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!

The previous poster may discover, like i previously did, that that general solution (disabling the driver) only temporarily resolves the issue and it will gradually return over the next several weeks. It's a most tricky sort of problem, that seems to have a number of possible causes. In my case, one of the contributing causes seems to be my 8-year-old power supply, maybe. I bought a new power supply recently and after i installed it, the problem either went away or else became almost unnoticeable. But then i put the original old power supply back in again (i decided i wanted to use the new power supply in a different computer) , and, mirabile dictu, the crackling returned again just like before. The old power supply still seems to work okay, as far as the computer generally is concerned, but maybe it's lost a little of its smoothness in its old age, and the more sensitive audio circuitry is noticing. These things happen. But at any rate, i'm building a brand new Windows 11 box (with that new power supply), so hopefully this whole problem will become moot for me soon. At least for another seven years...

So after a few months of no pops and cracks... it's back again for me. Coincidentally (or not) just after the last big update. I stupidly didn't write down the process I followed to clear out the drivers and settings. From what I can't see any evidence the Realtek drivers have returned, it's still using the default Windows ones. I don't think it's power supply or anything hardware like that in my case, as the problem also exists if I send audio via BT direct to my Edifier speakers. And the pops seem to coincide with doing things n the computer (Switching tasks, scrolling, etc). If I sit there and don't touch anything, then I don't get any pops. Completely frustrating. Especially when we all might have slightly different causes, we just have no idea.

Quick update.. I just realised that I left my PC on overnight, so it went into advanced sleep/hibernation overnight. I just completely shutdown (not restart) and booted up again, and so far no audio popping. Something about the way the PC starts up (I have seen people, suggesting disabling fast startup) possibly interfering with the audio subsystem. We need a hacker to disassemble and debug :D

I have tried many ideas for correcting this problem to no avail. This fix works and I stumbled on it by chance and it is to do with GPU Scaling and the way I get around it is to go to use RadeonSettings.exe enter Display: 2,1, GPU Scaling, turn it ON then OFF and Exit. Try it nothing to loose everything to gain.

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

2024-01-29T04:29:48+00:00

The previous poster may discover, like i previously did, that that general solution (disabling the driver) only temporarily resolves the issue and it will gradually return over the next several weeks.

It's a most tricky sort of problem, that seems to have a number of possible causes.

In my case, one of the contributing causes seems to be my 8-year-old power supply, maybe. I bought a new power supply recently and after i installed it, the problem either went away or else became almost unnoticeable.

But then i put the original old power supply back in again (i decided i wanted to use the new power supply in a different computer), and, mirabile dictu, the crackling returned again just like before.

The old power supply still seems to work okay, as far as the computer generally is concerned, but maybe it's lost a little of its smoothness in its old age, and the more sensitive audio circuitry is noticing. These things happen.

But at any rate, i'm building a brand new Windows 11 box (with that new power supply), so hopefully this whole problem will become moot for me soon. At least for another seven years...
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Anonymous

2024-02-21T04:34:19+00:00

So after a few months of no pops and cracks... it's back again for me. Coincidentally (or not) just after the last big update.

I stupidly didn't write down the process I followed to clear out the drivers and settings. From what I can't see any evidence the Realtek drivers have returned, it's still using the default Windows ones.

I don't think it's power supply or anything hardware like that in my case, as the problem also exists if I send audio via BT direct to my Edifier speakers. And the pops seem to coincide with doing things n the computer (Switching tasks, scrolling, etc). If I sit there and don't touch anything, then I don't get any pops.

Completely frustrating. Especially when we all might have slightly different causes, we just have no idea.
Was this answer helpful?

4 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-02-21T07:03:55+00:00

Quick update.. I just realised that I left my PC on overnight, so it went into advanced sleep/hibernation overnight.

I just completely shutdown (not restart) and booted up again, and so far no audio popping.

Something about the way the PC starts up (I have seen people, suggesting disabling fast startup) possibly interfering with the audio subsystem. We need a hacker to disassemble and debug :D
Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-02-24T09:35:06+00:00

I have tried many ideas for correcting this problem to no avail.

This fix works and I stumbled on it by chance and it is to do with GPU Scaling and the way I get around it is to go to use RadeonSettings.exe enter Display: 2,1, GPU Scaling, turn it ON then OFF and Exit.

Try it nothing to loose everything to gain.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments