Audacity records silence when using a Bluetooth headset as a recording device

Learn about causes and fixes for this problem.

Causes

The default project sample rate in Audacity (and, indeed, most other devices) is 44100 Hz, whereas most Bluetooth headsets utilize different sample rates: 8000 Hz, 16000 Hz and, rarely, 24000 Hz.

Fixes

In order for Audacity to record audio from a Bluetooth headset, the sample rate must be set to a value supported by your bluetooth device. To do that, go to Audio Setup -> Audio Settings and then set Project Sample Rate to a setting supported by your headset. Typically, this will be 16000 Hz.

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