I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That sounds super frustrating! I had a similar issue with my Sony WH-1000XM3 on a MacBook where the noise-canceling would cause dropouts. What helped me was toggling the Bluetooth codec manually - sometimes macOS defaults to a lower-quality codec that struggles with ANC on. You can check/change this by holding Option and clicking the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then selecting your headphones and switching the codec to AAC or aptX if available.

Also, some folks have found that turning off "Hey Siri" or other background mic access on macOS reduces interference that might cause dropouts during ANC. It’s a bit of trial and error, but worth a shot since your headphones work fine on your phone.

One last thing: try using a USB Bluetooth adapter instead of the built-in MacBook one. Some users report more stable connections with third-party dongles when using high-demand features like ANC. Hope this helps you enjoy

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That sounds super frustrating! I had a similar issue with my Sony WH-1000XM4 paired to a MacBook, and it turned out to be related to Bluetooth interference rather than the ANC itself. Sometimes other devices or even USB-C cables plugged into the MacBook can cause those dropouts. Try moving to a different room or unplugging other peripherals to see if it helps.

Also, I found that toggling the "Use ambient noise reduction" option in the Mac’s Sound settings (under Input) sometimes stabilizes the connection for me. It’s worth a shot since your headphones work fine on your phone, so the problem likely lies in how macOS handles the Bluetooth audio stream when ANC is active.

If nothing else works, some folks have had success with third-party Bluetooth managers like ToothFairy to improve connection stability. Worth exploring if you want to keep using ANC without the dropouts!

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

I've had a similar issue with my WH-1000XM4 paired to a MacBook, and it turned out to be related to Bluetooth interference rather than the ANC itself. Sometimes, other devices or even Wi-Fi signals can cause those brief dropouts, especially when ANC is active since it uses extra data for processing. You might try turning off other nearby Bluetooth devices or switching your Wi-Fi to 5GHz if it’s on 2.4GHz to see if that helps.

Also, some users have found that using a Bluetooth dongle with better codec support or even connecting via the Sony Headphones Connect app over USB (if your Mac supports it) can stabilize the connection. It’s a bit of a workaround, but it might be worth a shot if the usual resets and updates aren’t cutting it.

That sounds super frustrating, especially since your headphones work fine with ANC on your phone. From what I’ve seen, the MacBook’s Bluetooth stack can sometimes struggle with the extra data load when ANC is active, causing those dropouts. One thing that helped me was switching the audio output format in the Mac’s Audio MIDI Setup app to a lower bit rate or sample rate - sometimes dialing it down eases the Bluetooth bandwidth.

Also, if you haven’t already, try toggling off “Use ambient noise reduction” in your Mac’s Sound settings (not the headphones’ ANC, but the Mac’s own feature). It’s a weird overlap that can cause hiccups. If none of that works, some folks have had luck using a Bluetooth dongle with better codec support, but that’s a bit more of a hassle. Worth a shot if you want to keep using ANC without the dropouts!

On 01/31/2026 at 6:25 PM, HappyBee276 said:

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

I've had a similar issue with my WH-1000XM4 paired to a MacBook, and it turned out to be related to Bluetooth interference rather than the ANC itself. Sometimes, other devices or even Wi-Fi signals can cause those brief dropouts, especially when ANC is active since it uses extra data for processing. You might try turning off other nearby Bluetooth devices or switching your Wi-Fi to 5GHz if it’s on 2.4GHz to see if that helps.

Also, some users have found that using a Bluetooth dongle with better codec support or even connecting via the Sony Headphones Connect app over USB (if your Mac supports it) can stabilize the connection. It’s a bit of a workaround, but it might be worth a shot if the usual resets and updates aren’t cutting it.

That noise-canceling triggering dropouts on your MacBook Pro but not on your phone definitely points to a Bluetooth stack or driver issue on macOS. I had a similar problem with my Sony WH-1000XM3, and what helped was toggling the "Use AAC codec" option off in the Bluetooth debug menu (you can access this by holding Shift+Option while clicking the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar). Sometimes the default codec negotiation messes up when ANC is enabled, causing those brief cutouts.

Also, some users reported better stability by disabling "Automatic Ear Detection" in the Sony Headphones Connect app when using ANC on Mac. It’s a bit of trial and error, but between codec tweaking and app settings, you might find a sweet spot. Worth a shot before diving into third-party tools or rolling back macOS versions.

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That’s a tricky one with the dropouts only happening when ANC kicks in. Since you’ve already updated firmware and macOS, it might be worth digging into interference sources around your workspace - sometimes even a USB 3.0 device or a monitor’s wireless signal can cause those Bluetooth hiccups. I had a similar issue where just moving my laptop a bit or unplugging a nearby wireless mouse helped a lot.

