Microsoft said it will improve Bluetooth sound quality in the upcoming version of Windows 11.Microsoft explains that Bluetooth audio quality is relatively low because Bluetooth Classic Audio offers two profiles, the first is the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), which prioritizes sound quality but does not allow the use of the microphone; the second is the Hands-Free Profile (HFP), which enables the microphone but at the expense of sound quality.
Because of this, it is impossible to achieve high-fidelity audio and functional microphones at the same time in Bluetooth. HFP has been improved in some aspects, but one of its major disadvantages is that it does not support stereo playback.
To address these issues, Microsoft announced that it is developing a new feature in Windows 11 that will enable Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio devices to play high-fidelity audio in stereo while maintaining microphone functionality.
Microsoft replaced A2DP and HFP with more flexible profiles that use better compression algorithms and achieve "ultra-wideband" sound quality at a bidirectional 32kHz sampling rate, with a maximum of 16kHz unidirectional ultra-wideband audio sampling.
Microsoft describes the technology as "game-changing" and says it will work with PC partners and Bluetooth audio device manufacturers to enable the feature more broadly.
Microsoft expects that new PCs released by the end of 2025 will natively support this technology.