Loud static coming through bluetooth headphones on MS Teams

FIXED
For me the solution was using Device Manager to rollback the driver for BlueTooth/Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) to the earlier working version.
Using Device manager I surveyed everything under "Bluetooth" looking for a driver date that indicated it was recently updated. I found nearly all the drivers were dated 6/21/2006 (this is a new Dell Pro Max MC16250, so somewhat surprising). However, the driver for Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) was dated 12/18/2025. I did a Roll Back Driver operation on that driver and it rolled back to a driver dated 7/20/2025 and restarted the computer... and the problem appears to be gone now.

Driver withe issue: Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) | Driver Version: 24.20.03 | Driver Date: 12/18/2025
Driver that Resolved the issue: Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) | Driver Version: 23.160.0.9 | Driver Date: 7/20/2025

Dear @Kaden Pitcher,

I understand how disruptive this is, especially since your Bluetooth headphones work perfectly for music and videos but become unusable only when you join a Microsoft Teams call.

What you’re experiencing is a known Bluetooth behavior on Windows. When a Teams call starts, Windows automatically switches Bluetooth headphones from stereo (music) mode to hands‑free (call) mode so the microphone can be used. Unfortunately, this hands‑free Bluetooth profile has much lower audio bandwidth, and after certain Windows updates it can result in heavy static or crackling during Teams calls, even though the same headset works fine elsewhere.

At the moment, there isn’t a confirmed permanent fix from Microsoft for this issue, but the following workarounds have helped some customers in enterprise environments:

Step 1: Using Teams on the web, which bypasses the desktop app’s media stack and often keeps Bluetooth audio stable.

Step 2: Disabling the Microsoft Bluetooth LE Enumerator in Device Manager, then re‑pairing the headset. You can review this similar thread for more information: How to PERMANENTLY disable Handsfree Telephony for a bluetooth device in Windows 11?

Step 3: If permitted by IT policy, rolling back the Windows update that introduced the issue, as this behavior has been observed immediately after specific cumulative updates.

For more troubleshooting steps, please refer to these articles: Fix Teams if Your Bluetooth Headset is not Working and [FIXED] Bluetooth Audio Stuttering / Choppy Issue on Windows 11/10

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link

Additionally, you can follow Microsoft’s official guidance for troubleshooting Bluetooth issues on Windows here: Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows and Update Bluetooth drivers in Windows

To better understand what’s causing the Bluetooth static during Microsoft Teams calls, could you please help confirm the following details:

• What operating system and version are you using? (For example: Windows 10 or Windows 11, and whether it’s fully up to date.)
• Which version of Microsoft Teams are you using? (New Microsoft Teams (work or school), Classic Teams, or Teams on the web)
• Have you tested the same Bluetooth headset on another device (another PC or phone) to see if the issue occurs there as well?

Note: Please understand that as a forum moderator, my role is to provide general guidance and troubleshooting support. I don’t have access to internal systems or backend tools, and I appreciate your understanding of these limits.

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction. Please try the steps above and let me know if they work. If not, we can continue working together to narrow this down.

The first response may not always resolve the issue right away, but with your help and more details, we can work toward a solution.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward for your reply.

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My organization was having the same issue. I found this video that explains a fix that we used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdq2t01e3ko

Static only in Teams while Bluetooth audio works elsewhere usually means a Teams- or Windows-audio configuration issue rather than a hardware fault.

Try these steps in order:

1. Verify the correct speaker in Teams
   1. In Teams, select Settings and more (⋯) > Settings.
   2. Select Devices.
   3. Under Audio > Audio settings, make sure your Bluetooth headphones are selected in the Speaker dropdown.
   4. If they don’t appear, make sure they’re charged and connected in Windows, then reopen Teams and check again.
   5. Select Make a test call and listen for static. If the test call is clear, the issue may be with that specific meeting or other participants’ microphones.
2. Check speaker during the meeting
   1. In the meeting window, select the dropdown arrow next to Mic.
   2. Select More actions > Audio settings.
   3. Under Speaker, confirm your Bluetooth device is selected and not muted.
   4. If the device is listed but audio is distorted, switch briefly to another speaker, then back to the Bluetooth device to force Teams to reinitialize the audio path.
3. Confirm Windows sound format and device
   1. In Windows, select Start > Settings > System > Sound.
   2. Under Output, select your Bluetooth headphones.
   3. In Output settings, under Format, ensure a standard format such as 2 channels, 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality) is selected. Nonstandard or low-quality formats can cause distortion with some apps.
4. Re-pair the Bluetooth headphones
   1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices.
   2. Under Audio, select your headphones, choose Disconnect, then Remove device.
   3. Put the headphones into pairing mode per the manufacturer’s instructions.
   4. Select Add device > Bluetooth, then select the headphones when they appear.
   5. Join a Teams meeting again and test.
5. Update Windows and Teams
   1. Install the latest Windows updates.
   2. Make sure the latest version of Teams is installed, then restart Teams and test again.

If static persists only with this one Bluetooth device and Teams, but not with other Bluetooth headsets or speakers, the headset may have a compatibility issue or be starting to fail. Testing with another Bluetooth device can help confirm this.

References:

• My speaker isn't working in Microsoft Teams
• Fix Bluetooth audio only playing in one channel