Microsoft Announces Super Wideband Stereo for Bluetooth LE Audio on Windows 11

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Quick Report

Microsoft has announced a new feature for Windows 11 called Super Wideband Stereo for Bluetooth LE Audio, which significantly improves audio quality during game chat and voice calls. This technology allows Bluetooth headphones to maintain high-quality stereo sound even when the microphone is in use, solving a long-standing limitation of traditional Bluetooth audio.

Bluetooth Classic Audio has always had a significant limitation: when using a microphone (Hands-Free Profile or HFP mode), audio quality drops dramatically and stereo sound is lost in favor of mono audio. This has been particularly frustrating for gamers and users on conference calls, as activating the microphone would immediately result in muffled audio without directional sound.

Super Wideband Stereo for LE Audio addresses this problem by enabling stereo playback at a 32kHz sample rate while using the microphone. This means users can now enjoy clear, immersive audio that preserves spatial effects during gaming sessions or conference calls, with sound that can be properly positioned between left and right ears.

The feature works with Bluetooth LE Audio devices (using either the Telephony and Media Profile for headphones/earbuds or the Hearing Access Profile for hearing aids) connected to compatible Windows 11 PCs. This improvement also enables Spatial Audio support in Microsoft Teams over Bluetooth for the first time, allowing voices to come from the direction of speakers on screen.

To use this feature, users will need:

  • A Bluetooth headset, earbuds, or assistive hearing device that supports Bluetooth LE Audio
  • A Windows 11 PC that supports LE Audio
  • Windows 11 version 24H2 with the latest updates
  • Updated Bluetooth audio drivers from their PC manufacturer

Microsoft notes that some existing PC models will receive manufacturer driver updates to support the feature later this year, and most new mobile PCs launching in late 2025 are expected to support it out of the box.

Written using GitHub Copilot Grok Code Fast-1 in agentic mode instructed to follow current codebase style and conventions for writing articles.

Source(s)

  • Microsoft Tech Community