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How to Change the Bluetooth Audio Codec on Android

Change the Bluetooth audio codec for a connected headset in Android Developer options, and troubleshoot missing or unavailable choices.
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To change the Bluetooth audio codec on Android, connect your headphones or speaker, open Settings > System > Developer options > Bluetooth Audio Codec, then select an available option. Menu names and paths vary by manufacturer, and a codec appears only when the phone and connected audio device support it.

Before you change the codec

Pair and connect the headphones or speaker you want to use first. The setting applies to the active Bluetooth audio connection, so an option may not appear or may not apply when no compatible device is connected.

Android’s Developer options guide lists SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC as possible choices, not as a compatibility promise for every phone. Android identifies SBC as its mandatory Bluetooth audio codec; support for optional codecs depends on the phone and receiving device. See Android’s Developer options guide and the BluetoothCodecConfig API reference.

How to change the Bluetooth audio codec

  1. Connect your audio device. Pair and connect the Bluetooth headphones or speaker you want to configure.
  2. Enable Developer options if needed. In Settings, open About phone and tap Build number seven times. Authenticate if prompted. The exact labels and location can differ by manufacturer.
  3. Open the codec selector. Return to Settings and look for System > Developer options > Bluetooth Audio Codec. On some phones, Developer options or the codec setting may be in a different location.
  4. Choose an available codec. Tap an enabled option. The list depends on the phone’s software and hardware and the connected device’s codec support.

Why is Bluetooth Audio Codec greyed out or missing?

The device is not connected

Connect the headphones or speaker, then reopen the codec setting. If necessary, disconnect and reconnect the device and check again while it is active.

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The phone or headset does not support that codec

Both ends of the connection must support a codec for it to be usable. Check the specifications for your exact phone and audio device; the list in Android’s general guide does not establish compatibility for individual models. If you are considering different headphones to use a particular codec, verify support on both the headset and phone before buying.

The setting reverts or has no apparent effect

Android’s general documentation does not explain every manufacturer’s behavior. Reconnect the device and check the selector again; if the option continues to revert, consult support information for your specific phone and headset. Developer options cannot make an unsupported codec available.

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What the other Bluetooth audio options do

The codec selector is separate from the advanced playback controls listed in Android’s guide. They adjust different parts of the audio configuration:

  • Bluetooth Audio Sample Range sets the sample rate.
  • Bluetooth Audio Bits Per sample sets the bit depth.
  • Bluetooth Audio Channel Mode sets the channel configuration.
  • Bluetooth Audio LDAC Codec offers LDAC-related preferences. Android describes these as balancing audio quality and connection quality.

Android notes that higher sample rates use more resources. Selecting a higher setting is not documented as a guarantee of an audible improvement. Avoid changing several advanced controls at once if you are trying to identify which setting affects playback.

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LDAC, LC3 and Bluetooth audio routes

LDAC appears in Android’s Developer options guide as one possible codec, but its availability still depends on the connected device and phone. Its quality preference is a separate control from the codec choice.

LC3 belongs to Bluetooth LE Audio. Android documents built-in LE Audio support beginning with Android 13 (API level 33), but that does not mean every phone exposes LE Audio through the same classic Bluetooth codec selector. Android’s Bluetooth Low Energy Audio overview covers that distinct audio context; the BluetoothCodecConfig API reference describes codec configuration for an A2DP source.

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