The LC3 codec is the Bluetooth SIG's own design for LE Audio, specified in a public 224-page document: 7.5 and 10 ms frame intervals, sampling from 8 to 48 kHz, and a total codec algorithmic delay of 12.5 ms at the 10 ms setting. The frame payload ranges from 20 to 400 bytes per channel, which works out to 16-320 kbps at the 10 ms frame interval. No independent program this site cites has published an end-to-end LC3 latency figure, and the codec delay above is not that number. iPhones have no LC3 support statement; they stay on AAC and SBC.
Figures on this page were checked September 2026. Every table row carries its source and access date.
Spec summary
LC3 is the Bluetooth SIG's own codec, published as a public 224-page specification instead of a vendor data sheet.
| Field | Value | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| Steward | Bluetooth SIG (spec prepared by the Hearing Aid Working Group) | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| Specification | Version 1.0.1, dated 2024-10-01 | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| Defined scope | "An efficient codec for audio applications, including hearing aid applications, speech, and music" | LC3 1.0.1 spec abstract, 2026-09-22 |
| Frame intervals | 7.5 ms and 10 ms | LC3 1.0.1 spec abstract, 2026-09-22 |
| Sampling frequencies | 8, 16, 24, 32 and 48 kHz; 44.1 kHz runs on the 48 kHz frame length | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| Frame payload | 20 to 400 bytes per channel | LC3 1.0.1 spec encoder input range, 2026-09-22 |
| Third-party table row | 345 kbps, 32-bit, 48 kHz | SoundGuys comparison table, 2026-09-22 |
Unlike SBC, whose mandate lives in a profile, LC3's home is the LE Audio architecture it was designed for; Classic Audio devices keep negotiating the SBC family tree.
Frame timing and algorithmic delay
The specification computes delay itself, and the numbers are small.
| Setting | Total codec algorithmic delay | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ms frame, 8-48 kHz | 12.5 ms | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| 10 ms frame, 44.1 kHz signal | 13.605 ms | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| 7.5 ms frame, 8-48 kHz | 11.5 ms | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| 7.5 ms frame, 44.1 kHz signal | 12.517 ms | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
Two readings matter. First, the 44.1 kHz case: the codec borrows the 48 kHz frame length, so the actual frame duration stretches to 10.884 ms (or 8.16 ms at the short setting), which is why the music-critical sample rate carries the higher delay. Second, a scope warning: algorithmic delay is frames plus encoder look-ahead inside the codec, not the end-to-end lag of a radio link. The latency bench shows what end-to-end chains measure; nothing comparable exists yet for LC3.
Bitrate range and third-party rows
The specification fixes the payload in bytes per channel, states the resulting rate range itself, and the arithmetic reproduces it.
| Figure | Value | Basis | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitrate range, 10 ms frames | 16 to 320 kbps (spec states 16,000 to 320,000 bps; same as 20 to 400 bytes, times 8, over 10 ms) | Spec-stated, reproduced by arithmetic | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| Bitrate range, 7.5 ms frames | About 21 to 427 kbps (spec states 21,334 to 426,667 bps) | Spec-stated | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| Third-party table row | 345 kbps maximum, 32-bit, 48 kHz | Published comparison table | SoundGuys table, 2026-09-22 |
The 20-byte floor is a real configuration, not a typo in reverse: speech-grade streams at low rates are part of the codec's stated scope.
Measured latency record
| Metric | Status | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end LC3 chain latency | Not published by the programs this site cites | RTINGS lists LC3/LC3plus among codecs not covered; no LC3 figure appears in the SoundGuys averages. Accessed 2026-09-22 |
| Codec-internal delay (for scope contrast) | 11.5 to 13.605 ms depending on setting | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
The absence is the record, again: the two benches that anchor this site's latency numbers have not measured LC3 chains, so any "LC3 latency" figure in the wild is either the codec-internal number or something unattributed.
Role in LE Audio
| Element | What the sources say | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| SIG positioning | "LE Audio will include a new high-quality, low-power audio codec, the Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3)," with quality "even at low data rates" | Bluetooth SIG LE Audio page, 2026-09-22 |
| Listening-test claim | "Extensive listening tests have shown that LC3 will provide improvements in audio quality over the SBC codec included with Classic Audio, even at a 50% lower bit rate" | Bluetooth SIG LE Audio page (SIG's own claim), 2026-09-22 |
| Auracast relation | Broadcast audio in Auracast rides the LE Audio stack with LC3 carrying the audio | Our Auracast overview + SIG pages, 2026-09-22 |
| LC3 versus LC3 Plus | "LC3 is specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group for the LE Audio protocol. LC3 Plus is defined by ETSI TS 103 634"; LC3 Plus adds 2.5/5 ms frames and 96 kHz high-resolution mode | AOSP liblc3 README, 2026-09-22 |
The comparison claim is the SIG marketing its own codec against its own Classic Audio baseline; read it as the standard owner's statement, the same reading rule this site applies to every codec owner. The Auracast connection is where LC3 becomes visible to buyers; our Auracast overview walks that stack.
