How do I Fix Bluetooth Audio Delay?

As you may have already experienced, Bluetooth – While convenient and useful, does have its flaws and limits, one of them being audio lag.

Of course, you wouldn’t notice it when you’re just listening to music… but if you’re watching a video or a movie… or anything with visual, you’ll notice that they’re often off-sync, which can be extremely annoying.

So, how do I stop the sound from lagging? Is there a way to solve it?  

The answer is a conditional yes. It’s “conditional” because not all lags can be solved… also, none of the methods are free. Nonetheless, in this article we’ll go through some of the common ways to get rid of Bluetooth Audio Lag.

1. Use Wired Headphones/Speakers Instead.

2. Adjust Audio Delay Settings on your Audio Source Settings Menu.

3. Qualcomm's aptX Low Latency Technology.

 

Method 1: Get Wired Headphones/Speakers Instead.

Duh, you say? Yes, we know this sounds dumb, but it is still the easiest and most legitimate way to “completely” eliminate audio delay. DO give it a chance! It's still an option!

Method 2: Adjust the Audio Delay Settings on your Device.

This method is most-commonly found on TVs with built-in Bluetooth capabilities. If your TV has it, you should be able to find it under its Bluetooth menu.

This method essentially “slows down” the visual a little bit to let the Audio “catch up,” resulting in better synchronized visual & audio.

Some PCs also come with this feature. Please contact the manufacturer if you’re not sure.

As for your phone, a lot of mobile app developers already added a "counter-measure" into the coding that helps synchronizing the visual with audio - this is PROBABLY why you rarely encounter audio lag issues when using popular apps such as YouTube or Facebook on your mobile device.

 

Method 3: Qualcomm’s aptX Low Latency

As of right now (February 2021), Qualcomm’s aptX Low Latency is pretty much the only legitimate way to reduce audio lag while still using Bluetooth. This is also the only technology that retains above-average audio quality while giving you almost-perfectly-synced visual-audio.

This technology is especially useful when you’d like to watch TV using Bluetooth headphones; it can reduce the audio lag to a virtually unnoticeable level. It should also come in handy when you're trying to get rid of Bluetooth Audio Lag on Windows & Mac.

Here's a Video Demonstration:

Cool, right? 

The only catch of this technology is that for aptX Low Latency to work, both “sides” of the connection need to support it; for instance, if your Laptop has aptX LL but your headphone doesn’t, it will not work, and you’ll still get obvious audio delay.

On the positive side though, you can always go onto aptX’s website aptx.com and easily find a long list of products that support aptX Low Latency.

Example of an aptX-LL Headphone:

Avantree Aria Pro (Learn More)

 

My Device doesn’t have aptX Low Latency, What Do I Do?

Don’t worry, there are ways to “add” aptX Low Latency onto your device.

For devices used as audio source, such as your TV, your PC, or your Mobile Device, you can add aptX Low Latency onto them by connecting them to a Bluetooth Transmitter like these:

Bluetooth Transmitter for TV

Bluetooth Transmitter for PC / PS4 / PS5

 

 

On the other hand, if you’d like to add Low Latency onto your Bluetooth Headphones or Bluetooth Speaker, you’ll need an aptX Low Latency Bluetooth Receiver.

Bluetooth Receiver Adapters are compatible with any Headphone/Speaker that supports 3.5mm AUX audio. To be more specific, it can either be Wired Headphones/Speakers OR Wireless Headphones/Speakers that has 3.5mm jacks.

Bluetooth Receivers look something like this:

Yup, they often look exactly like Bluetooth transmitters... so please remember to double-check on the listings before adding one into your shopping cart.

It's also worth mentioning that some Receivers (such as the one shown above) are Transmitter & Receiver 2-in-1; meaning that they can be used either as a transmitter or a receiver... very convenient (maybe also slightly confusing.)

Alternative Options for Eliminating Audio Lag…

Some manufacturers provide Bluetooth Headphone/Speaker + Adapter combos that already come with low latency built-in; all you need to do is set them up with your audio source and you’ll be good to go.

Examples:

For TV / AV Receiver

For Android Mobile Device / Nintendo Switch

And there you have it!

We understand that eliminating Bluetooth Audio Lag is a complicated issue, so please feel free to leave your questions & comments below or send us an email at support@avantree.com, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.


You may also be interested in:

 

Why is my Bluetooth Connection Breaking Up? How Do I Fix It?
Audio Latency – What you Need to Know.
How to Connect TWO Headphones to ONE TV?
How to Connect TWO Headphones to ONE Android Phone?
How to Connect TWO Headphones to ONE PC/Laptop?
How to FIX Audio Delay INSTANTLY when using Bluetooth headphones to Watch TV / Videos