Headphones bluetooth stereo profile not working during webex meeting

[cicciowau52490]

I have a problem of bad audio quality when connecting headphones through bluetooth to my computer, while partecipating to a webex meeting. I'm using windows 10.

For what I understood with some research, I have two bluetooth profiles for my headphones:

• A low-energy profile (Hands-free AG audio), that has only 1 channel, low sample rate/bandwidth (8000Hz) and that is mainly used to keep the connection to the headphones more efficiently disregarding quality
• A stereo profile, that can have 2 channels, larger sample rate/bandwidth (44100Hz) that is used for a better transfer of data to the headphones (higher audio quality)

When connected to a webex meeting, I can no more choose the stereo profile for the headphones: only the low-energy one is shown in audio settings (along with other audio profiles that are not related to my headphones, like the computer speakers), with the consequence that audio quality is really bad.

I tried to disable the low-energy profile from windows settings (this makes the stereo profile appear in webex audio settings), but when i choose the stereo profile from webex meetings audio settings i cannot hear any sound, even if the "output level" bar shows that it's working when I click the "test" button.

Also, the headphones' stereo profile doesn't work anymore on the computer in general (i hear no output on the headphones) whenever I partecipate to a webex meeting, even if the meeting is not using that audio profile. For example, if the meeting output is on the speakers, I cannot hear anything on the stereo headphone profile but I can use the low-energy profile fine (I can reproduce media on the headphone low-energy profile while the meeting is being reproduced on the speakers without problems).

I have tried some proposed solutions without success:

• disabling windows audio enhancements
• restarting windows audio service
• restarting the computer
• restarting webex
• updating bluetooth drivers
• installing again the headphone drivers
• Changing the output volume both from windows, from webex and from the headphones
• Changing headphones

The problem appears only with bluetooth connection: headphones connected through cable or computer speakers/microphone have no problem.

Is it possible to use the "stereo profile" for the bluetooth headphones during a webex meeting?

Thanks.

[Jonathon]

I managed to fix this issue by disabling the Hands-free AG audio in Windows Sound settings. This allowed me to pick the Stereo option in the webex device settings.

To disable the Hands-free AG audio in Win 10. Go to Settings, System and then Sound. Under Output there will be a link named "Manage sound devices", open this. Click the Hands-free AG audio device and a disable button will appear. After this has been done, the stereo device option will become available in webex.

[MSHEIKSA]

So, Webex - Windows is not supporting Bluetooth in simple words.

The issue is being there for more than an year, which is mostly used by top corporates.

[Craig5]

I'm having the same issue.  Bluetooth headset (Aftershokz) works fine in Windows and with other apps like Zoom.  Something in Webex is causing these issues.  I've reinstalled Webex, reinstalled BT drivers, rebooted a million times.  Cisco needs to figure this out.

[Wade H. · Accepted solution]

I believe you are simply encountering a limitation of Bluetooth communication devices in Windows. My understanding is that the way Windows implements the Bluetooth protocol does not allow for sufficient bandwidth to allow high-quality two-way audio. My advice to anyone with headset issues is to avoid using Bluetooth devices with Webex.

[emrah.saglam]

Other softwares works fine. This problem only related Cisco webex. If I open webex there is no problem but if I go settings or join a meeting webex stopped my audio.

[SPogoloff]

It's WebEx that's the problem; Zoom works fine.  My Bluetooth headset (Samsung Buds Pro) work perfectly in Zoom.  Sometimes they work in WebEx but very unreliably.  Usually the microphone produces very low volume, but if I fiddle with them they might work.  Earphones usually work but in recent weeks they often do not.  It's enough to make me switch to Zoom if I hadn't just paid for a year's renewal for WebEx, which we've used for many years.