Xbox Headset Audio Cutting Out? (Tips, tricks and advice)


Using a gaming headset while gaming is great because it has the best audio quality and cancels other interruptions. Gaming headsets are very important to online gamers who love playing multiplayer games that involve coordination and sharing of strategy. However, your gaming headset might stop working when gaming, and you are wondering what can be the cause.

So, why does my Xbox headset audio keep cutting out? The primary reason why your Xbox headset’s audio keeps cutting out is inactivity. Sometimes, if you leave your Xbox idle for more than ten seconds, the audio on your headset will cut out. You have to press a button on your controller to get back the audio.

If you are using a wireless Xbox headset, other reasons for cutting out audio include low battery, damage, interferences, and compatibility issues. On the other hand, if you are using a wired Xbox headset, damage to the cable could be the reason why your audio keeps cutting out.

Gamers like to participate in online multiplayer games that require constant communication between participants. Therefore, having a pair of working gaming headsets is very important to a gamer.

Wireless gaming headsets are very popular among gamers because they reduce the hassle of owning a wired gaming headset. However, even as technology keeps improving sometimes, you might experience audio cutting out when gaming.

When your headset’s battery is low, you audio will automatically keep cutting you out. Also, interruption from other solid objects like walls can also cause your headset to lose audio. Compatibility issues can also cause your wireless headset’s audio to cut out, especially if your gaming machine has out-of-date drivers. Other reasons for your wireless headset’s poor audio quality audio cutting out include poor handling, low-quality headsets, moving too far, and inactivity.

All wireless gaming headsets use batteries to function, and when the batteries in your headset have low power, the audio will start to cut out. Therefore, you have to ensure that you charge the batteries every day and start each gaming session with a fully charged wireless headset.

When shopping for a new wireless headset, check how long the manufacturer states it can work without recharging. Most wireless headsets can work for up to fifteen hours; however, they can be lower depending on your gaming habits. Most wireless headsets have a low battery indicator which will let you know when to charge your wireless headset.

One setback of owning a pair of the wireless gaming headset is interference from other objects. When you are in a room with several Bluetooth devices, some of them will start to interfere with your headset’s connection; hence, the poor audio quality.

Sometimes, solid objects can also cause interference, such as a wall or a desk. Most wireless gaming headsets can connect with your console or PC from up to ten meters, but the audio will start to cut out if there are too many blocks between your console or PC and the wireless headset.

Sometimes, health devices can also cause your wireless gaming headset to deliver poor audio. Some personal health gadgets like fitness bands also rely on Bluetooth, and, if you are wearing one during gaming, it might affect the audio quality. Most personal health gadgets only connect with smartphones and tablets, but their radio waves can interrupt the connection between your wireless gaming headset and console.

Also, the poor audio quality from your wireless headset can be caused by incompatibility issues. If your gaming console or PC has a different Bluetooth version to your wireless headset, there will be connectivity issues. Your wireless headset might take too long to connect to your console or PC. However, if you manage to connect, the audio might keep cutting out because of incompatibility issues. Some gaming consoles and PCs have sound drivers, and if you do not update them whenever necessary, they will become incompatible with your wireless gaming headset.

Your wireless gaming headset’s audio will keep cutting out if you are using counterfeit or poor quality headset. If you bought your wireless headset at a low price or found it on sale, there is a strong possibility it will not perform well. When it comes to shopping for a new wireless gaming headset, cheap is not the best option.

Companies that make cheap gaming headsets do not spend time developing devices with the best quality. Therefore, your headset might work well for a few months before you start noticing its shortcomings, such as poor audio quality.

Wireless gaming headsets are very delicate, and how you handle them will determine if they work well and last longer. Poor handling will make your wireless gaming headset’s audio keep cutting out. If you keep dropping your headsets or pouring water or any other liquid on them, you will damage them. If your handling of the wireless headset has not been good for a few weeks, and you will start losing audio on one side or both due to wear and tear.

Prolonged inactivity might cause your wireless gaming headset to keep cutting the audio out. When you play a game, the wireless headset remains active as long as you keep using the controllers or keyboard. When you stop using your controller, your headset will become inactive, and you will stop receiving any audio.

This problem is very common among gamers using the Xbox headset, which cuts audio after more than 10 seconds of inactivity. This means gamers have to keep pressing buttons on their controller if they want to move away from their console for a few minutes.

The distance between your wireless headset and console can also affect the quality of audio. If you move too far from your console, your wireless headset might disconnect from your console. The maximum range for most wireless gaming headsets is thirty-two feet. If you move more than thirty-two feet away from your console, your wireless headset’s audio will start to cut out, and you will not receive any audio until you move closer to the console.

