Catalina bluetooth issues - audio output switches intermittently

Chiming in on this thread with the same frustration. A brand new pair of WH1000XM3 headphones (with the latest firmware, straight from the factory) frequently switch to the internal speakers on my MacbookPro - and can't be switched back.

Upgraded today to 10.15.4 but still the same issue of getting static noise on my Bluetooth headset. I'm not sure if anytime Apple is watching the thread and prioritising this issue which everyone is facing. This is basic which should be working and they have screwed it up with Catalina.

Looks like 10.15.4 fixed this for me. Bluetooth and Audio has been fine for the last 3 days now. (Sony WH-1000XM3)

I've also uninstalled Skype for Business just to be sure.

Let's hope it stays like that.

It looks like 10.15.4 solved some users's sound problems; it didn't for me. I can connect with either my Sony WH-H900N or my Isotune Pro headphones but I will get no sound and after about a minute they disconnect. I didn't have this problem before installing Catalina. I'm still looking for a fix.

I found a fix for this issue, using audio codec aptX fixes the issue.

Please follow instructions on

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/387986/mac-os-catalina-bluetooth-audio-output-issues-wf-1000xm3-bose-quietcomfort-3

I experience the same problem and it's super annoying especially nowadays, we all have to use our headphones intensively for work-from-home interactions. It's disappointing when I find out that others have reported this issue for half a year and Apple has not taken any action. Too bad we're too dependent on Apple and there's no better option from my perspective.

However, with that being said, I have developed a mindset that I'll switch as soon as possible when there's a better brand, even though the possibility is extremely limited.

A fix?? Picking up a hint from another forum, I turn off "Enable ask Siri" and "Voice Feedback" in Siri preferences in System preferences and re-booted and I'm now able to use my Sony bluetooth headphones normally. I had to re-boot otherwise it didn't work. It has sustained proper operations through several re-boots now. Hmm... if this is the general fix to this problem so many users have had is it surprising Apple has not responded to tell users to turn off Siri to fix things?

I have the same problem. With Bose 700 headphones and AirPods. The problem first happened after I started using Bose 700. I do not remember this happening with AirPods before (I've been using them for ~2 years).

What I tried: removing bluetooth profiles and reseting NVRAM (the latter seems to help temporarily - for a day or two).

My device: MBP 2018

Could you fix it, please. My music suddenly switches in the middle of a track and it is so uncomfortable, especially if my Macbook internal speakers volume is high and there're people around =(

Hi guys,

I was also facing a similar issue with my Sony WH-1000MX2. After updating to Catalina OS, I noticed sound quality was weird. After checking MIDI audio configuration, I realized output switched automatically to one channel only. I was not able to switch it back to 2 channels until in audio preferences I selected internal microphone as input device. Now, I am able to select 2 channels and sound quality is as expected.

This is of course, just a workaround. I hope Apple or Sony will provide a permanent solution

I have Catalina 10.15.5 and now it is working. What is the difference? Siri in my Mac Pro is disabled, not sure if this is reason of issue, but after reinstalling everything and turning off Siri, I didn't have the issue any more with the exact same devices used before when issue was happening. Hope this help

if you just want to enable aptx, execute this command in a terminal window:

```

sudo defaults write bluetoothaudio "Enable AptX codec" -bool true

````

No need to download Xcode just to enable this settings.

Same problem here and I have to say that I am pretty upset. Since I installed Catalina, this problem exists. And in the meantime I even changed my MacBook Air to the newest one - still having the same bug. And I did not recover from a backup, I set everything up from the ground. A fresh install.

Using a Sound Blaster X Katana which worked until Catalina. With the update installed, both my old iMac and my brand new MBA can connect to the soundbar (which also says "connected" when the MBA connects), but no audio playback.

Tried turning off Siri - did not help. Also tried everything else that's described when bluetooth audio fails. Nothing helped. My iPad is still connecting to the soundbar and playback works fine. As for the codec questions mentioned earlier: it doesn't matter if it says "not active" or "AAC" - no sound at all.

AirPods work fine.

Please Apple, get this fixed one day! You are great and I love the products - when they work.

I am having issues with the WH-H910N headphones on my Mac as well. It drops audio (not the connection), when a call comes in on the facetime (normally from my iPhone), It's fine while the call is ringing, but if I dismiss the call, it drops the audio (at least the output. Very annoying. Apply, fix your bluetooth please!

I have updated to 10.15.6 — MacBook Air audio is not routing through bluetooth to my devices: Plantronics headphones or TaoTronics receiver. It actually WAS working with 10.15.5; I updated 3 days ago and audio has not routed through bluetooth since — it pairs with the device (shows connection in Bluetooth Preferences), it shows as being routed through the device in Audio Preferences, but the audio only comes out of the internal speakers. What the what?!

I have just phoned to Apple. They keep with the same old protocol PRAM, SMC, Safe boot, Reinstall and finally format completely and reinstall Catalina (craptalina). They do not offer any solutions. They do not even scale the problem to engineers. Finally I have hang up the phone since their attention has not been very polite.