Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio didn't recognize devices properly

[SurajD]

Been a while since I having issue with this one. Using Windows 11 25H2 on my Acer Nitro AN515-57. From the beginning, I had problems with connecting sound devices via bluetooth (headphones, speaker, mic), all of the connected devices showing as a "HandsFree device" in settings with terrible sound without additional settings. Tried to use "native" drivers from acer site, tried to be up to date from intel site, nothing helps. 

Thank you for help! Have a good day!

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @SurajD,

Thank you for posting here in our community. To effectively diagnose and address the issue you're experiencing, I kindly ask you to provide detailed responses to the following questions. This information will help us isolate the problem and determine the most appropriate course of action.  

• Are you using any USB Bluetooth dongle or only the built-in adapter?
• What version of the Bluetooth and Wireless drivers are currently installed?
• Any Bluetooth or audio-related errors in Event Viewer → System/Application logs?
• Does the issue persist in Safe Mode with Networking?
• Does the same headset work correctly on another PC or phone?
• Have you made any software or hardware changes to the system recently?
• Have you tried rolling back to a previous stable Bluetooth or audio driver version? If yes, could you document the exact driver version that worked properly before the issue started?
• What is the make and model of the Bluetooth audio devices you are trying to connect (e.g., brand and model of headphones, speakers, or microphone)?

I look forward to your response and am committed to resolving your issue promptly. 

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[SurajD]

Hi @RandyT_Intel ,

• Using only the built-in adapter
• Bluetooth version: 5.2  
• Event Viewer: Showing a warning for Killer(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter (201NGW) 
• Log Name: System
  Source: Netwtw10
  Date: 14-01-2026 03:30:14 PM
  Event ID: 6062
  Task Category: None
  Level: Warning
  Keywords: Classic
  User: N/A
  Computer: LAPTOP-NBQNML5F
  Description:
  6062 - Lso was triggered
  Event Xml:
  <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
  <Provider Name="Netwtw10" />
  <EventID Qualifiers="32768">6062</EventID>
  <Version>0</Version>
  <Level>3</Level>
  <Task>0</Task>
  <Opcode>0</Opcode>
  <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
  <TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-01-14T10:00:14.8506942Z" />
  <EventRecordID>17090</EventRecordID>
  <Correlation />
  <Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="12884" />
  <Channel>System</Channel>
  <Computer>LAPTOP-NBQNML5F</Computer>
  <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
  <Data>\Device\NDMP1</Data>
  <Data>Killer(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter (201NGW)</Data>
  <Binary>000000000200300000000000AE170080000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000</Binary>
  </EventData>
  </Event>  

• I didn't check with Safe Mode with Networking.
• Yes, works completely fine with other devices.
• No software/hardware changes.
• I have tried rolling back to the previous version but nothing helps.
• I am using the JBL Flip4 speaker & Boat Headset.

[SurajD]

Hi @RandyT_Intel 

For now, I disabled "Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio"  after all working fine.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @SurajD,

Just to confirm, do you still need further assistance, or are you all set for now with the temporary workaround you discovered?

You mentioned that disabling “Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio” resolved the issue on your side, please let me know if everything is working properly or if you'd like additional support.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[SurajD]

Hi @RandyT_Intel,

Yes, I believe that disabling is only a temporary fix. My goal is to fully resolve this issue. I look forward to your genuine support. 

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @SurajD,

Understood. We will proceed with further isolation steps. Since safe mode testing has not yet been performed, please test the behavior in Safe Mode to help determine whether the issue is related to a driver‑level problem or an operating system‑level conflict.

Additionally, please test using the OEM‑provided Bluetooth driver, as it is specifically tailored to your system configuration compared to the Intel® generic driver. While I understand that both driver versions were previously tested, this time please ensure a clean installation of the Bluetooth drivers before retesting.

For additional context and reference, please follow the steps outlined below:

Bluetooth Troubleshooting and Isolation Steps:

1. Verify Basic Bluetooth Settings

• Ensure Airplane Mode is turned OFF
• Settings → Network & Internet → Airplane Mode
• Confirm Bluetooth is enabled
• Settings → Bluetooth & other devices
• Check for a physical wireless/Bluetooth switch
  • Look for a hardware switch or function key combination (e.g., Fn + F12) and ensure it is enabled
• Restart the system

2. Restart Bluetooth Services

1. Press Windows + R, type
2. services.msc
3. , then press Enter
4. Locate Bluetooth Support Service
5. Right‑click → Restart
6. Set Startup Type to Automatic

 3. Run the Windows Bluetooth Troubleshooter

• Go to Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters
• Locate Bluetooth and click Run