Device and OS support
| Platform / device | LC3 support | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| Android | The LC3 implementation ships in AOSP as external/liblc3, alongside LC3 Plus features | AOSP repository, 2026-09-22 |
| Windows 11 | LE Audio supported from 22H2, subject to driver requirements | Microsoft Support LE Audio page (archived copy; live page intermittent), 2026-09-22 |
| iPhone | No LC3 statement from Apple; iPhones negotiate AAC and SBC only | SoundGuys codec support article, 2026-09-22 |
| Hearing aids | Named in the specification abstract as a target application | LC3 1.0.1 spec, 2026-09-22 |
| A2DP (Classic Audio) products | Not applicable; LC3 belongs to the LE Audio stack, not the Classic profile that negotiates SBC and friends | LC3 1.0.1 spec + A2DP 1.3.2 scope, 2026-09-22 |
FAQ
The Bluetooth SIG claims exactly that, from its own listening tests: "Extensive listening tests have shown that LC3 will provide improvements in audio quality over the SBC codec included with Classic Audio, even at a 50% lower bit rate." That is the SIG's published claim about its codec, quoted as data. SBC remains the mandatory codec of Classic Audio, so the two meet only when a product carries both stacks.
The codec itself is fast: 12.5 ms of internal algorithmic delay at the 10 ms frame setting. That number is frames plus encoder look-ahead, not the end-to-end lag of a phone-to-earbud chain, and no independent bench this site cites has published an LC3 end-to-end figure, RTINGS lists LC3/LC3plus among codecs it does not cover.
LE Audio devices. Android ships the LC3 implementation in AOSP (external/liblc3), Windows 11 added LE Audio support from 22H2 with driver requirements, and hearing aids are a named application in the specification itself. Apple has published no LC3 support; iPhones negotiate AAC and SBC only.
No. LC3 is the codec that LE Audio uses; LE Audio is the architecture, and features like Auracast broadcast audio ride on top with LC3 carrying the audio. A related but separate codec, LC3 Plus, is defined by ETSI TS 103 634 and adds shorter frames and higher sample rates.
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- Bluetooth SIG, Low Complexity Communication Codec 1.0.1 (spec page + PDF, version date 2024-10-01, prepared by the Hearing Aid Working Group): abstract "This specification defines a Low Complexity Communication Codec (LC3), which is an efficient codec for audio applications, including hearing aid applications, speech, and music. This version supports frame intervals of 7.5 ms and 10 ms."; frame byte count "value range is [20, .... 400] (bytes per channel)"; sampling "at the sampling frequencies of 8 kHz, 16 kHz, 24 kHz, 32 kHz, and 48 kHz. When the sampling frequency of the input signal is 44.1 kHz, the same frame length is used as for 48 kHz, resulting in the slightly longer actual frame duration of 10.884 ms for the 10 ms frame interval and of 8.16 ms for the 7.5 ms frame interval"; Total Codec Algorithmic Delay 12.5 ms (10 ms interval, 8-48 kHz), 13.605 ms (44.1 kHz), 11.5 ms (7.5 ms interval), 12.517 ms (7.5 ms, 44.1 kHz); stated rate ranges 16,000-320,000 bps (10 ms) and 21,334-426,667 bps (7.5 ms). bluetooth.com/specifications/specs/low-complexity-communication-codec-1-0-1/, accessed 2026-09-22
- Bluetooth SIG, LE Audio page: "LE Audio will include a new high-quality, low-power audio codec, the Low Complexity Communications Codec (LC3). Providing high quality even at low data rates, LC3 will bring tremendous flexibility to developers"; "Extensive listening tests have shown that LC3 will provide improvements in audio quality over the SBC codec included with Classic Audio, even at a 50% lower bit rate." bluetooth.com/learn-about-bluetooth/bluetooth-technology/le-audio/, accessed 2026-09-22
- AOSP external/liblc3 README: "LC3 and LC3 Plus are audio codecs designed for low-latency audio transport. LC3 is specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group for the LE Audio protocol. LC3 Plus is defined by ETSI TS 103 634"; LC3 Plus adds 2.5 and 5 ms frame durations and high-resolution mode with 96 kHz. android.googlesource.com/platform/external/liblc3/, accessed 2026-09-22
- RTINGS, "Test Bench 1.6: Latency R&D Article": LC3/LC3plus listed among codecs not covered by the bench. rtings.com/headphones/learn/research/latency, accessed 2026-09-22
- SoundGuys, Bluetooth codec support for headphones: LC3 table row (345kbps / 32-bit / 48kHz); "iPhones only support the AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs." soundguys.com/bluetooth-codec-support-headphones-61989/, accessed 2026-09-22
- Bluetooth SIG, A2DP 1.3.2: LC3 does not appear in the Classic Audio profile, whose mandatory codec is SBC (Section 4.3.1); cited for the Classic-stack scope row. bluetooth.com/specifications/specs/advanced-audio-distribution-profile-1-3-2/, accessed 2026-09-22
- Microsoft Support, check if a Windows 11 device supports Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio: Windows 11 22H2 or later with driver requirements (accessed via archived copy; live page intermittently unreachable). support.microsoft.com, accessed 2026-09-22