Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

53 points

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:

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.
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

Best reply

gmrandazzo

Level 1

13 points

Posted on Nov 15, 2019 8:49 AM

Here what I found running some debugging with Bluetooth explorer.

Actually the BT device work using the AAC codec until at a certain point the transfer of the audio information going down as you can see on the picture here... This means that it is something related to the audio codec over Bluetooth. There is a bug there. Maybe this can help engineers to solve the problem! :)

So for the moment what I experimented is that after reboot the device works until sleep mode is activated. After no way to have a working Bluetooth audio device. Of course this is not the proper way to run the device :-)

Bests

View in context

Similar questions

156 replies

Jul 18, 2020 10:27 AM in response to jose68

Even I have a case running with them. Tried all the things that they mentioned. Told them the issue is related is codec. Gave them all the required logs. They escalated to engineering internally and then mentioned that engineering doesn't have timeline. They can't give me bug number or at minimum confirm if this is bug. They can't escalate helping me to speak with someone in management.

Tweeted to Apple support, Apple and Tim Cook about the worst experience we can get and they don't reply. Customers are so much of less importance to Apple.

So to summarise you just get middle finger from Apple and nothing else.

Beards

Level 1

8 points

Jul 19, 2020 6:47 AM in response to AskAgain

I thought I had replied with a fix to my initial posting which now has 694 responses of "I have this question too". My fix was, and this has been a solid fix for several months now, is that I turned off "Enable Ask Siri" and all components associated with Siri.

juan_dad

Level 1

8 points

Aug 19, 2020 3:15 PM in response to AskAgain

i have the same version of catalina --5-- on a macbook pro and a imac 27 ... bose mini works on the desktop but fails on macbook - even though it connects and all that, but drops after a minute or less...havent tried other devices yet... Thanks to everyone for researching this problem... apple is in no hurry to resolve it, it seems Maybe in the NEXT thrilling OS !

jose68

Level 1

4 points

Sep 13, 2020 2:55 AM in response to DanielaMarie_

Apple has not fixed it yet. And I think that the won't do it. Perhaps in Big Sur a fix could be included. As you can see in this discussion we all are frustrated and hungry with Apple's attitude towards user's needs.

j0shh

Level 1

20 points

Oct 4, 2020 4:28 AM in response to jose68

I have this issue too with Airpods PRO, if I try to connect those after I wake my macbook from sleep the audio is not coming through and my magic trackpad starts acting erratically... to fix it the only workaround I've found is to restart the laptop.

I've contact the support and they came back to me with the usual useless reply to reset NVRAM, NPRAM ecc... I've also tried all this fixes but it didn't work...

It's a shame Apple is ignoring this issue with a 3000€ laptop... I've chosen Apple to have stable devices but this really have me questioning the quality of apple products.

Oct 31, 2019 1:20 AM in response to gmrandazzo

Hello, I would like to admit that I also have this issue, with Airpods 2, Sony MDR, and even with new AirPods Pro ;( update to 10.15.1 did not solve issue

Oct 31, 2019 1:21 AM in response to PatrykDampc

Even updating to OSX to 10.15.1?? The patch was released two days ago..

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

andrecas

Level 1

8 points

Mar 12, 2020 2:39 AM in response to AskAgain

Yes, it looks like a bug, tried all things

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251161883

Oct 31, 2019 4:15 AM in response to gmrandazzo

Yep, i just bought Airpods pro, so i had to update macos to have support of them, and situation didn't changed

Nov 1, 2019 9:31 AM in response to PatrykDampc

I updated to 10.15.1 and still no success. Repeated steps of removing bluetooth file from preferences.

nnsdgo

Level 1

9 points

Nov 4, 2019 2:00 PM in response to AskAgain

Had the same issue and PRAM reset along with deleting the "com.apple.Bluetooth.plist" file worked for me.

Nov 13, 2019 11:41 PM in response to Evoll

Airpods are also affected by this bug ;p, even airpods pro

Nov 15, 2019 9:19 AM in response to gmrandazzo

Wow, that Makes sensie, because when I’m at home I’m not experiencing that bug very often, but when I’m at work I’m blocking screen every 15 mins, so Mac is put to sleep mode

Nov 15, 2019 1:30 PM in response to Evoll

Like i said before this is happening event with AirPods and the new AirPods pro

Nov 15, 2019 1:52 PM in response to PatrykDampc

Hi, as I said before, the problem is related to the audio codecs over the Bluetooth device.

Hence any kind of Bluetooth headphone/speaker should be affected.

Catalina bluetooth issues - audio output switches intermittently