and made my headset default, yeah it works. But even then, when I still use my microphone, it just loses sounds. What should i do?

Answer 1

Hi,

This issue happens because your Bluetooth headset uses two separate audio modes, Stereo for high-quality playback and Hands-Free AG Audio for microphone use. When you join a call or use the mic, Windows automatically switches to the Hands-Free mode, which disables the Stereo sound, causing your audio to cut off. To fix it, set Stereo as your default playback device and Hands-Free AG Audio as your default communication or mic device in the sound settings. In apps like Zoom or Teams, manually select "Stereo" for output and "Hands-Free" for the mic to stop Windows from switching profiles. If the sound still doesn’t return after a call, disable and re-enable the Stereo device or toggle Bluetooth off and on to refresh the connection.

Kind regards,

Answer 2

Hi,

Your headset loses sound when the mic is active because Windows struggles to switch between the high-quality Stereo (A2DP) mode for audio and the Hands-Free (HFP/HSP) mode for calls. To fix this, first try restarting the Windows Audio and Bluetooth services, which forces Windows to re-detect the headset and often restores sound without toggling Bluetooth. Second, update or reinstall your audio and Bluetooth drivers to ensure your system properly handles profile switching, since outdated drivers commonly cause this issue.

Kind regards,

Answer 3

Hi,

Thanks for giving that a try and letting me know, it really helps narrow things down. From what you’re describing, it sounds like Windows is still treating your headset as if it’s in Hands-Free mode whenever the mic is active, which is why the Stereo audio won’t play properly. A couple of things that usually help are updating or reinstalling your Bluetooth and audio drivers, since sometimes old settings can get stuck and prevent proper profile switching. Another option, if you don’t need the headset mic for calls all the time, is to disable "Hands-Free Telephony" in your headset’s properties so Windows just sticks to Stereo mode, this keeps the sound consistent, though you’ll lose the mic for calls. Finally, if your headset has a USB dongle or you can use a separate mic, that often works much better because it lets you keep high-quality Stereo audio while still having a working mic, avoiding the usual Bluetooth profile limitations.

Kind regards,