Audio cutting out while using wireless gaming headsets is an interruption that most gamers hate and can cause you or your team to lose a game. Therefore, keep in mind of all the above factors to avoid being cut out from your audio while gaming.

How Do I Fix My Wireless Gaming Headsets from Cutting Audio?

Wireless gaming headsets are expensive, and you cannot just throw one away and get a new one if it starts cutting out audio. If you have audio issues with your wireless gaming headsets, you need to find solutions to prevent you from having a great gaming experience.

To prevent or stop your wireless gaming headsets from cutting audio out, you can acquire a quality wireless gaming headset. You should also ensure that you maintain your wireless headset by replacing worn-out batteries and always keep it on a full charge. You should also confirm whether the wireless headset is compatible with your console or PC before buying it.

You should also remove any interference or obstacles in between the devices. Other things you can do to reduce poor audio quality include upgrading to better wireless headsets, resetting the device, and bringing the console or gaming PC closer.

It is important to buy a good quality wireless headset that will perform well and last longer. You should avoid buying cheap wireless gaming headsets or using free headsets that come with your new gaming console. Take time when searching for a new gaming headset because many wireless headsets offer quality audio, impeccable comfort, and great connectivity.

Some may cost more than others, so make sure you have enough money to buy the wireless headset of your choice. Ensure that you confirm the authenticity of your wireless headset when purchasing because there are so many fake wireless headsets in the market.

You should always check your wireless headset’s battery and ensure that they are working properly. Rechargeable batteries have a specific lifespan, and after a certain period, they do not retain power as much as they did when they were new. If the batteries become weak, you should replace them with new ones immediately.

You should also check the charger and ensure that it can charge your wireless headsets without creating any further issues. You also ensure you start gaming with your wireless headsets at full charge to avoid unnecessary interruptions in the middle of gaming.

All wireless headsets use Bluetooth to connect with other devices, and you need to ensure your headsets match your gaming console or PC. New gaming consoles have advanced Bluetooth drivers, leading to poor audio quality if your wireless headset has the old Bluetooth version.

When you are buying headsets, ensure that you read all the specifications of the wireless headset before you buy it. If you do not understand how compatibility works, you should tell the salesperson the type of console or gaming PC you are using, and which wireless headset works best with it.

When using your wireless headsets during gaming, you should ensure that you remove all the obstructions and interruptions between your console and the headset. Wireless gaming headsets can help you stay in the game by listening to your fellow gamers while away from your console.

When you move away from your console, you should ensure you have fewer obstructions between you and your console or gaming PC. You should also turn off other devices that might interrupt the connection between your wireless headset and console, such as your laptop and other Bluetooth devices.

Another way you can stop your wireless headset from cutting out audio is by resetting the connection. Sometimes, your console can disconnect itself from your wireless headset, cutting out the audio. This usually happens if you had previously connected the wireless headset to devices near you, including your phone.

In such a case, your console may disconnect, and your headset will connect with your phone. Resetting the audio device ensures that you cannot connect your wireless headset as the primary audio device of your console or gaming PC.

Wireless headsets work best if they are closer to the device they are connected to. When playing a game and using a wireless headset, ensure you sit close enough to your console or gaming PC.

A wireless headset can connect to your console or gaming PC from at least thirty-two feet away, but the closer you are, the better. If you want the best audio quality, it is recommended that you sit less than two feet away from your console or gaming PC.

It is also important to give your wireless headsets a rest after many hours of gaming. The more you use an electronic, the faster it wears down, and this can happen to wireless headsets. You can give your wireless headsets a rest by turning them off for a few hours each day after gaming. You can charge your wireless headset when you are not using it. You can turn it on when it is fully charged and see if the quality audio has improved.

Sometimes, you can do nothing to improve the audio quality of your wireless headsets because they are old and worn out. The only option is to get a better wireless headset. New wireless headsets will offer you better sound quality, and their new batteries mean you will use them for many hours without stopping your gaming to charge the batteries. However, upgrading to new wireless is the last option, meaning you have to try everything else before buying new wireless headsets.

Wrap Up

Audio is an important part of gaming because most games, whether single-player or multiplayer, sometimes rely on voice to give instructions. If you have a gaming headset that cannot deliver quality audio throughout the gaming session, you might lose. Wireless gaming headset seems to be the future of gaming, but there are still some drawbacks to the invention.

Whatever the circumstances, you should never settle for poor audio quality. If your wireless headset starts to cut audio out, ensure your wireless headset is compatible with your console or gaming PC.

Also, you can also reset the audio device, check and change the batteries whenever necessary, buy quality wireless headsets, and reduce the distance between your headset and your console. If all the solutions in this article do not work, you have no option but to buy a new pair of wireless gaming headsets.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is a technology expert based in the UK, with experience across a number of technology areas from phones, tablets, computers to gaming.

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