6 Best Ways to Fix Bluetooth Lag on Windows 10

Let’s say you are watching a movie or playing a game on your Windows PC. The visual quality is top notch and everything looks great. Except for one thing: there is an annoying delay in outputting audio to your Bluetooth speaker. You reload a rifle, but your Bluetooth headset produces the sound effect after a few seconds (or microseconds). There is no audio-visual agreement and everything is out of sync. How do you fix this?

First, check if Airplane Mode is disabled or turned off. You can also try restarting your computer. If the sound reproduction of the Bluetooth device still does not match the on-screen image, try the six (6) troubleshooting solutions listed below. We are sure that at least one of these will help you fix the Bluetooth lag issue on your Windows 10 PC.

1. Troubleshoot Proximity and Interference Issues

Distance plays an important role in determining sound quality with wireless Bluetooth devices. Make sure your computer and Bluetooth audio device are both within range. You should also check that there are no physical barriers (for example, a wall) between your PC and your audio device. This may interfere with the Bluetooth connection and cause audio lag.

Speaking of interference, check if the audio device is close to another device plugged into your PC’s USB 3.0 port. Microsoft warns that this could disrupt the transmission of the audio signal over Bluetooth. For example, if you are experiencing audio lag when using a Bluetooth speaker located near your PC’s USB port, move the speaker away and check if the issue is resolved.

We recommend that you check out Microsoft’s official guide on fixing Bluetooth problems in Windows 10.

2. Reconnect the Bluetooth Device

Launch the Bluetooth settings menu on your PC (Settings > Devices > Bluetooth and other devices) and turn off Bluetooth. Wait a few seconds and re-enable Bluetooth.

Alternatively, you can manually connect the Bluetooth device. Click on the Bluetooth device with audio lag issues and select Disconnect.

Reconnect the device to your PC (tap the Connect button) and check if that fixes the audio sync issue.

3. Troubleshooting Connected Device

If you’re experiencing audio lag, poor audio quality, and other related issues when playing audio over Bluetooth, the Windows Audio Troubleshooter can fix it.

Stage 1: Launch the Settings menu and select System.

step 2: Go to the Sound section and tap the Troubleshoot button.

This will launch the audio troubleshooter in a new window. Wait until the tool diagnoses your audio devices and proceed to the next step.

Stage 3: Select the Bluetooth device with audio lag issue and click Next.

The troubleshooter will further diagnose the device and immediately suggest solutions if it detects any issues affecting sound production and quality. Follow the suggested prompt and see if that helps. If the troubleshooter does not find any problems with the Bluetooth device, continue to the next solution.

4. Run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter

This is another built-in tool that can help detect and fix issues affecting your Windows PC’s Bluetooth performance.

Stage 1: Launch Windows Settings and select ‘Update & Security’.

Step 2: Go to the Troubleshooting menu.

Stage 3: In the ‘Find and fix other problems’ section, select Bluetooth and click the ‘Run the troubleshooter’ button.

This will launch the Windows Bluetooth troubleshooter. The tool will diagnose your PC and automatically attempt to fix any Bluetooth related glitches it detects. Meanwhile, all active Bluetooth devices connected to your PC are disconnected (and reconnected). You don’t have to worry though; this will not mess up your device’s settings.

The troubleshooter will notify you of any Bluetooth problems it diagnoses and fixes. Try playing a media file (preferably a video) on your computer and check if the audio lag issue is fixed.

5. Check the Bluetooth Device

Sometimes the problems can be caused by the connected Bluetooth device and not by your PC. If the device is battery powered (perhaps a wireless headset or portable speaker), check if it has enough charge. You can also try restarting or resetting the device. See the device’s user manual for how to troubleshoot connection and playback issues.

6. Disable Audio Enhancements

Fiddling with Sound Enhancements can help you get louder and better sound on your PC for wired and wireless devices. However, these enhancements sometimes cause audio degradation, audio lag, and other issues. Follow the steps below to disable all Audio Enhancements for the affected Bluetooth device.

Stage 1: Go to the Windows Sound settings menu (Settings > System > Sound).

Step 2: Check that the affected Bluetooth device is the selected Output device. Click Device properties to continue.

This will launch the Properties page of the Bluetooth device.

Stage 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Additional device properties’.

Step 4: In the new window go to the Enhancements tab. Check the ‘Disable all enhancements’ box and tap OK to save the changes.

Sync Jobs

To add to the solutions above, we recommend restarting the program/app where you are experiencing the audio lag. If this is a game, close and restart. If the problem is specific to videos, restart the media player or use an alternative app. Finally, you should also check if your computer’s Bluetooth driver and operating system are up to date.

Next: Can’t find the Bluetooth icon/option on your Windows 10 PC? Read this tutorial linked below to know 8 ways to fix Bluetooth missing in Device Manager issue.