How to Fix It When Bose Speaker Keeps Cutting Out

There are numerous reasons why your Bose speaker can keep cutting out, including being out of range from your source device, Bluetooth or WiFi signal disruptions, a bug or glitch in the speaker, or a low battery. 

I’m Donovan, a lifelong musician who now works as a producer and audio engineer. I have worked with many different speaker brands over the years and have first-hand experience with Bose models. I know How to troubleshoot many common problems. 

This post will explain why your Bose speaker keeps cutting out. I’ll walk you through all of the most common reasons for this to happen and give you a quick fix for each of them. My goal is to get your speaker working correctly as quickly as possible. 

Let’s get to it. 

Key Takeaways

• One of the most common reasons for your Bose speaker to keep cutting out is because the speaker is out of range of the audio source device, like your phone. You might need to move your phone and the speaker closer to fix this. 
• Another reason for cutting out is when your speaker attempts to connect to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously. You can fix this by disabling Bluetooth on any device you don’t want connected to the speaker. 
• Sometimes cutting out issues can be caused by a bug or glitch in your speaker or source device. Resetting these should resolve the issue. 
• If you use a Bose wired speaker, the issue is likely due to a bad or broken cable. You’ll need to replace the cable to fix this. 

8 Reasons Why Bose Speaker Keeps Cutting Out

Dealing with a Bose speaker that keeps cutting out can be a frustrating issue. You might be listening to music at one moment, and then it will just disappear. Poor performance is an annoying thing to deal with, no matter what device it happens on. 

Cutting out is much more common on Bose wireless speakers than on wired models. But it can happen to both. That’s why it’s good to know How to troubleshoot the issue so you can figure things out quickly. 

I’ve used many different Bose speakers over the years and have had good luck with most of them. But I’ve also dealt with cutting-out issues on several occasions and have been lucky to troubleshoot them to fix the issue pretty easily. 

And I am writing this post to share some of my experience with anyone else who is dealing with Bose connection issues. My past attempts at resolving things should help you figure out yours even faster. 

It’s always important to start with the simple steps when troubleshooting any problem. And I structured this post with that in mind. Follow all of the potential reasons and fixes below to help you get the problem figured out and fixed quickly. 

Most of the time, these cutting in and out issues can be resolved pretty quickly – often in a matter of minutes. On rare occasions, you might be dealing with a bad or broken speaker, and I’ll address what to do if that happens here too. 

Reason #1: Speaker Out of Range

The most common reason why your Bose speaker is cutting in and out is because the speaker is out of range of the source device. When these are too far from one another to establish a good connection, you’ll experience cutting or skipping. 

This happens pretty frequently with wireless and portable speakers. Since most of us control these speakers using our phones, we can walk into another room or move the speaker away from the phone, and it will start to cut in and out. 

Bluetooth has an average connection range of about 30 meters or 100 feet. But this is only when you have a straight shot from the audio source to the speaker. If there are walls or furniture in the way, that can shorten the range. 

How to Fix It: 

You should just need your speaker and audio source closer to one another to fix this problem. Once the two are within range, the connection should improve, and it won’t cut out as much or at all. But you may have lost the connection entirely and need to reconnect. 

It’s a good habit to keep your speaker and phone close together when in use. That way, you won’t accidentally move out of range and cause the issue. 

Reason #2: Bluetooth or WiFi Signal Issues

Bluetooth or WiFi signal issues are also a major source of cutting in and out problems with a Bose speaker or any other connected device. If you don’t have a solid signal, you’ll get poor performance, and cutting in and out is one of these. 

If you use a Bluetooth speaker, there could be issues with that connection in your speaker or phone. And if you are using your phone as the source device, WiFi issues can disrupt signal and result in skipping. 

How to Fix It: 

This sort of problem typically isn’t that big of a deal. The first thing you should do is check that you have a good Bluetooth or WiFi signal. Ensure that Bluetooth is enabled on your phone and that you have WiFi bars. 

If the issue is with the WiFi, you might need to reset your router to fix the problem. You might see bars but don’t actually have any WiFi service, which is a good indicator that it’s an issue with your router. 

The router will take a few minutes to cycle through a reset but then recheck the connection to see if the issue is resolved. If it’s a Bluetooth connection issue, resetting your phone or speaker will help – which I’ll address in more detail in the next fix. 

Reason #3: Bug or Glitch in Speaker or Source Device

A bug or glitch in your speaker or source device can also easily result in connection problems. Bugs happen in just about every modern electronic device, and there isn’t always an apparent reason or explanation why. 

If everything appears normal with your signals and you are within range of your speaker and still experiencing cutting issues, it’s safe to assume that a glitch is occurring. Don’t worry about it, though, because it’s rarely a big deal. 

How to Fix It: 

A quick reset of your speaker and/or source device will usually resolve a bug or glitch issue. You can start by turning off your speaker and turning it back on. Then do the same for your phone and try to play the audio again. 

If that doesn’t work, you should try a hard reset on both devices. Press and hold the power button on your Bose speaker for about ten seconds until it cycles through a reset. Then try to connect again. 

The process for hard resetting your phone will vary based on which type of phone you use. Refer to your user’s manual or look online for exact instructions. Typically, you just need to hold down one or two buttons for a few seconds, and it will reset. 

Reason #4: Low Battery

When the battery gets low on your Bose speaker, performance will suffer. And one of the symptoms of a very low battery is when your speaker keeps cutting in and out. This typically won’t happen until the speaker is almost dead. 

Most Bose speakers have some sort of low-battery alert or warning. When this sounds, it can interrupt the normal audio playback and cause the connection to get worse. This won’t happen on every Bose speaker with a low battery, but it does happen on many of them. 

