Bluetooth audio: Music quality or Hands-free

Music quality gives the best sound and keeps music playing. Hands-free uses the headphones’ mic.

Music quality (the default, recommended): best sound, your music keeps playing, the headphones’ mic isn’t used. Talk into your watch or phone. Hands-free: uses the headphones’ mic, like a phone call. Lower sound quality and music pauses.

Phone

You › Sound › Advanced › Bluetooth audio: Music quality (recommended) or Hands-free.

Bluetooth audio with Music quality (recommended) and Hands-free. — Bluetooth audio.

Watch

Settings › Sound › Advanced › Hands-free Bluetooth (off means Music quality).
A watch with earbuds and no phone can talk through them with Hands-free.

Web app and iPhone

The browser decides. There is no Bluetooth setting.

Good to know

Headphones that only play music, with no call mode or no mic that works, are what Music quality is for: KeyUp plays the room the way they play music. Bluetooth earmuffs like that may work too; check your model.
In a room, Hands-free uses the headset’s mic only while people are talking, and lets go of it after about 20 seconds of quiet.
On the phone, the Microphone and Sound comes out of rows are separate choices, so you can talk into your watch and listen in your phone’s headphones. See Talk on your watch, listen on your phone.
Bluetooth adds a short delay. Crackles usually come from distance: keep the phone on the same side of your body as the headphones.
A watch that gets its internet through your phone’s Bluetooth starts each talk with a touch more cushion, so talks stay smooth. See Weak connection and reconnecting.
Very loud in Bluetooth? Lower Volume boost for Bluetooth.

Still stuck? Email [email protected]. Tell us your phone and watch model and what you tried.