bluetooth headphones with microphone

[abakker]

I use a pair of Sony MX3 headphones and zoom is driving me insane.

For some days I can use the microphone and speakers of the Sony and then for some odd reason. The speakers of the headset will only work if I choose a different microphone (the built in microphone in my laptop). Turning if the "Handsfree Telephony" is not a practical option. Since that just basically means I have can use the microphone of my headset. The microphone of my laptop picks up way too much background noise.

It irritates me to no end that Zoom is inconsistent.

[Ray_Harwood]

@abakker:

What device, what version of the operating system, and what version of Zoom, please?

I've seen similar complaints from Windows 11 users; it's not Zoom that's inconsistent here... it's Microsoft.

[abakker]

@Ray_Harwood 

Zoom Version: 5.12.3 (9638)

Windows Version: 10.0.19042 Build 19042

Over the last year it has happened that Zoom works fine for most of the day, then all of a sudden I get an issue. The speakers of my Sony bluetooth head set stop working, no sound. When I change the Microphone from the headset to the one in my laptop the speakers also to working again. Most of the time the issue is resolved after I reboot my laptop but not always. Then after a few days without making any changes it just suddenly works again.

[Ray_Harwood]

Thanks for the info, @abakker.

My experience with Bluetooth on Windows has been similar -- sometimes it works, and occasionally nothing will work without way more time and effort than I'm wanting to spend.  So I've really dropped Bluetooth and use either wired headsets or wireless-but-not-Bluetooth headsets (I personally use the very-comfortable Corsair Void Pro).

Whenever you have an issue with your headset while using Zoom, I recommend going to the Mute/Unmute button's Test Speaker & Microphone menu item first to see if you can/can't hear and speak.  Next, I try changing whichever thing appears to not be working ("speaker"/headset or Mic) to another device, and then back to the decide you really want to use.  If the operating system has lost track of your device somehow, then Zoom isn't going to be able to connect to it; and if it does, it should work (as long as all the volume/mute controls are set properly).

It should be easy -- but it's not.  Even I struggle when a device "goes rogue" and refuses to communicate with the system.  I've learned which things work to bring it back and which don't... and it seems like every system and device is a little different, so everyone has to learn on their own.