How to Fix It: 

The fix for this one is easy and obvious – plug your speaker into a working power source to charge the battery. If your speaker dies completely, know that it can take 10-15 minutes for it to charge up enough to work properly. 

You also may need to reconnect your audio source to the speaker after it dies. Some speakers will remember your phone, and others might not. If it doesn’t connect automatically, re-establish the connection in your settings. 

Reason #5: Speaker Attempting Multiple Connections

This reason took me a while to figure out once, and it can be frustrating and confusing to deal with. If you have multiple Bluetooth devices in the same room or within range of your speaker, it might bounce back and forth between them, causing cutting in and out symptoms. 

This happens when your speaker or audio device saves its Bluetooth connections. So when you have a phone and computer, for example, in the same room and the speaker has been connected to both of them, it won’t know which one to connect to. 

This can result in the speaker bouncing back and forth between the two devices. It’s essentially confused about which to connect to. 

How to Fix It: 

The simple fix for this one is to turn off the Bluetooth feature on any of the devices you don’t want to be connected to your speaker. So if you want to control the speaker from your phone, turn off any computers or tablets that might automatically connect. 

You can also manually manage your Bluetooth connections from the settings on any of your devices and remove the speaker. This is a little more involved, but you can tell the device not to remember the speaker, and it should no longer automatically connect. 

Reason #6: Software Issues

Software issues are another potential source of problems with your Bose speaker. And this can be related to software with the speaker itself or with the phone or computer you are controlling the speaker with. 

Software updates need to happen occasionally on all of our modern electronic devices. When you are running an outdated operating system or don’t have the firmware updated on your speaker, you can experience a number of performance issues. 

How to Fix It: 

Check for any available updates on your phone, computer, tablet, or speaker to fix this problem. And keep in mind that it could be coming from software issues with your audio source or your speaker. 

Not every Bose speaker needs updated software, but you should be able to check on this through one of the Bose apps or by searching online for your speaker’s make and model. Download and install any updates if needed. 

Checking your phone for updates is pretty simple, and you can do this from the settings menu on most iOS and Android devices. You can also set up the device to automatically download and install software updates, so you don’t need to deal with this in the future. 

Reason #7: Bad or Broken Cable (Wired Speakers Only)

If you are using a wired Bose speaker instead of a wired one, then you might be dealing with a bad or broken cable. When a cable goes bad or breaks completely, it can cause the connection to go in and out. 

You can check the cable for any signs of damage. This includes seeing exposed wires or any damage to the input ends of the cable. But the cable can also go bad without any visible signs, so that’s not always the leading indicator. 

How to Fix It: 

Switching the cable for a new one is the way to fix this issue. If you have another one of the same cables lying around the house, go ahead and switch it out to see if that fixes the problem. You’ll probably need a speaker wire or HDMI cable for this. 

If you need to go to the electronics store for a new cable, bring the old one with you so you can match things up correctly. I’ve returned home from the store with the wrong cable more than once when I didn’t bring the broken one along. 

Reason #8: Faulty or Broken Speaker

If you made it this far down the list and still haven’t resolved the cutting-out issues, I don’t have good news. Your speaker is probably faulty or broken, and there isn’t much you can do to fix it. 

Bose speakers are pretty reliable and don’t go bad that often. But it does happen – either because the speaker is old and has reached the end of its working life or because of some sort of defect or damage. 

If you recently dropped or got your speaker wet, and then it stopped working, this is a sign that it’s damaged and might be broken. But there may be no signs at all. 

How to Fix It:

You can’t really fix a broken or faulty Bose speaker. They aren’t designed to be taken apart or repaired. You should contact Bose customer service to see if your speaker is under warranty, and you might be able to get a replacement for free. 

If your speaker is not under warranty, you will need to purchase a new one if you want a replacement. Most Bose speakers have a five-year warranty, but you’ll be on your own after that. 

FAQs

Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to the reasons why your Bose speaker keeps cutting out. 

Why does my Bose speaker keep cutting in and out? 

The most likely causes for your Bose speaker to keep cutting in and out is because the speaker is out of range or you have signal issues. You must keep the speaker, phone, or other audio source close enough to connect and work properly. 

Why does my Bose smart speaker keep disconnecting? 

Disconnecting issues can be caused by things such as being out of range from the audio source, issues with WiFi or Bluetooth signal, a bug or glitch in the speaker, or Bluetooth interference. All of these are pretty straightforward to fix. 

How do I reset my Bose speaker? 

You can reset most Bose speakers by pressing and holding the power button for about ten seconds until the speaker cycles through a reset. Resetting can fix a number of issues, such as connection or performance problems. 

Why is my Bluetooth speaker cutting in and out? 

Some of the most common reasons for a Bluetooth speaker to cut in and out are the speaker being too far from the source device and signal issues with Bluetooth or WiFi connecting. It can also happen when your speaker tries to connect to multiple devices.

What to do if your speaker keeps cutting out? 

If you are using a wireless speaker, it’s a good idea first to reset the speaker when it starts to cut out. This will rule out the possibility of it being a glitch or bug. Then you should check the signal and make sure you have a good connection to the audio source. 

Final Thoughts 

Most of the time, you can fix a Bose speaker that keeps cutting out pretty easily. The most common causes are that the speaker is out of range or you are experiencing signal issues with your Bluetooth or WiFi connection. 

Run through all of the fixes on this list to help you resolve the issue. One of these should get you headed in the right direction and have your speaker fixed up soon. If not, you might have a broken speaker that can’t be replaced. 

What type of Bose speaker do you have? What is your favorite feature it has? Let me know in the comments below.