 4. Verify Bluetooth Driver Version

1. Open Device Manager → Bluetooth
2. Right‑click Intel® Killer™ Wi‑Fi 6 AX1650 Bluetooth → Properties → Driver
3. Confirm the driver version is from your OEM or the latest Intel® release

If the issue started after a recent update:

• Select Roll Back Driver (if available)

5. Clean Reinstallation of the Bluetooth Driver

1. Open Device Manager → Bluetooth
2. Right‑click the Bluetooth adapter → Uninstall device
3. Check Delete the driver software for this device (if available)
4. Restart the system
5. Install the latest Bluetooth driver from the OEM website (preferred) or Intel®

6. Verify Bluetooth Device Compatibility

• Ensure the following services are running:
  • Bluetooth Support Service
  • Device Association Service
• Confirm the Bluetooth peripheral supports compatible Bluetooth profiles
• Attempt pairing with an alternate Bluetooth device to rule out peripheral‑specific issues

7. Update BIOS / UEFI Firmware

• Visit your system manufacturer’s support site
• Check for available BIOS/UEFI updates
• Follow OEM instructions carefully when applying firmware updates
• (Firmware updates may resolve detection and connectivity issues.)

8. Clean Windows Installation (Last Resort)

• Backup all important data
• Perform a clean Windows installation
• Install only OEM‑provided drivers
• Test Bluetooth functionality before installing additional software

Let me know the outcome.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[SurajD]

@RandyT_Intel ,

Tried to test in Safe Mode, but Bluetooth cannot be accessed in Safe Mode. 

[SurajD]

@RandyT_Intel ,

Since I disabled "Intel Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth Audio", everything is working fine, so I think this might be an issue related to "Intel Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth Audio".It should also be checked from this point of view

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @SurajD,

Have you had a chance to try the troubleshooting steps I provided? Please let me know if there have been any changes or improvements so I can determine the next best course of action. 

Looking forward to your update. 

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[SurajD]

Hi @RandyT_Intel,

Need some time

[Mike_Intel]

Hi @SurajD,

Thank you for letting us know.

Please check our last recommendation and update this thread once done for us to further assist you regarding this issue.

If you have questions, please let us know. Thank you.

Best regards,

Michael L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JedG_Intel]

Hi SurajD,

I'm checking to see if there are any updates from your end. Please let us know if you need further assistance so we can proceed accordingly.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JedG_Intel]

Hi SurajD,

Thank you for keeping us posted. Since disabling Intel Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth Audio appears to resolve the issue, may I ask if you’ve had a chance to try the recommendations we previously shared, particularly installing and using the Bluetooth driver provided by your system’s OEM?

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SurajD]

Hi @JedG_Intel ,

Are you saying these steps, right? 

5. Clean Reinstallation of the Bluetooth Driver

1. Open Device Manager → Bluetooth
2. Right‑click the Bluetooth adapter → Uninstall device
3. Check and delete the driver software for this device (if available)
4. Restart the system
5. Install the latest Bluetooth driver from the OEM website (preferred) or Intel®

I am attaching the image below. Please tell me which one of these should be uninstalled.

[SurajD]

Hi @JedG_Intel , @Mike_Intel , @RandyT_Intel 

I am waiting for your reply, guys.

[JedG_Intel]

Hello SurajD,

Kindly proceed with a clean installation and ensure that you are using the OEM‑provided Bluetooth driver for your system. To begin, please uninstall Intel® Wireless Bluetooth from Device Manager. Once the process is complete, we would appreciate it if you could inform us of the outcome so we can assist you further if needed.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SurajD]

Hi @JedG_Intel,

Tried, but it didn't work. Issue persists.

[JedG_Intel]

Hi SurajD,

I'm currently investigating this issue internally and to help with isolating the issue, kindly download and install the Audio driver version 6.0.9292.1. Once done, please let me know of the outcome.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SurajD]

Hi @JedG_Intel ,

This same driver is currently installed in the system, Realtek Audio Driver 6.0.9292.1.

I reinstalled the driver, but that didn't solve the problem.

[JedG_Intel]

Hello SurajD,

Thank you for your continued efforts in following our recommendations. We truly appreciate your patience and cooperation. While we are still investigating the issue, we would like to share some of the possible causes we have identified so far.

• Disabled SST: SST might be disabled in the audio settings of your operating system. You can enable SST by going to the audio settings and looking for the SST option.

• Hardware failure: If your computer's motherboard or processor is defective, it could cause SST to not work.

• Software conflict: A conflict with another piece of software, such as a sound card driver, could also cause SST to not work.

Kindly check this related article for more information and recommendation: Intermittent Audio Caused by Unidentified Issue in Intel Smart Sound Technology

If the issue still persists, it's likely that there's a problem with your computer's hard. With this, we recommend reaching out to Original Equipment Manufacturer for further assistance.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician