Catalina bluetooth issues - audio output switches intermittently

After upgrading to Catalina, my Macbook Air has audio output issues when the Bluetooth is connected to Sony WH-1000MX2 headphones. Suddenly, the audio connection switches to the internal speakers and the output can't be changed. The immediate solution is to turn off/on the bluetooth on the Macbook and reconnect the headphones. But after a while the problem reoccurs.


I have tried to problem solve by the following processes:


  1. Accessing the debug function (click the the bluetooth icon in the menu bar whilst pressing alt+shift). Remove bluetooth devices. Reset the Bluetooth module. Delete the bluetooth plist files in the library (/Library/Preferences + ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost ). Restart Macbook. Reconnect the device.
  2. Reinstalling Mac OS Catalina


The actions mentioned above does not solve the problem.


Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

MacBook Air

Posted on Oct 14, 2019 6:47 AM

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Posted on Nov 25, 2019 3:14 AM

Since the apple engineers won't do anything about this issue anytime soon, I found this trick helped me. I went to https://developer.apple.com/download/more and searched for additional tools on the search bar, and downloaded the latest xcode 10.2. In the folder Hardware look for bluetooth explorer and open it, it opens in the background so you need to search for it. Then open the Tools/Audio options tab, and select "Force use of aptx" box. Then I found the bluetooth doesn't drop after couple of mins.

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156 replies

Oct 19, 2019 11:12 AM in response to AskAgain

Hello AskAgain,



Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If I understand correctly, you are having an issue with using your Bluetooth headphones with your MacBook Air, even after trying some good steps. First, run the Apple Diagnostics tool and see if this shows any more info on this situation:



How to use Apple Diagnostics on your Mac

Apple Diagnostics: Reference codes



Next, see if this could be related to wireless interference and then contact Apple if you need any further assistance.



Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference

The Bluetooth wireless connection fails or sound cuts in and out. | Sony USA

Contact Apple Support 



Cheers!

Nov 20, 2019 8:27 AM in response to Fleetwood1337

If you read my previous posts I discuss the fact that it is happening with any bluetooth brand of headphones. Airpods, Plantronics, Sony, Bose, etc.


The only thing I have notice that is weird is that the issue happens with a lot more frequency on my brand new mackbook air. Whereas in my Late 2014 15 inch Macbook Pro Retina I hardly experience the issue and when I do somehow it reconnects with 20 seconds. Completely different than the behaviour of the bug on my brand new Macbook Air, where it happenes every 5 minutes and you have to reboot or reset or debug the bluetooth on the computer to get it to work again properly with the bluetooth headphone but even once you get it working you the issue occurs again within 5 minutes.


@Apple - I am seriously considering going to the Apple Store today and returning my new Macbook Air because of this bug that you aren't acknowledging and aren't providing any input as to the issue and a timeline to have it fixed.

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Catalina bluetooth issues - audio output switches intermittently

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