Samsung Galaxy Book5 – Bluetooth Audio Crackling During Calls - Windows 11 25H2)

[Jive]

Hi,

I’m having major issues with Bluetooth headset audio during calls (Google Meet, Zoom, etc.).
As soon as the headset switches to telephony / hands-free mode, the sound starts to crackle, click, or distort, especially on voices with higher frequencies (lighter voices are worst).
It’s extremely distracting - and this did not happen on my previous laptops.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

1. Tested 5 different Bluetooth headsets — same issue (Sony WH-1000XM5, Jabra Elite 10, etc.).

2. Tried both old and latest Samsung / Realtek audio drivers.

3. Installed the latest Intel Bluetooth + Wi-Fi drivers from Intel’s site.

4. Unpaired and re-paired devices multiple times.

5. Disabled LE Audio — this did not fix the issue

6. Checked BIOS and Device Manager — everything seems up to date.

7.  Runned all Windows updates that are avalable + Samsing Device Care Updates.

It seems related to Intel Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth Audio or LE Audio instability 

The issue usually appears after 30–60 seconds into a call, and it affects me (the listener) — not the person I’m speaking with.

Anyone know what to do? 

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

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.  

• Please provide the SSU log report and share it here so I can review your system's configuration. 
• Do you have the same issue when using the headsets for music/media (not in telephony mode)?
• Are there other Bluetooth or 2.4GHz devices nearby (wireless mouse, keyboard, router, phone, etc.)?
• Do you have any other audio applications or system sounds running during calls?
• Does this happen on ALL video calling platforms equally, or is it worse on specific ones?
• Does it matter if video is on/off during the call?
• Have you contacted your laptop manufacturer about this? Please note that this is an OEM device, so we will try to assist you with general troubleshooting steps. However, if the issue persists, you will have to contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer of your device. Your device manufacturer may have altered features, incorporated customizations, or made other changes to some components for better compatibility with your system.

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

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Jive]

• Please provide the SSU log report and share it here so I can review your system's configuration. 
  
  Okay thank you iam adding the file, is this on ok that iam sharing?
  
  
  
• Do you have the same issue when using the headsets for music/media (not in telephony mode)?
  
  No issues at all when not in telephony mode.
  
  
  
• Are there other Bluetooth or 2.4GHz devices nearby (wireless mouse, keyboard, router, phone, etc.)?
  
  Normally it its, but have been trying at remote places aswell to see if there is any diffrence , its the same issue.
  Also this probllem does not happen on my Asus Zenbook or Lenovo 7x Pro.
  
  
• Do you have any other audio applications or system sounds running during calls?
  
  No no other applications.
  
  
• Does this happen on ALL video calling platforms equally, or is it worse on specific ones?
  
  It happends on all of them and its the same sound problem on all of them. Teams, slack, meets etc.
  
  
• Does it matter if video is on/off during the call?
  
  Tried this and thats no diffrence.
  
  
• Have you contacted your laptop manufacturer about this? Please note that this is an OEM device, so we will try to assist you with general troubleshooting steps. However, if the issue persists, you will have to contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer of your device. Your device manufacturer may have altered features, incorporated customizations, or made other changes to some components for better compatibility with your system.
  
  
  I contacted them, and have been in dialog with 2 service centers, however Samsungs customer service is level is close to 0.
  i bought the computer and then left it for service for more then a month and they did nothing they said they cannot find the problem, even thoe i showed the the issue for one of the service center tech people and they confirmed it. So feels kind of hopeless to buy products from Samsung.. This is also their newest model. 
  
  
  
  

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

Thank you for the detailed information and troubleshooting you've already completed. Based on your responses, this appears to be a hardware-specific integration issue between Intel Smart Sound Technology and Samsung's implementation on the Galaxy Book5.

