Galaxy Buds+ Constantly Disconnecting from Surface Pro 4 Or Metallic Interference Making It Difficult To Hear

[robinwilson16]

I purchased the Galaxy Buds+ for use with a Surface Pro 4 device for use on video calls over Teams/Zoom around the end of February for use during the lockdown whilst working from home.

Firstly I noticed that when a call connects I was unable to use my Microsoft Surface Bluetooth Mouse so had to switch to an old USB one as often need to do screen sharing.

If I remove the buds from my ears, when I want to use them again I must go to Windows 10 settings and disconnect them and reconnect them before they will work which leads to me missing most incomming calls and needing to phone everyone back.

Aside from these issues though, whilst some days the buds work correctly, about 50% of the time they will keep disconnecting during a call so I will again need to go to settings and disconnect and reconnect them. Other times only one will work, or one or both of them will output metallic noises along with the audio making it difficult to hear what the person on the other end is saying. The left one seems the worst. The Surface Pro 4 sits right in front of me on a desk connected to 2 24" screens so I don't know why they would be so tempramental and it is dissapointing for such an expensive device.

I also tried using them with my iPhone for use whilst cycling and when I put my phone in my pocket they often disconnect too or if they work, after a short time the audio will pause and I must stop and get my phone out to resume it again so they just don't seem to work reliably at all on either device.

I have had to switch to an old USB Jabra headset now for video calls.

Can anything be done to make these work the way they are supposed to?

When they work they are good and sound quality is high quality but they are just so unrelaible and frustrating to use.

Thanks

Robin

[TessM]

Hey @robinwilson16 ,

do you keep the phone nearby when that happens? If so, have you checked if these are connecting to the phone when they disconnect from the PC?

If this is not the case, I would like you to ensure that the Buds+ are running on the latest version. If so, ave you tried resetting the buds? Also, try going into your Settings > Apps > 3 dots in the top right corner > System apps > Bluetooth > Force stop > Clear cache.

[robinwilson16]

Hello Tess

The phone is often nearby but I mostly disable bluetooth on the phone when I am using it with the PC in case this is the issue but it still happens anyway. I have also tried moving the phone to the other side of the room but it didn't help. The Surface Pro 4 tablet is only about 60cm from my ears. 

The buds are running the latest version of the software. I have tried a reset and after this the buds are pairing as Galaxy Buds+ (2BC0) LE (before the LE wasn't present I don't think).

I have tried to follow your instructions about clearing the cache but could not find this option. Is it on Windows 10 or on iPhone?

I will see how it goes today after the reset.

Thanks

Robin

[CarlH]

Hi, @robinwilson16. The cache steps would be referring to Android. Are you using an iPhone? Do you have the Wearable app installed if so?

[robinwilson16]

Hello Carl

I am using the Buds with a Surface Pro 4 and an iPhone XS Max 10. I do have the wearable app and used this to reset them.

After the reset I deleted the device from Bluetooth settings in Windows 10 and added it again and tried it again on a video call on Teams and only the right bud would work the left one was silent so they still don't work properly as this is what it was like before. of the two the right one is most likely to be the one that works - not sure if the bluetooth radio is slightly stronger in the right one maybe - the Surface Pro 4 is right in front of me though - even tried holding it up to my face but it doesn't help the buds to connect properly!

[TessM]

Is this also happening with your phone @robinwilson16 and is only appearing when you are having a conversation using them?

[robinwilson16]

Hello Tess

I have not tried with the phone since the reset but I had lots of meetings on Teams today and in each meeting they either disconnected entirely and I had to reconnect via Settings (I keep it open on another screen now to help reduce how much of the call I miss) or I have trouble hearing the person due to all the audio distortion or only the right one works.

Out of 4 meetings today I had problems in each.

This is the only bluetooth device connected as I cannot use the bluetooth mouse at all when a call connects so have to use a wired one.

I spent time researching these before purchasing as the main use was for meetings in Teams but this just doesn't work well enough and in an hour meeting it will probably go off 4 or 5 times and doesn't matter if I disable Bluetooth on my phone or put it further away and the Surface Pro is sitting right in front of me on the desk.

It is annoying for me and also the other meeting participants as have to repeat what was said.

[CarlH]

Do you have any other Bluwtooth devices in the vicinity, @robinwilson16? 

[robinwilson16]

Hello Carl

There is just the phone where I have disabled it and the mouse which I cannot use. There is nothing else.

It does feel like there is a need to boost the signal or something. Like if it disconnects when I put the phone in my pocket although seems a bit better whilst cycling (where my pocket area is closer to my uppper body) but can still go off repeatedly, also pausing playback.

Is there any logical reason the left bud would work less reliably than the right one? Strangly I sit with the window to my left so is hard to believe there is interference coming from that side.

Neither are reliable but the right one seems more inclined to work. Audio distortions are mostly in the left one. In a meeting if the distortion is happening and I have trouble working out what people are saying, removing the left one does generally help.

When distortions happen, I have tried walking around the house to see if interference changes but it makes no difference where I walk to.

[robinwilson16]

Hello

Is there going to be any solution to this or are the buds faulty or do they just not work well with anything aside an Android device as they fail to work reliably with either my iPhone 10 XS Max or my Surface Pro 4, in particular the left one.

They are sitting unused whilst I use an old Jabra USB headset for the PC and a cheap £15 Bluetooth headset from the market (when it was open) for the iPhone which is rather a waste for £159 I paid for these.

Information I found online and when I asked in PC World said they would work with any Bluetooth device but this is obviously not the case in my experience. It's a shame as I do really like the design and when they are working they work well with clear audio and in my oppinion look better than the AirPods.

To summarise the issues:

1. On PC stop working during Teams calls even though Settings shows them as connected so must disconnect and reconnect (is random and can occur only once during an hour call or every 10 mins)

2. On PC don't work once taken out of my ears until I disconnect and reconnect in settings

3. On iPhone if I put my phone into my trouser pocket whilst playing music playback pauses

4. On PC I get audio distortions, mainly in left side or it disconnects fully whilst right carries on working