How to Fix Windows 11 Audio Crackling or Cutting Out (2026 Guide)

If your Windows 11 PC is producing crackling, popping, stuttering, or cutting-out audio — whether during music playback, video calls, YouTube, or gaming — you're not alone. This is one of the most frequently reported audio issues on Windows 11, and in most cases it's completely fixable without buying new hardware.

This 2026 guide walks you through every proven fix, from the simplest one-click solutions to advanced DPC latency diagnostics. Work through the methods in order for the fastest resolution.

Why Windows 11 Audio Crackles or Cuts Out

Audio crackling on Windows 11 is almost always a software or driver issue, not a hardware fault. The most common causes are:

• Audio enhancement features — Windows applies post-processing effects (bass boost, equalisation, virtual surround) that can conflict with certain hardware, causing crackling or distortion.
• Outdated or corrupt audio drivers — Realtek, Intel, and NVIDIA audio drivers are updated frequently. An old driver can introduce incompatibilities with Windows 11 updates.
• DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) latency — When a hardware driver holds the CPU too long to process an interrupt, the audio buffer starves, producing dropouts and stuttering.
• Wrong sample rate or bit depth — A mismatch between Windows' output format and what your audio device expects causes audible artefacts.
• Exclusive mode conflicts — Applications fighting over exclusive access to the audio device can cause intermittent crackling.
• USB selective suspend — Windows may power down USB ports to save energy, briefly interrupting USB headsets and DACs.
• Post-update regressions — Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 shipped with audio driver regressions that Microsoft later patched.

Method 1 – Update or Reinstall Audio Drivers

An outdated or partially corrupted audio driver is the most common root cause of crackling. Start here.

Update via Device Manager

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right-click your audio device (typically Realtek High Definition Audio, Intel Smart Sound Technology, or NVIDIA High Definition Audio) and choose Update driver.
4. Select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows check for a newer version.
5. Restart your PC after the update completes.

Download Directly from the Manufacturer

Windows Update doesn't always have the latest driver. For Realtek audio, visit the Realtek website or your motherboard manufacturer's support page (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Dell, HP, Lenovo) and download the most recent audio driver package. Run the installer, restart, and test audio.

Reinstall (Clean Install) the Driver

1. In Device Manager, right-click the audio device and choose Uninstall device.
2. Check the box "Delete the driver software for this device" if it appears.
3. Click Uninstall, then restart your PC.
4. Windows will reinstall a default driver automatically. If crackling persists, install the manufacturer driver manually.

Method 2 – Disable Audio Enhancements (Most Common Fix)

Audio enhancements are the number-one cause of crackling on Windows 11. Disabling them takes under a minute and resolves the issue for most users.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings, then go to System > Sound.
2. Under Output, click your active speaker or headphone device.
3. Scroll down and click Additional device properties.
4. In the Properties window, click the Enhancements tab (if you don't see it, try the Advanced tab).
5. Check Disable all enhancements (or toggle off each enhancement individually).
6. Click Apply then OK.

Play audio immediately after clicking Apply — many users report the crackling stops instantly.

Alternative path via legacy Sound panel: Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar > Sound settings > More sound settings > Playback tab > right-click your device > Properties > Enhancements tab.

Method 3 – Change the Audio Sample Rate and Bit Depth

Windows outputs audio at a specific bit depth and sample rate. If this doesn't match what your audio hardware expects, you'll hear crackling or distortion. The sweet spot for most devices is 24 bit, 48000 Hz.

1. Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sound settings.
2. Click More sound settings at the bottom of the page.
3. On the Playback tab, right-click your output device and choose Properties.
4. Go to the Advanced tab.
5. Under Default Format, open the dropdown and select 24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality).
6. Click Test — if you hear clean audio, click Apply then OK.

If 48000 Hz still crackles, try 24 bit, 44100 Hz. If you're using a high-end DAC or audio interface, try matching its native sample rate (e.g. 96000 Hz or 192000 Hz).

Method 4 – Disable Exclusive Mode for Audio Devices

Exclusive mode allows applications to take sole control of your audio device, bypassing the Windows audio mixer. When multiple apps compete for exclusive access, crackling and interruptions occur.

1. Open the Sound control panel (Win + R, type mmsys.cpl, press Enter).
2. On the Playback tab, right-click your audio device and select Properties.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Under Exclusive Mode, uncheck both:
   • Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
   • Give exclusive mode applications priority
5. Click Apply then OK.

This is especially useful if crackling only occurs in specific applications like Discord, Spotify, or games that request exclusive audio access.

