Bluetooth headphones sound choppy or keep cutting out on your Mac
Choppy Bluetooth audio is almost always caused by interference from WiFi or other Bluetooth devices. Move your Mac and headphones closer to each other, turn off nearby WiFi devices or Bluetooth devices you are not using, and reconnect the headphones — this fixes it for most people.
Your Mac and Bluetooth headphones talk to each other over radio waves on the 2.4 GHz frequency. WiFi, microwaves, and other Bluetooth devices all use the same frequency and create interference that makes audio break up. The quickest fixes are getting your Mac and headphones closer together, moving away from WiFi routers, and disconnecting other Bluetooth devices you do not need. If that does not work, resetting the Bluetooth connection solves it.
Fix-IT-Bot will walk you through each step — just tap, no typing needed.
Skip — I just want a technicianCommon mistakes to avoid
- Not turning off other Bluetooth devices before troubleshooting — disconnect everything except the headphones you are testing
- Keeping your Mac close to the WiFi router thinking it helps — WiFi actually interferes with Bluetooth, so move away from the router
- Not charging the headphones fully before trying to reconnect — low battery makes interference worse
Signs you need professional help
- You have moved away from WiFi routers, disconnected other Bluetooth devices, and audio is still choppy
- Multiple different headphones have the same problem with your Mac — this suggests a hardware issue
- The Bluetooth icon in the menu bar stops responding or the Mac no longer recognizes your headphones
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