How to fix choppy audio on MacBook Pro with Bluetooth devices?

I'm on Macbook Pro M1 14" 2021 and Ventura 13.4 (22F66). Audio in my Bluetooth-connected Bose QC45 headphones keeps stuttering once in a about one or few minutes repeatedly. The stutter sounds like a dropped packet or something - audio is lost and replaced with digital noise for a fraction of a second and then the playback continues. I tried mangling with Bluetooth settings, turning Bluetooth off and on, re-pairing devices, restarting laptop, switching off AirPlay handoff, but the issue still persists.

What I noticed is that the frequency of stutters is proportional to a number of Bluetooth devices connected. When I have only Bose QC45 connected - there re almost no stutters at all. But when I have add Apple Magic Keyboard connected, they become appear in 2-7 minutes or less often. Then if I add also Apple Magic Trackpad, they start repeating in almost every 40-150 seconds. It doesn't matter what is the sound source - browser tab or local wav is played in Quicktime, the whole audio playback stutters at once, when it happens.

I don't remember this issue a few months ago, so it looks like it was introduced in some of OS updates I believe.

Hope you fix this in some of future updates, because it's super annoying.

If you are experiencing thin issue, you can fill a bug report via Feedback system on Apple developers.

The form will allow you to describe the issue and upload diagnostics and troubleshooting generated files on your OSX system.

I am also experiencing audio stuttering / popping with my 14" Macbook Pro M1 Pro / 16GB RAM on Ventura 13.5.

I have a Topping MX3s DAC connected via USB to my Dell monitor -> USB Targus USB HUB -> Macbook. Audio stutters and pops from my speakers. A restart sometimes helps.

When I connected the DAC via bluetooth instead of USB it seemed to resolve the issue, not ideal as I would expect a wired connection to be more consistent and stable. I also have a mouse & keyboard both separately connected via Bluetooth but I don't seem to experience the issues anymore even with the MX3s connected as a third device via bluetooth.

This was my post from months ago

I have tried two headsets, both have issues when connected via bluetooth, even when they are the only devices connected.

      Jabra Evolve 65:
       Address: 50:C2:ED:4A:71:E1
       Vendor ID: 0x0067
       Product ID: 0x094E
       Battery Level: 100%
       Firmware Version: 2.6.1
       Minor Type: Headset
       RSSI: -36
       Services: 0x800019 < HFP AVRCP A2DP ACL >

SteelSeries Arctis 9X Headset:
       Address: 28:9A:4B:85:49:4B
       Vendor ID: 0x0111
       Product ID: 0x12B1
       Battery Level: 100%
       Firmware Version: 0.0.0
       Minor Type: PortableAudio
       Services: 0x802019 < HFP AVRCP A2DP Braille ACL >

If i use a headset that connects via its own dongle then i get no issues. This issue is getting beyond a joke. Now running on Ventura 13.5 and its still here..

At first i had no issue with a headset using a USB dongle but that has now changed, i dont get stuttering as such put people cannot hear me when i am on calls.

I have now borrowed my other halfs AirPods and they are even worse audio stutters constantly.

I have two other bluetooth devices connected a Logitech MX keyboard and an apple mouse, disconnected both of these make absolutely no difference.

i have also shutdown as much as i can to make sure that there is ample memoery available but this also makes no difference.

[Edited by Moderator]

I have the exact same problem with Sonoma 14.3.1 on MacBook Air 15! One time it has frozen my video conference application during a meeting. I had to switch devices... I disabled all bluetooth devices other than keyboard and mouse. It worked kinda but still I hear stuttering.

I'm having this issue with a brand new 2024 14" M3 Pro. I thought it was my new Sony earbuds and almost returned them. Spent an inordinate amount of time trying to fix them including hard resetting them from scratch. I too have a Logitech MX Mouse and Keyboard. Only thing that seems to work is to turn off 2 point connection (so can't use the phone and the Mac at the same time without interference) and it's still not perfect...the choppiness decreases but doesn't go away completely. Notably, I do not have this issue with my 9 year old MBP or my new iPad or iPhone 13 Pro Max. This is pretty silly for a $3000 laptop. Fix it.