Method 5 – Fix DPC Latency Issues (LatencyMon Tool)

DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) latency is one of the harder-to-diagnose causes of audio stuttering. When a hardware driver interrupts the CPU for too long, the audio engine can't refill its buffer in time, causing dropouts. The free tool LatencyMon identifies exactly which driver is responsible.

Diagnose with LatencyMon

1. Download LatencyMon from resplendence.com/latencymon (free).
2. Run LatencyMon as Administrator and click the Play button (green triangle).
3. Use your PC normally — play audio, browse the web — for 5–10 minutes.
4. Check the Drivers tab. Any driver showing a high Highest execution value (above ~1000 µs) is a likely culprit.
5. Common offenders: ndis.sys (network), usbport.sys (USB), storport.sys (storage), antivirus drivers.

Common DPC Latency Fixes

• Network adapter: In Device Manager > Network Adapters, right-click your adapter > Properties > Advanced tab > disable Interrupt Moderation or enable Receive Side Scaling.
• Wi-Fi adapter: Switch to a wired Ethernet connection temporarily to test if the Wi-Fi driver is the cause.
• Antivirus real-time scanning: Temporarily disable it to test — if latency drops, add your audio application folder to exclusions.
• USB controller: Update chipset and USB controller drivers from your motherboard manufacturer's site.
• Power plan: Go to Control Panel > Power Options and select High Performance or Ultimate Performance to prevent CPU throttling that increases DPC latency.

Method 6 – Disable USB Selective Suspend for USB Audio Devices

If you use a USB headset, USB DAC, USB soundbar, or USB audio interface, Windows may briefly cut power to the USB port to save energy. This causes a momentary audio dropout — heard as a click, crackle, or cut-out.

1. Press Win + S and search for Edit power plan, then open it.
2. Click Change advanced power settings.
3. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting.
4. Set it to Disabled (for both On battery and Plugged in if on a laptop).
5. Click Apply then OK.

Additionally, in Device Manager > Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click each USB Root Hub > Properties > Power Management tab > uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

Method 7 – Run the Windows Audio Troubleshooter

Windows 11 includes a built-in audio troubleshooter that can automatically detect and resolve common audio configuration issues, including crackling caused by misconfigured settings.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
3. Find Playing Audio and click Run.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts. The troubleshooter may automatically disable problematic enhancements, reset audio services, or suggest driver updates.
5. Restart your PC after the troubleshooter finishes.

You can also restart the Windows Audio service manually: Press Win + R, type services.msc, find Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, right-click each and select Restart.

Method 8 – Check for Windows Updates and Audio Patches

Microsoft has released targeted patches for audio driver regressions in Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. If your crackling started after a feature update, an audio patch may already be available.

1. Press Win + I, go to Windows Update and click Check for updates.
2. Install all available updates, including optional driver updates — click Advanced options > Optional updates to see audio-related driver updates.
3. Restart and test audio.

Roll Back a Problematic Update

If crackling started immediately after a specific Windows Update:

1. Open Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers.
2. Right-click your audio device > Properties > Driver tab.
3. Click Roll Back Driver (grayed out if no previous version is saved).
4. Select the reason and click Yes, then restart.

Still hearing crackling after trying all these methods? Our CloudHouse expert Windows support team can remotely diagnose the exact cause — including hardware-level audio faults — and resolve it for you, usually in under 30 minutes.

FAQ

Why does Windows 11 audio crackle or pop?

Windows 11 audio crackling is most commonly caused by audio enhancement features conflicting with your hardware, outdated or corrupted audio drivers, DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) latency from other drivers, or incorrect audio sample rate settings. USB audio devices can also crackle due to USB selective suspend.

How do I stop audio crackling on Windows 11?

The fastest fix is to disable audio enhancements: go to Settings > System > Sound > your output device > Additional device properties > Enhancements tab > check "Disable all enhancements". If that doesn't work, update your Realtek or Intel audio drivers from Device Manager.

What is DPC latency and how does it cause audio crackling?

DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) latency occurs when a hardware driver takes too long to process its interrupt, causing audio dropouts. Download LatencyMon (free tool) to identify which driver is causing high latency. Common culprits are network adapters, USB controllers, and antivirus software.

Does Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 have audio crackling bugs?

Yes, some Windows 11 updates have introduced audio driver regressions. If audio crackling started after an update, try rolling back the audio driver in Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers > right-click your audio device > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.

How do I change the audio sample rate on Windows 11?

Right-click the speaker icon > Sound settings > More sound settings > Playback tab > right-click your device > Properties > Advanced tab. Change the format to "24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality)" and click OK. Mismatched sample rates between the OS and hardware cause crackling.