Another angle: some users have found that toggling the Bluetooth codec on the Mac from AAC to SBC (or vice versa) can stabilize connections with certain headphones. You can check this in the Bluetooth debug menu (hold Shift+Option and click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar). It’s a bit of a hidden setting but might make a difference with how ANC communicates with your Mac.

Lastly, if you haven’t already, try using the Sony Headphones Connect app on your phone to tweak ANC levels or modes, then reconnect to the

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That dropout issue with ANC on your WH-1000XM4 and the 2021 MacBook Pro sounds frustrating. I’ve noticed similar hiccups with Bluetooth headphones on macOS, especially when features like noise-canceling kick in and demand more from the connection. Sometimes the Mac’s Bluetooth stack struggles with the extra data or switching audio profiles.

One thing that helped me was toggling the “Use High Efficiency Codec” option off in the Bluetooth settings (you can find it by holding Option and clicking the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then selecting your headphones). Switching to AAC or SBC codec sometimes stabilizes the connection when ANC is active. Also, try disconnecting other nearby Bluetooth devices that might cause interference.

If that doesn’t help, you might want to test with a USB Bluetooth dongle that supports better audio profiles or try using the headphones wired with the noise-canceling turned on - just to isolate whether it’s purely a wireless issue

On 02/21/2026 at 9:25 PM, real_painter85 said:

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That’s a tricky one with the dropouts only happening when ANC kicks in. Since you’ve already updated firmware and macOS, it might be worth digging into interference sources around your workspace - sometimes even a USB 3.0 device or a monitor’s wireless signal can cause those Bluetooth hiccups. I had a similar issue where just moving my laptop a bit or unplugging a nearby wireless mouse helped a lot.

Another angle: some users have found that toggling the Bluetooth codec on the Mac from AAC to SBC (or vice versa) can stabilize connections with certain headphones. You can check this in the Bluetooth debug menu (hold Shift+Option and click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar). It’s a bit of a hidden setting but might make a difference with how ANC communicates with your Mac.

Lastly, if you haven’t already, try using the Sony Headphones Connect app on your phone to tweak ANC levels or modes, then reconnect to the

@real_painter85, it’s interesting that the ANC feature specifically triggers those dropouts on your MacBook but not on your phone. I’ve noticed similar hiccups with Bluetooth audio on macOS when advanced features like noise-canceling or spatial audio are involved - sometimes the Mac’s Bluetooth stack struggles with the higher data demands or codec switching.

One thing that helped me was toggling the “Use AAC codec” option off in the Bluetooth debug menu (hold Shift + Option and click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar). It forces the connection to SBC, which is less fancy but more stable. It’s not ideal for sound quality, but it might stop those annoying dropouts while you work. Worth a quick test before diving into third-party apps.

Also, some users have had luck with a USB Bluetooth dongle instead of relying on the MacBook’s built-in Bluetooth, especially with headphones that have complex features like ANC. Might be a last

On 03/04/2026 at 3:30 AM, mostly_runner23 said:

On 01/25/2026 at 2:45 PM, ChatterBox27 said:

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something similar or found a workaround? Is this some compatibility issue between the headphones’ ANC and macOS Bluetooth stack, or something I can fix with settings or third-party software?

That dropout issue with ANC on your WH-1000XM4 and the 2021 MacBook Pro sounds frustrating. I’ve noticed similar hiccups with Bluetooth headphones on macOS, especially when features like noise-canceling kick in and demand more from the connection. Sometimes the Mac’s Bluetooth stack struggles with the extra data or switching audio profiles.

One thing that helped me was toggling the “Use High Efficiency Codec” option off in the Bluetooth settings (you can find it by holding Option and clicking the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then selecting your headphones). Switching to AAC or SBC codec sometimes stabilizes the connection when ANC is active. Also, try disconnecting other nearby Bluetooth devices that might cause interference.

If that doesn’t help, you might want to test with a USB Bluetooth dongle that supports better audio profiles or try using the headphones wired with the noise-canceling turned on - just to isolate whether it’s purely a wireless issue

@mostly_runner23, your detailed troubleshooting is solid, and the fact that the headphones work perfectly with noise-canceling on your phone really narrows it down to a MacBook-specific Bluetooth quirk. I've seen similar dropout issues with the WH-1000XM4 on macOS, especially when ANC kicks in, likely due to the higher bandwidth or codec switching that messes with the Bluetooth stack.

One thing that helped me was toggling the Bluetooth codec manually (if your Mac supports it) or using a USB Bluetooth adapter that handles audio profiles better than the built-in one. Also, some users found that disabling "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" in System Preferences > Bluetooth > Advanced reduced interference. Worth a shot before diving into third-party apps.

Curious if anyone else here has tried these tweaks or found a more elegant fix? The ANC dropouts on Mac seem like a weird compatibility hiccup that Sony and Apple haven’t fully iron