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Windows OS Platform Blog
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Cutting the wire without cutting the audio quality

mikeajax's avatar
mikeajax
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Aug 26, 2025

Announcing super wideband stereo for Bluetooth® LE Audio streaming on Windows 11 to deliver exceptional wireless audio for game chat & voice calls

I’m playing Forza Horizon 5 when I get an Xbox party chat invite from my friend who wants to race in multiplayer. As soon as I join the chat, the audio quality of my Bluetooth headphones drops. The...
Updated Aug 27, 2025
Version 2.0
Bluetooth
LE Audio
lgp1985's avatar
lgp1985
Copper Contributor
Oct 02, 2025

Unfortunatelly on:

  • Windows 11 24H2
  • on a Copilot+ laptop (Intel core ultra 7 258V),
  • with Intel Killer BE1750s Wi-Fi / Bluetooth adapter (with latest drivers 23.160.0.9)
  • I'm using a Sony WF-1000XM5 with latest firmware v6.0.0.

When I start an audio call the sound becomes mono. I'm using Teams on web browser

  • mikeajax's avatar
    mikeajax
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Oct 03, 2025

    Thank you for the interest in testing out this feature! CPU and Bluetooth silicon manufacturers are just starting to release drivers to laptop manufacturers, allowing those manufacturers to begin validation and planning what models they plan to release those updated drivers for.

    If you are running the latest updates to Windows 11, version 24H2 (build 26100.4484 or higher) and you have enabled LE Audio for your WF-1000XM5 earbuds from within the Sony app, then it is likely your laptop has not received an update to both the Bluetooth and Audio drivers needed to support this new stereo mode. Hopefully your laptop's manufacturer will enable this feature on your specific model in the coming months! Keep an eye out for driver updates released through Windows Update and/or your laptop manufacturers' website.

    You can confirm if the feature is available on your system by looking for a new "Format when microphone is active" setting as described in Configuring Bluetooth LE Audio quality settings on Windows 11 - Microsoft Support