What this says to me (as an audio industry professional) is that Apple doesn't adhere to the Bluetooth interoperability standards for devices and that they try to keep the "walled garden" in place to block you from using non-Apple devices for a "seamless experience." I won't even start on the lack of aptX or LDAC support for bluetooth Hi-Res. Plus plenty of people in this thread are using Apple devices and having issues. Also, not an issue with my 2015 MBP, iPhone or iPad. Sony and Logitech are well known brands and their bluetooth implementation works perfectly (in my experience) outside of this MBP. It's well known that Silicon Macs have BT connection issues with both Apple and non-Apple product so let's deal with the reality in front of us. And to be frank, even if I was using Earpod Pros instead of WH-100MX5's I'd be having the same issue according to multiple posters and about 1000 posts on the Reddit, ASR, etc etc. I continue to support Apple and buy Apple products but that comes with certain levels of expectation that in this case aren't being met.

Thanks, Misterar! Resetting the bluetooth module solved a problem I had for weeks on my M2 mini, even though I only had two devices (keyboard and speaker) using bluetooth. The stutters in the audio reminded me of issues I have when the computer and a USB audio device are using different sample rates. So maybe resetting the bluetooth module allows a renegotiation of parameters or protocols, fixing any that for one reason or another ended up mismatched at initial pairing. (In fact, I'm pretty sure that I paired that speaker around the time I that was fighting with Garage Band, which kept resetting the system's sampling rate (I learned that GB is limited to 44.1kHz).)

Apparently, this is a widespread issue, there is a 17 page thread on Audio Science Review. Users have mentioned that this is potentially fixed in MacOS Sonoma.

Unfortunately none of these solutions work. Resetting NVRAM, unpairing-pairing bluetooth devices, etc. I had had the same problem with 2 different Macs on all of my BT headphones (AirPods Max + AirPods Pro 1/2). Many people complain about the same problem on the internet. Clearly something is broken at drivers/OS level......

Exact same issue. Brand new MBP 14 M1 Pro on Ventura 13.2.

Tried resetting Bluetooth module, restarting the Mac, turning off the AirPlay/AirDrop crap.

I have to disconnect and reconnect my devices pretty much every hour or so to "fix" the stuttering - sometimes it happens in Zoom calls.

Issue exists with my Anker Q30 headphones as well as my soundbar in my desk setup. The fact that other folks are having issues with Airpods/Airpods Pro should probably rule out that this is specific to any specific audio device.

Yes, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard all the time -- wait, let me try using my peripherals 2.4GHz adapter instead! Oh right, there are no USB-A ports. Guess I gotta have a stupid dongle hanging around.

It's absolutely ridiculous that this happens on a """Pro""", expensive device. Have 3 or more bluetooth devices you wanna use? Good luck!

Never had anything like this happen on any of my thin and light Windows laptops.

I have same issue with my M1 Pro MBP 16. The worst thing is that my job is related to audio production, and this stutter affects everything - from Logic Pro to Youtube videos both via external monitors, wired headphones or internal speakers.

The only solution for me is to restart Macbook, and the issue goes away for a day or two. But that's not something I expect from a 3500 USD machine. ****, it should not be an issue even with a cheap 500 USD laptop. No software updates have ever fixed that.

Actually with the same config as Xaqos in terms of Apple equipment but with the Audio Technica ATH-M50xBT2, which uses BT v5.0, I get the same issues of intermittent sound so I don't think it's a BT v4.2 specific issue. It would have to be something more generic.

I second the "Shame on Apple" though.

For me the stuttering is present even through MBP's built-in speakers, even when bluetooth is off, and my external monitor is disconnected. So it doesn't have anything with bluetooth. In my case at least.

For me it is an audio drive issue. It reliably happens when an app plays a notification sound. It could be Slack, Terminal, Zoom, etc, it doesn't matter. Whenever an app plays a notification sound, it causes sound/video from other apps to stutter and my keyboard and trackpad start to lag. It sucks.

I have tried two headsets, both have issues when connected via bluetooth, even when they are the only devices connected.

      Jabra Evolve 65:

       Address: 50:C2:ED:4A:71:E1

       Vendor ID: 0x0067

       Product ID: 0x094E

       Battery Level: 100%

       Firmware Version: 2.6.1

       Minor Type: Headset

       RSSI: -36

       Services: 0x800019 < HFP AVRCP A2DP ACL >

SteelSeries Arctis 9X Headset:

       Address: 28:9A:4B:85:49:4B

       Vendor ID: 0x0111

       Product ID: 0x12B1

       Battery Level: 100%

       Firmware Version: 0.0.0

       Minor Type: PortableAudio

       Services: 0x802019 < HFP AVRCP A2DP Braille ACL >

If i use a headset that connects via its own dongle then i get no issues. This issue is getting beyond a joke. Now running on Ventura 13.5 and its still here..