To help us diagnose this further, could you please provide:

• Device Manager Screenshots:
  • Right-click Start → Device Manager
  • Expand "Bluetooth" and "Sound, video and game controllers"
  • Take screenshots showing all devices and their driver versions
  • Pay special attention to any Intel Smart Sound Technology entries
• Event Viewer Logs:
• Press Win+R, type 
  • eventvwr.msc
  • Navigate to Windows Logs → System
  • Filter for Bluetooth and Audio events during the time you experience the issue
  • Export any error/warning events from the last few days
• Bluetooth Codec Information:
  • In Device Manager → Bluetooth → [Your Bluetooth Adapter] → Properties → Advanced tab
  • Screenshot the codec settings available

Meanwhile, here are some additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

• First, Identify Your Bluetooth® Driver Version
• Second, How to Fix Quality Sound Issues via Bluetooth* Using a Headset (Since you're currently using a generic Intel graphics driver, we recommend installing the specific drivers provided by Samsung for your device. These can be obtained from Samsung's official support website or by contacting their support team directly.)
• Lastly, How to Perform a Clean Installation of Bluetooth Drivers

Based on your excellent troubleshooting, this appears to be:

• Samsung's customization of Intel Smart Sound Technology causing codec switching issues
• Possible Windows 11 25H2 compatibility problem with OEM implementation
• Hardware-level audio processing conflict during telephony mode switching

Please provide the diagnostic information requested above. Try the troubleshooting articles in order of complexity. If these don't resolve it, we'll coordinate internally for specific issue.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Jive]

Hello there! hope i did the right thing here

otherwise all files is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lCcBaE-1WqP4YfFGYvHA48F7SR9ARfyR?usp=sharing

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

Just checking on the previous recommendation & article I provided. Have you had a chance to review the information and apply it to your system? 

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Jive]

Hello Randy! thanks for the help here, unfortunately it did not changing anything, the problem is still here, i spend long time removing all drivers 1 by on 1 and then installed the Samsung drivers from the Samsung Website so its not diffrence

Its just amazes me how so basic functions like this... Samsung cannot deliver a basic product... that works

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

A new version of the Intel WiFi and Bluetooth drivers (v23.170.0) was released on October 28, 2025, via the Intel Download Center. Since the issue you're experiencing is related only to Bluetooth, I recommend updating to the latest Intel generic Bluetooth driver. Please ensure a clean installation of the Bluetooth drivers before installing the new version and also share an updated SSU after completing the steps.

Both the WiFi and Bluetooth drivers (v23.170.0 or later) have been validated to support Windows 11* version 25H2.

Please try updating the Bluetooth driver and let me know if the issue persists. If the problem continues, are you considering to perform a clean reinstallation of the operating system?

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Jive]

Hello! updated the driver to the latest, same issue, have already reinstalled the PC 4 times + the Service center reinstalled aswell..

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

After exhausting all available troubleshooting steps, the issue remains unresolved. Multiple headset models were tested on the current system, and the problem persists. However, this issue was not present on your previous system, which suggests a possible hardware fault, as the behavior appears isolated to this laptop.

While I cannot comment on the findings from OEM, their assessment indicates no issues were found. Nonetheless, based on the symptoms and testing, a hardware issue remains a possibility.

As a final recommendation:

1. Reinstall the affected applications (e.g., Google Meet, Zoom, etc.).
2. Contact the headset manufacturer to check for firmware updates.
3. Retest the performance after completing the above steps.

If the issue continues after these actions, it is likely hardware-related, and you may need to coordinate with OEM for a possible warranty evaluation.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Jive]

Hello Randy!

Thank you for the help, i found the solution, i bought a TP-link Bluetooth 5.4 Nano USB adapter (UB500) and now everything works perfekt. Just needed to disable the intel bluetooth card and turn it off completely - so that was the solution.

However it does not change the fact that the built in bluetooth is bad.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Jive, 

Thank you for the update, and I’m glad to hear that using the TP-Link Bluetooth 5.4 Nano USB adapter (UB500) resolved the issue.

That said, if the issue is resolved by using a third-party hardware integration and you've confirmed that the built-in Bluetooth module fails while the external adapter works fine, this strongly suggests a hardware conflict or defect with the original component. In this case, we recommend coordinating with the system manufacturer (Samsung) and informing them that the issue has been isolated to the built-in hardware. This can support a potential warranty claim or further investigation on their end.

Please note, however, that while using third-party adapters like the TP-Link UB500 may work as a workaround, we do not officially recommend this method. Based on cases I’ve handled, such solutions may work initially but can lead to instability over time due to hardware dependencies and driver limitations. Every hardware component, whether from the OEM, Intel, or a third-party vendor, requires proper driver validation to ensure long-term compatibility and performance.

Since this has been identified as a hardware issue, I suggest reaching out to Samsung for possible warranty or repair options.

I’ll proceed to close this thread for now. If you encounter any further issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us again or create a new thread.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician