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The original was posted on /r/steamdeck by /u/nekomichi on 2024-04-13 18:35:04.

Previously I always had issues with audio stuttering when using the AirPods Pro (specifically 2nd generation, not the 1st generation) when connected to the Steam Deck and yesterday I might have found a fix. Some other users also reported the same issue so I thought I'd post what fixed it for me here.

Symptoms

When connected to the Steam Deck, the 2nd generation AirPods Pro will slightly stutter after a few minutes, missing snippets of audio every few seconds or so. Over time, it will rapidly worsen until no audio can be heard. Disconnecting and reconnecting the AirPods will briefly fix the issue but it will eventually return.

Steps to fix

1. If you haven't set a root password for the Deck yet, you'll need to set one. Here's a guide on how. Remember the root password, you'll need it for this!
2. Boot the Deck into Desktop Mode. You can do this by pressing the Steam button, navigating to Power, and then selecting Desktop Mode.
3. Open the file browser and navigate to the file at rootfs/etc/bluetooth/main.conf
4. Open the file, and look for the line with the text # ControllerMode - dual (for me it was line 52 but it may be different for you)
5. Change the text to ControllerMode = bredr (note that the # sign has been removed)
6. Save and close the file. You'll be prompted for the root password, so enter that.
7. Open Konsole.
8. Enter and run the command sudo systemctl restart bluetooth to restart the Bluetooth. You might be asked for the root password again.
9. If your AirPods Pro 2nd generation are paired to the Steam Deck, unpair them and re-pair them.

For me, these steps fixed the audio stuttering issue and I was able to play for an hour continuously without being affected by it. It might be different for different people though (some people reported the issue never occurring), but hopefully if you had this issue, these steps will help.