Hello,
I've noticed that my new M1 Macbook Pro makes a small pause every time location services are activated, at first I thought it was the non optimized version of Spotify but I was watching a video in YouTube using Safari and same problem happened, Anyone with the same problem? How to solve it?
Thanks!
MacBook
It is sad, that it is now marked as "Solved" as it is just a workaround, not a permanent solution. Apple needs to fix it.
I bought Mac mini M1 and I've experienced same problem just with Sony MDR-1000X headphones. It helped to turn WiFi Off, but this is totally unacceptable.
I tried to install 11.2 Beta 2 and RC to see whether the issue is fixed. However I noticed a significant improvement it was still choppy. I haven't run into this thread earlier, so Mac mini is just waiting to be picked up for a return to Apple.
Now I have MacBook Air M1 on my desk to test whether it suffer same problem, and unfortunately it does. I ran it for a while with original Mac OS 11.0.1 which was as quite OK, but still bit choppy. I updated to 11.1 and it became unusable. Each song (4-5minutes) was interrupted several times. Now I'm trying it with the workaround Location service off and it looks so far so good.
I still have Mac mini 2018 and it does not suffer of this problem, even with location service being turned on.
Anyway, lot of kudos to you, mrmm.one, for narrowing it down to Location services. Good job!
Hi mrmm.one,
Thanks so much. This is helpful information. Have you tried testing if the same behavior occurs when using a different set of headphones?
If you haven't already done so, we can recommend unpairing, resetting, and then pairing your AirPods Pro again. The following guide has the instructions:
If you find that the issue persists at that point, let us know if it happens when started in safe mode. This is a great way to isolate an issue to some login item, or your macOS software. You'll want to follow the steps in this guide, under the section titled, "Apple Silicon":
How to use safe mode on your Mac
Have a great day!
Hi mrmm.one,
Thanks for checking in safe mode, and sharing the screenshot. Have you had an opportunity to turn Bluetooth off completely in System Preferences, before turning it back on and testing? If it's still happening, turn off Wi-Fi in System Preferences completely, then test again.
Also, be sure to disconnect any external peripheral devices during these steps. This will help to isolate the root cause further.
If the issue is no longer occurring with Wi-Fi turned off, you'll want to try joining a different Wi-Fi network to test further. It may help to switch from a 2.4 Ghz network to 5.0 Ghz.
If the issue persists, you'll want to consider whether there is some source of Bluetooth interference nearby. The following guide can help:
Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference
We're here for you if you've got any questions.
Take care!
Hello Eric,
Thank you for your advice, I did the following tests:
Safe Mode (No other device connected, Just the AirPods Pro):
After that I went to System Preferences -> Privacy Settings -> Location Access -> Scrolled the List to System Services and clicked on Details. I disabled Location Access to Wifi Networks and reboot the System Normally.
I have been listening music for more than one hour and it seems like the problem was solved, apparently it's something related to the Location Services for Wifi Networks that interferes with the BT Antenna (I'm not the expert), but hopefully someone else find this advice useful.
Best regards,
Mauricio.
Hi mrmm.one,
Thanks for coming out to Apple Support Communities for help with your new MacBook Pro! Congratulations. We're certainly glad to look into this Location Services behavior with you and help in any way we can.
So that we're on the same page, please let us know more about what's going on. How long would you estimate that the pause lasts, on average?
What's the exact version of macOS installed on your computer. This can be found under Apple menu () > About this Mac.
Have you had a chance to restart your device since noticing this behavior? If not, please do so now. The following guide has the recommends steps to restart:
Log out, sleep, wake, restart, or shut down your Mac
Have a great day!
Hello Corrie84,
Thank you for your reply, I'm running MacOs Big Sur 11.1, and I'm having this behavior since the first time I was playing music on Spotify, I tried to restart, update have a look on my settings or something but nothing worked.
The pause usually last less than a second, it sounds like "a choppy track" when that happens, I always use my AirPods Pro to listen music, and I'm beginning to think that maybe only happens with BT headsets connected to the computer. Do you have a similar experience?
Best regards and happy holidays!!
Hello Sterling R,
Thank you for your message, the problem happens with AirPods Pro, regular AirPods, Generic BT Headphones but it doesn't happens with the built-in speakers or my Atlas Gaming headphones (Wired or with the RF Transmitter). So it's something that happens with the BT Adapter and the GPS.
The problem is not present in Safe Mode, but TBH I didn't see the location icon active at any moment. I attached a screenshot of the icon that appears on my screen that cause the "choppy audio" effect.
Thank you for your help.
Hello OndraCZ,
I'm glad that you find my post useful, there's no permanent fix for this issue yet, but at least with the workaround you'll be able to enjoy music without that annoying bug. Just to share a little bit more about the problem, I've discovered that if you don't reboot your machine every once in a while the problem will reappear, now I reboot my Macbook Pro every 3-5 days just to keep it running in good shape. I know, it's upsetting but hopefully it will be fixed with the next generation Apple Silicon updates for MacOS on the way.
Best regards,
Mauricio.
My M1 Macbook Pro 13 pauses audio every time location services are activated
