Bluetooth technology is a ubiquitous part of our lives and a crucial tool in the battle against cable clutter. It’s also notoriously finicky. And when your laptop, phone, or other device is connected via Bluetooth to a wireless speaker or pair of headphones and the audio starts to stutter, it can be downright frustrating.

Anyone who’s ever angrily fiddled with audio settings knows that Bluetooth is supposed to ensure that audio is seamlessly sent from one point to another. However, there can be all sorts of issues that cause Bluetooth to stutter.

Often this is due to a partial disconnection or interruption of the signal between the two wireless points. For example, problems can occur if there are changes in the operating systems of your computer or mobile device, updates to computer software or mobile apps, firmware changes on mobile or other devices, as well as problems or bugs in your car audio system. In some cases, stuttering can be the result of an object physically blocking the connection.

Much of our technology relies on Bluetooth, and the steps to fix the problem on one device may not fix the problem on another. A good place to start is to turn Bluetooth off and back on. You can also try unpairing and repairing devices and limiting the number of apps or devices that can be connected via Bluetooth at the same time.