If you want to know how to fix crackling audio, the most common cause is your buffer size being set too low for your computer to keep up. Raise the buffer, and the crackles, pops and clicks usually disappear. If they don’t, the problem is almost always a driver, a USB connection or a faulty cable — and this guide walks through each fix in order.
Crackling and popping is the sound of your system dropping tiny chunks of audio. The audio engine asks for samples faster than the computer can deliver them, so you hear gaps as clicks. Fixing it is mostly about giving the computer more breathing room.
Start with the buffer size
The buffer size controls how big a chunk of audio your computer processes at once. A small buffer means low latency but more strain; a large buffer is easier on the CPU but adds delay. Open your DAW’s audio settings (often “Audio Device” or “Playback Engine”) and raise the buffer size — try 256 or 512 samples, or higher when mixing.
The trick is to use a small buffer only while recording (so you don’t hear delay when monitoring) and a large buffer while mixing (when latency doesn’t matter). If you’re unsure how this trade-off works, read what is audio latency.
How to fix crackling audio caused by drivers
Out-of-date or wrong audio drivers are the second most common cause. Make sure your interface is using its dedicated manufacturer driver rather than a generic one. On Windows, install the latest driver from the maker’s site and select it as your ASIO device in the DAW. On Mac, interfaces usually use Core Audio without a separate driver, but keeping the system and interface firmware current still matters. Our guide on updating audio drivers for recording covers the whole process.
If you’re on Windows without a manufacturer ASIO driver, see installing and setting up ASIO4ALL, which can reduce crackling on built-in or class-compliant devices.
Check the physical connection
Crackling that comes and goes, or changes when you wiggle a cable, points to a hardware fault rather than software:
- USB: plug the interface directly into the computer, not through a cheap hub. If you must use a hub, use a quality powered one — see USB mic vs audio interface for related context on bus power.
- Cables: swap the instrument, mic or monitor cable for a known-good one. A dodgy connector crackles when it moves.
- Connections: reseat every plug firmly. A partly-inserted TRS or XLR causes intermittent noise.
If the noise is a steady hum rather than random pops, you may instead be dealing with a wiring or earthing problem — our guide on fixing a ground loop hum covers that case.
Reduce the load on your computer
If raising the buffer helps but doesn’t fully fix it, your CPU is being overworked. Try these:
- Close other apps, browsers and background sync tools while you record.
- Freeze or bounce CPU-heavy plugin tracks.
- On Windows, set the power plan to High Performance so the CPU doesn’t throttle down.
- Disable Wi-Fi/Bluetooth temporarily if you’re on a laptop and seeing dropouts.
If the machine still struggles with big sessions, it may simply be short on memory — see how much RAM you need for music production. And if audio cuts out entirely rather than crackling, that’s a related but distinct issue — see fixing audio dropouts while recording.
Rule out clipping
Not all crackle is dropouts. If the sound only distorts on loud parts, your level is too hot and you’re clipping. Pull the input gain down until the loudest peaks sit safely below the top, then check your gain staging. For badly clipped takes, see fixing a distorted or clipping recording. More troubleshooting walkthroughs are on the home studio setup hub.
Check your sample rate settings
A mismatched sample rate is a quieter cause of crackling that catches a lot of people out. If your interface is set to one sample rate (say 48 kHz) and your DAW, operating system or a connected app is set to another, the two have to convert on the fly and you can hear it as steady, rhythmic crackle. Set the same sample rate everywhere: in the interface’s control panel, in your DAW’s audio settings, and in the system sound settings. As a rule, pick one rate at the start of a project and leave it alone for the whole session.
It also helps to make sure only one application “owns” the interface at a time. If a web browser, video call or media player has grabbed the audio device while your DAW is open, the shared access can produce glitches. Close anything else that might be using sound, then reopen your DAW.
Work through the fixes in the right order
The fastest way to solve crackling is to change one thing at a time, from most likely to least likely, and test after each step. Jumping straight to reinstalling drivers or buying new cables wastes time when a single setting was the culprit. A sensible order looks like this:
- Raise the buffer size first — it fixes the majority of cases in seconds.
- Confirm the correct driver is selected and up to date.
- Match the sample rate across your interface, DAW and system.
- Lighten the CPU load by closing apps and freezing heavy tracks.
- Test the hardware — direct USB connection, fresh cables, firmly seated plugs.
- Check the levels last to rule out clipping rather than dropouts.
Make a note of what you changed so that, if it comes back, you already know which step fixed it.
Common mistakes to avoid
A few habits make crackling harder to diagnose than it needs to be:
- Changing several settings at once. If you raise the buffer, swap a cable and reinstall a driver together, you’ll never know which one mattered — and you may re-introduce the fault later.
- Recording at the tiniest buffer “for safety”. A very low buffer only earns you lower latency while monitoring. For mixing it just strains the CPU and invites crackle.
- Confusing clipping with dropouts. Distortion only on loud peaks is a level problem; random clicks regardless of level are dropouts. The fixes are different, so identify which you have first.
- Blaming the gear too soon. New cables and interfaces are the expensive last resort, not the first move. Software and settings cause most crackling.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my audio crackle only when I add plugins?
Each plugin adds processing load. When the CPU can’t keep up at your current buffer size, you hear crackle. Raise the buffer for mixing, freeze heavy tracks, or remove plugins you’re not using.
Will a bigger buffer always fix crackling?
It fixes crackling caused by an overloaded CPU, which is the most common cause. It won’t fix crackle from a faulty cable, a bad USB connection, the wrong driver, or input clipping — so check those if a larger buffer doesn’t help.
Is crackling damaging my speakers or interface?
Brief digital crackle from dropouts won’t damage hardware, but loud, sudden pops from a failing cable or connection can be hard on speakers. Lower your monitor volume while you troubleshoot, then fix the underlying connection.
Why does the crackling only start after a while, not straight away?
Crackle that appears once a session has been running for a few minutes usually points to heat or a gradually rising CPU load. As your laptop warms up it can throttle the processor, and as you add tracks and plugins the load climbs. Set the power plan to High Performance, keep the machine well ventilated, and freeze tracks you’ve finished with to keep headroom.
Can the cable I use to connect my interface really cause crackling?
Yes. A worn USB cable or a cheap, unshielded instrument lead can introduce intermittent noise, especially when it moves. If the crackle changes when you touch or flex a cable, that cable or its connector is the most likely fault — swap it for a known-good one before assuming the interface is broken.
