Crackling sounds coming from your laptop’s speaker have many possible causes. So, it is not always easy to find the reason for the problem. However, there are some commonly found causes for this problem. And, considering them might help you find an appropriate solution to the issue.
In most cases, you can fix the ‘laptop speakers crackling’ issue all by yourself. But, you must act quickly if you want to get an effective solution to the issue. So, proceed with the methods listed below right away to fix the crackling sound from your laptop’s speakers.
Ways to Resolve Laptop Speakers Crackling on Windows Laptops
Depending on the cause, you can apply various solutions to fix the crackling laptop speaker sounds. So, the appropriate solution for this issue might differ on each device. You can usually fix the problem with the following methods in most cases, provided that you apply the appropriate one:
Run the Audio Troubleshooter
Are you unable to find an explanation for the laptop speakers crackling? Then, you can rely on the troubleshooter for that in most cases. This tool is available on all recent Windows versions and can help you diagnose various issues. In case you have not used it before, you should give it a try now.
Open Update and Security in the Settings and view the Troubleshoot tab there. Then, check the components mentioned there and click on Audio. Opt for running the troubleshooter and follow any instructions you see. The troubleshooter should start the repair right after it identifies the problem.
Does the troubleshooter fail to fix the audio issues on your laptop? Then, you must use its diagnosis to apply an effective solution in such cases. Apart from that, you can also proceed with the next solution.
Update or Reinstall the Sound Driver
The sound driver is a crucial software component for your laptop’s audio functions. And, you can usually find regular updates for it on all laptop models. As you might know, an outdated driver often causes issues with the component associated with. So, you must consider outdated drivers as a possible cause of your laptop speakers crackling.
Go to the Device Manager and expand the ‘sound, video and game controllers’. Right-click on your sound device and opt for updating the driver. Then, restart your PC and play an audio file to check whether the speaker is still crackling.
Were you already using the latest audio driver version when the problem started? Then, the issue might have something to do with a corrupted driver. Find the sound driver as mentioned above and opt for uninstalling it. Then, restart your PC to download to reinstall the driver automatically before checking on the problem.
Update Your Windows System
Are you using an outdated Windows system? Then, you can see this method as an alternative to the previous one in some cases. After all, updating the system would also update all your device drivers. It can also fix a wide range of bugs and glitches on your system. So, you must update to the latest system version available on your device to fix the laptop speakers crackling.
Open the Settings menu and navigate to the Update and Recovery section. Then, look for available Windows updates and download the latest one on your device. Check whether your laptop’s speakers still make crackling sounds after the update.
Remove Troublesome Third-Party Apps
Before you move on to more advanced solutions, you must make sure certain third-party programs are not causing the issue. Especially so if you found the laptop speakers crackling after downloading a specific software. Try deleting the latest program you downloaded to fix the issue. Provided that the software was causing the issue, this step can offer you a long-lasting solution.
You can also perform a clean boot to discover the software responsible for the problem. Go to the System Configuration window to disable third-party programs from starting automatically. Make an exception for the app you suspect and reboot your PC. Doing this with different apps before each clean boot can help you find the one causing the issue.
Modify the Sound Format
Your laptop speakers crackling might often have something to do with the sound format you have selected. So, you should try changing the sound format if the previous solutions were ineffective.
Right-click the speaker icon on your taskbar and select the ‘Playback devices’ option. Then, click on ‘Speakers’, your default audio device, and open its Properties using the option below.
Open the Advanced tab in the Properties window to find sound format settings. Select a different sound format than the one that is selected. Click on Apply, and OK to confirm the sound format modification.
Does the problem get worse? Then, you must keep changing the sound format until you find a suitable one.
Turn Off Sound Enhancements
Audio enhancements, as the name suggests, enhance the audio quality of your PC. But, they might not always be able to handle that task properly. Moreover, they might often have the opposite effect than intended. You must check whether sound enhancements are causing the ‘laptop speakers crackling’ issue. Go to the Control Panel and open the Sound section to find your speaker there.
Right-click your audio device and open its Properties section. Open the enhancements tab there to check whether enhancements are enabled. You would find various enhancement options that you can enable or disable by checking or unchecking the boxes. You can disable them individually or check the box next to ‘Disable all enhancements’.
Check for Hardware Issues
Unless you are sure – you cannot rule out hardware issues as a cause of your laptop speakers crackling. So, reach out to a reliable technician if you cannot fix the sound problem with the aforementioned methods.
If there is a hardware issue, you would have to replace your laptop’s speakers. You can find many good-quality third-party options out there if you prefer that.