I recently started having an audio issue a few days ago, where when I have music playing (either on Spotify or Youtube) and I open the Windows Explorer to view files, open an application, hover over buttons or folders in the Explorer, or do anything on my computer, the audio sometimes pops and crackles, reacting to my mouse movements/actions. It also happens when I'm only listening to music and not moving my mouse. It will crackle maybe once every 2-3 minutes. I've gone through several websites and conducted steps to diagnose my problem, such as: updating my audio drivers (no new updates found) removing any sound effects on my playback device changing the default format on my playback device (tried most options) turning/replugging/cleaning/fiddling with the output jacks (I have a front and a rear 3.5mm jack and both of them crackle through my speakers and headphones) reviewing DPC latency/audio processing latency checks via LatencyMon (no issue, got the green light) reviewing overall CPU/memory/GPU usage (CPU and GPU are single digits and memory is around 30% because of browsers and other caches) moving any possible interfering tech out of the way (closest objects are my monitor and keyboard + mouse) "power drained" my computer (shut down, turn off PSU, unplugged everything, hold down power button for 20 seconds) The only thing I can think of that changed with my computer is that I swapped out my graphics card (from a GTX 980 TI to RTX 2080) about a month before the crackling started. I didn't touch anything around the audio jack pin connectors and the PSU supports the increase in graphics processing power. I'm out of ideas to try, so I'm hoping someone can give me some further advice.

To resolve the audio problem 100%, first install your driver, then disable Windows fast startup in the power management. Then go to the device manager, sound, video and game controller, look for your audio device, right click, disable, restart your computer. when your computer starts, you enable the device again . Okay, the audio popping problem has been resolved!

Hi all, this thread seems to come up on most of my audio crackle/pop searches (including "Windows" and "Logitech"), so I'll post my solution here: (Unsure if required) I uninstalled my motherboard software that was adding audio drivers ( ASUS' "Armoury Crate" ) Press Windows key, type "device manager" and press enter Open " Audio inputs and outputs " foldout Right click on every device and choose " Uninstall device " Restart your computer (Optional) There's also a " Sound, video and game controllers " foldout, though I personally didn't uninstall these I tried seemingly every other solution on the internet and all of them only temporarily resolved the issue (a few hours). However I've had no crackling for a week now. My theory is that installing my ASUS motherboard drivers/software also installed a version of Realtek that clashes with something Windows installs automatically. I believe I had a Realtek item in the audio foldout, which didn't automatically reinstall itself on restart, and thus took the audio crackling with it. Fingers crossed it's completely solved, but it's looking good thus far.

Just an update... I went through a number of steps to completely remove the motherboard audio drivers and just get the base Windows 11 audio drivers installed. No DTS drivers, no audio enhancement stuff. So far that has been the longest solution, and my audio problems are gone. I will post later the steps I took and articles I referenced to do this. It wasn't simple, they kept coming back if you didn't clear the driver cache and modify a few files.

Hi Just wanted to say this has been the most successful fix! Thanks so much.

So ive had a similar issue where id start playing music and the music would sound crackly/ sounded like it was being bitcrushed. I use a focusrite scarlett solo and i also use vb audio cable to run my obs through so i can have the obs filters on my mic in discord games ect. I just went and uninstall vb cable my focusrite software, then i just plugged in my focusrite and didnt install the drivers for it and reinstalled the vb cable and i havnt had any problems with the sounds being bitcrushed or cracklyeven after restarting multiple times I also uninstalled and devices i wasnt using in device manager aswell. This has been a fix for me but others might have a different problem to mine. Hope this helps someone.

Audio crackling/popping when I interact with Windows10

Anonymous

I recently started having an audio issue a few days ago, where when I have music playing (either on Spotify or Youtube) and I open the Windows Explorer to view files, open an application, hover over buttons or folders in the Explorer, or do anything on my computer, the audio sometimes pops and crackles, reacting to my mouse movements/actions. It also happens when I'm only listening to music and not moving my mouse. It will crackle maybe once every 2-3 minutes. I've gone through several websites and conducted steps to diagnose my problem, such as:

updating my audio drivers (no new updates found)
removing any sound effects on my playback device
changing the default format on my playback device (tried most options)
turning/replugging/cleaning/fiddling with the output jacks (I have a front and a rear 3.5mm jack and both of them crackle through my speakers and headphones)
reviewing DPC latency/audio processing latency checks via LatencyMon (no issue, got the green light)
reviewing overall CPU/memory/GPU usage (CPU and GPU are single digits and memory is around 30% because of browsers and other caches)
moving any possible interfering tech out of the way (closest objects are my monitor and keyboard + mouse)
"power drained" my computer (shut down, turn off PSU, unplugged everything, hold down power button for 20 seconds)

The only thing I can think of that changed with my computer is that I swapped out my graphics card (from a GTX 980 TI to RTX 2080) about a month before the crackling started. I didn't touch anything around the audio jack pin connectors and the PSU supports the increase in graphics processing power.

I'm out of ideas to try, so I'm hoping someone can give me some further advice.

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46 answers

Anonymous

2024-01-28T13:45:50+00:00

To resolve the audio problem 100%, first install your driver, then disable Windows fast startup in the power management.

Then go to the device manager, sound, video and game controller, look for your audio device, right click, disable, restart your computer.

when your computer starts, you enable the device again .

Okay, the audio popping problem has been resolved!
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Anonymous

2023-12-23T00:19:56+00:00
Hi all, this thread seems to come up on most of my audio crackle/pop searches (including "Windows" and "Logitech"), so I'll post my solution here:
1. (Unsure if required) I uninstalled my motherboard software that was adding audio drivers (ASUS' "Armoury Crate")
2. Press Windows key, type "device manager" and press enter
3. Open "Audio inputs and outputs" foldout
4. Right click on every device and choose "Uninstall device"
5. Restart your computer
6. (Optional) There's also a "Sound, video and game controllers" foldout, though I personally didn't uninstall these
I tried seemingly every other solution on the internet and all of them only temporarily resolved the issue (a few hours). However I've had no crackling for a week now. My theory is that installing my ASUS motherboard drivers/software also installed a version of Realtek that clashes with something Windows installs automatically.

I believe I had a Realtek item in the audio foldout, which didn't automatically reinstall itself on restart, and thus took the audio crackling with it.

Fingers crossed it's completely solved, but it's looking good thus far.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2023-12-01T00:38:34+00:00

Just an update... I went through a number of steps to completely remove the motherboard audio drivers and just get the base Windows 11 audio drivers installed. No DTS drivers, no audio enhancement stuff.

So far that has been the longest solution, and my audio problems are gone.

I will post later the steps I took and articles I referenced to do this. It wasn't simple, they kept coming back if you didn't clear the driver cache and modify a few files.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2023-12-01T00:27:46+00:00

Hi

Just wanted to say this has been the most successful fix!

Thanks so much.
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4 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2023-11-10T03:48:43+00:00

So ive had a similar issue where id start playing music and the music would sound crackly/ sounded like it was being bitcrushed. I use a focusrite scarlett solo and i also use vb audio cable to run my obs through so i can have the obs filters on my mic in discord games ect. I just went and uninstall vb cable my focusrite software, then i just plugged in my focusrite and didnt install the drivers for it and reinstalled the vb cable and i havnt had any problems with the sounds being bitcrushed or cracklyeven after restarting multiple times I also uninstalled and devices i wasnt using in device manager aswell. This has been a fix for me but others might have a different problem to mine. Hope this helps someone.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments