Consistent Crackling Sound On Audio Of All Video Recordings. How Do I Fix It?

To anyone who finds this page, I found a rather less than ideal workaround. It isn't very satisfactory because it doesn't explain why this issue suddenly popped up, or needs this kind of fix at all, but it's better than nothing.

Right click your speaker icon at the bottom right of your screen and click "Sounds", in the window that comes up, click the "recording" tab, and on that tab, right click your microphone with this issue and go to "properties", on the properties window, go to "levels" and turn your microphone volume down as low as you need to, and turn "boost" completely off.

This may work if none of the other standard trouble shooting methods don't, and is the only one people haven't told me to check. Again, I don't understand why this is suddenly a problem out of nowhere, but it seems to have worked for me.

Hi Tyler,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I'm Hahn and I'm here to help you with your concern.

Persistent crackling sounds in recorded audio can be quite frustrating, but there are several potential solutions you can try to resolve this issue. Since you've already attempted some common troubleshooting steps, let's explore a few more possibilities:

1. Update Audio Drivers:
   • Visit the official website of your motherboard or sound card manufacturer to download and install the latest audio drivers. Sometimes, Windows Update might not have the most up-to-date drivers.
2. Check for Conflicting Software:
   • Ensure that there are no conflicting applications running in the background that could interfere with audio recording. Close unnecessary programs and background processes before recording.

A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program. How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support

3. Check Hardware Connections:
   • Ensure that all your audio cables and connections are secure. Loose or damaged cables can introduce interference and result in crackling sounds.
4. Change USB Ports:
   • If you are using an external microphone or audio interface, try connecting it to a different USB port. Sometimes, USB ports can have issues that affect audio quality.
5. Disable Exclusive Mode:
   • In Windows, go to Sound settings, select your playback device, and click on "Properties." Under the "Advanced" tab, uncheck the option that says "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device." This can sometimes resolve compatibility issues.
6. System File Checker (SFC) Scan:
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command sfc /scannow to check for and repair corrupted system files. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files - Microsoft Support
7. Test with External Microphone/Headset:
   • If possible, try using an external microphone or headset to see if the issue persists. This can help determine whether the problem lies with the recording hardware.

I hope this helps.  If there is anything not clear, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Nothing working for me, using the in-built snipping tool.

Hi Tyler,

Thank you for sharing your workaround. Adjusting microphone levels and disabling boost can indeed sometimes alleviate issues related to crackling sounds in recordings.

In some cases, microphone sensitivity or boost settings might be causing the input to be too high, resulting in distortion or crackling. By lowering the volume and turning off boost, you are essentially reducing the input signal and preventing it from reaching levels that could cause distortion.

While it might not provide a definitive explanation for the root cause of the issue, your workaround can be helpful for others experiencing similar problems.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hello Hahn!

Thank you for the reply, and the suggestions. I went down the list and tried all of the things you suggested. I'll go through the list.

1. Updating drivers:

I did update my drivers through the device manager, and I also went to my motherboard website to check for any new audio driver updates. Unfortunately neither attempt was successful. The manufacturer had no new drivers, and as for the sound device, it's just the high definition one by microsoft. I don't have realtek or any other, and no new updates show up when trying to update though the manager.

2. Checking for conflicting software:

I went through the task manager, closed all programs and the problem still persists. I even restarted the computer, and no luck. I also did the clean boot you suggested, and the issue is still present.

3. Check cable connections:

They seem fine to me.

4. Change USB ports:

I'm not using an external recording device. It's t he internal microphone recording desktop audio that is having the issue.

5. Disable exclusive mode:

I tried this multiple times across multiple devices, and unfortunately it does not work.

6. System file checker:

I tried this, and while the checker did find some corrupt files that it says it fixed, the issue is still present.

7. I tested my headset microphone, and it actually did narrow down the cause of the issue, although it did not solve it. I noticed that in the device manager, under the recording tab, next to the microphone icon, it is always producing sound, and it I go into properties of the microphone and click "Listen" to the device, it is constantly producing the crackling sound, this sound will persist even if I switch to a different microphone.

As suggested in number 7, I think the issue is related to my microphone, but none of these solutions solved my issue as of yet.