WH-1000MX4 Bluetooth disconnecting and reconnecting

[chadrenando]

Hi,

I have had my WH-1000MX4 for over a year. They were working fine on my previous ASUS laptop.

I recently purchased a new HP Envy laptop. In the past two weeks, I have had the issue with the headphone periodically disconnecting from Bluetooth (I hear the down-tone but the voice does not say "disconnected", and then 10 to 60 seconds later, it automatically reconnects. It may go hours without an issue, or drop out 20 minutes into a Zoom call.

I read similar posts here from 2019 and the MX3  https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/wh-1000xm3-bluetooth-keeps-disconnecting/m-p/2605883 which talks about using a Bluetooth adapter that does not use native Windows adapters , this one from March 2022 and the MX4 https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/wh-1000xm4-started-to-quot-disconnect-quot-after-inst... and this December 2020 with the MX4 with no solutions.

This one from October 2020 https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/wh-1000mx4-disconnecting/m-p/3716095 also does not have a solution, and I have done everything recommended. My headphones are not connected to any other device, I have the preferences set to bandwidth performance, and I have unpaired and repaired mutlipel times. The post mentions the possibility of disabling the headphone mic, but that does not work when I am on the road. I have not tested at length with connecting the headphones to another device like my iPhone. 

Are there any insights into compatibility issues with some drivers or platforms and the headphones that would result in intermittent dropping out? Anything else that would cause this behavior? 

[SkyNet404]

Don't think this has anything to do with the drivers as there's no separate drivers for the headphones anyway, only software for it: https://cutt.ly/EwqdaQhz.
Try to remove the connection, and connect it once more based on your operating system using the steps here: https://cutt.ly/gwqdaFDs.

[chadrenando]

I hopped on Sony Chat to ask this same question. I am then told that WH-1000MX4 headphones are not supported on Windows 11 and to wait for Microsofty to support the headphones.  Given the WH-1000MX4 came out in 2020, Windows 11 was released in 2021 and we are now half way through 2023, I doubt there will be any change.

However, this prompted me to search on Win 11 and WH-1000MX4 compatibility, as it never dawned on me that headphones and the OS would not be compatible with products released in the past 3 years.   

A post pointed me to the Intel Bluetooth / wireless drivers, which will not be caught in the Windows automatic updates.  I installed the new drivers yesterday and have not had an issue with dropout since, fingers crossed.

Just FYI for anyone else scratching their heads.

[SkyNet404]

This article shows how you can connect Sony headphones/earphones to Windows 11: https://cutt.ly/BwqRoyVS.
So, not sure about where's the ''not compatible'' came from. 
Also, for video chatting, check this one as well: https://cutt.ly/BwqRoRzT.