What is Bluetooth 5.4 and What Does It Improve Over the Previous One?

We’re so used to using Bluetooth every day that we don’t even look at the version on our phone or headphones. It’s simply “Bluetooth,” that blue icon you activate to connect your headphones or speaker. But, careful, the version matters more than you think, especially if you have a smart home with connected devices or if you’re passionate about audio.

In this article, I explain what Bluetooth 5.4 is and what it improves over the previous one without using any more technical terms than necessary. Spoiler: it’s not a revolution that’s going to change your life overnight, but it does bring improvements that make everything work better “under the hood” in ways that are noticeable in everyday use.

Table of contents

Quick History of Bluetooth (To Understand Why the Version Matters)

Bluetooth has been with us since 1994, when Ericsson developed the standard. Since then it has evolved consistently:

• Bluetooth 1.x (1999-2001): Very slow, consumed a lot of battery, limited range.
• Bluetooth 2.x (2004): Introduced EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), improving transfer speed.
• Bluetooth 4.x (2010): The big leap. Introduced Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the technology that allows IoT devices, health monitors, and beacons to transmit data consuming very little energy.
• Bluetooth 5.x (2016-present): Doubled speed compared to 4.2, quadrupled range (theoretically up to 240 meters in open space), and opened the door to LE Audio.

Bluetooth 5.4 is the latest significant update to this family, published by the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) in 2024 and already present in 2025-2026 phone processors.

What Exactly is Bluetooth 5.4 and How is it Different?

Bluetooth 5.4 is not a radical version jump (like 4.0 with BLE was), but a refined evolution that polishes three specific areas that developers and manufacturers needed to improve to make the Internet of Things (IoT) a large-scale reality.

These are the three main technical improvements, explained without jargon:

The 3 Key Improvements of Bluetooth 5.4

1. Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR)

This is the technical name for the most important improvement for the connected device ecosystem. What does it mean in practice?

Imagine a store with 500 electronic price tags on shelves (those e-ink screens showing product prices). With Bluetooth 5.3, the system needed to connect individually with each of those tags to update them, which was slow and inefficient.

With PAwR in Bluetooth 5.4, a single hub can communicate with thousands of devices simultaneously in an ultra-efficient way, sending data in small synchronized “packets” to all of them. For the smart home, this means your home automation hub can coordinate lights, sensors, plugs, and blinds with faster response and without congesting the signal.

2. Encrypted Advertising Data

Before 5.4, Bluetooth devices “announced” their presence with plain text information before establishing a connection. This meant that someone with the right equipment could read that identification information while the device was still not paired.

With Bluetooth 5.4, that “pre-connection announcement” data is already encrypted. It’s a silent but important security step, especially for medical devices (like glucose monitors or cardiac monitors) that transmit data before pairing.

3. LE Audio Improvements (Less Latency, Better Quality)

LE Audio is a technology introduced with Bluetooth 5.2 that allows transmitting high-quality audio with much lower battery consumption than classic Bluetooth. Bluetooth 5.4 finishes polishing how LE Audio works in complex situations:

• LC3plus: The improved codec works better in environments with unstable signal (lots of people using Bluetooth at a concert or airport), maintaining more consistent audio quality.
• Ultra-low latency: For games and video content, the difference between Bluetooth 5.2 and 5.4 can be 20-40ms less delay. Small on paper, noticeable in practice when the sound no longer arrives slightly late to the gesture in the video.
• Broadcast audio: Allows a device (like an airport public address system or museum speakers) to transmit audio simultaneously to hundreds of nearby devices. Very relevant for accessibility cases (people with hearing impairment using compatible hearing aids).

Bluetooth 5.4 vs. Previous Versions: What Matters in Practice

That said, the realistic option for most people: you won’t notice the difference between 5.3 and 5.4 if you only use Bluetooth for your headphones and car speaker. What you will notice is the difference between any Bluetooth 5.x and old 4.x or 3.x: the 5.x is in every way superior.

Do You Have Bluetooth 5.4 on Your Phone? How to Check

Most 2025 and 2026 processors (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3/4, Apple A18, MediaTek Dimensity 9300 and above) already include Bluetooth 5.4. To verify which version your device has:

On Android:

1. Go to Settings → About phone → Software information or Bluetooth version.
2. On some phones the exact version isn’t shown in settings. In that case, search for your phone model + “specifications” on Google and look in the official tech sheet.

On Windows:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Bluetooth → Right-click on your adapter → Properties → Details → Properties: Firmware version.

Do Bluetooth 5.4 Headphones Work with Older Phones?

Here’s one of the most common questions: What if I buy headphones with Bluetooth 5.4 but my phone has 5.3 or 5.1?

No problem, they’ll work. Bluetooth is backward compatible from version 2.1 onwards. If you connect Bluetooth 5.4 headphones to a phone with Bluetooth 5.1, the connection will be established using the older device’s protocol (5.1), without taking advantage of 5.4’s new features, but working perfectly.

The same occurs in reverse: if you have a phone with Bluetooth 5.4 but use old headphones with 4.2, they’ll work, though you’ll miss the new version’s advantages.

Is It Worth Buying Something Just for Bluetooth 5.4?

My honest opinion: it depends on what you use Bluetooth for.

If you’re a normal user (headphones + speaker): No, it’s not worth updating a working device just to have the latest Bluetooth version. Any Bluetooth 5.x will give you an excellent experience for music, podcasts, and calls.

If you have a smart home with many devices: Here the jump to 5.4 can be noticeable in network response and stability, especially from 15-20 simultaneously connected devices.

If you’re an audiophile or gamer: Improved LE Audio and reduced latency are tangible benefits for you. If you use headphones for gaming or video editing, look for devices with Bluetooth 5.4 + LE Audio + LC3plus support.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Will my old headphones work with a Bluetooth 5.4 phone?

Yes, totally. Bluetooth is backward compatible. You can use headphones from 10 years ago with any modern phone. They’ll work using the oldest version both devices share. You won’t take advantage of 5.4 improvements, but the sound will arrive perfectly.

Does Bluetooth 5.4 directly improve sound quality?

Not directly. Final quality depends on the audio codec your headphones use (aptX, AAC, LDAC, LC3). What 5.4 improves is the stability and consistency of the signal, which translates into fewer micro-cuts and audio losses. Indirectly, yes, it improves the experience.

Is it noticeable in mobile video games?

Yes, especially if you use wireless headphones for gaming. LE Audio latency with Bluetooth 5.4 can be below 40ms, which is perfectly acceptable for mobile gaming. Version 5.0 could have latencies of 100-150ms, causing that unpleasant “sound arriving late to the on-screen gesture.”

Conclusion

Bluetooth 5.4 is one of those silent updates that don’t make newspaper headlines but improve the user experience of an entire generation of devices. Three concrete improvements: more efficient massive IoT networks (PAwR), more secure connections from the very first moment, and more polished LE Audio for less latency and better sound quality.

My verdict is clear: if you’re buying a new phone in 2026, Bluetooth 5.4 compatibility already comes standard on any mid-range or high-end device. You don’t need to specifically look for it. But if you have many smart devices at home or if quality wireless audio is important to you, it’s worth checking that new headphones or speakers you buy also support it.

If you have any doubt about how to know what Bluetooth version your phone has, leave it in the comments and I’ll help you quickly!