crackling popping noise from Windows 11 desktop

It isnt his computer hardware. I recommend looking at other posts, I have built 3x PCs all with the same issue, Windows is unusable for audio no matter the spec, Driver, or location in the world. I Tried both Yorkshire and Lancashire UK, same thing, 3 seperate PCs, Seperate Peripherls (speakers headsets monitors ect) They all crackle

Microsoft refuse to admit fault, Been waiting over a year for a fix of this issue, considering I have spent 1600$ US dollars equivalent in the UK trying to solve this issue.

its not Realtek its not hardware its windows

It does it without Realtek drivers, And with windows sonic.

no its not a grounding issue before anyone says or Each pc wouldn't be having the issue with different peripherals in a different part of the country.

this effects windows 10 and 11. And NEEDS TO BE REPORTED to the higher ups ASAP

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/i-cannot-fix-audio-cracklingchannel-swapping-built/be3368d5-9a6d-4fd0-aaf0-71552d2340a5

Reference to one of many uploads of my own post

Have you gotten anywhere with Microsoft? Because I havent.

They just keep trying to reinstall a driver then tell you your PC is broken and needs replacing. Its incredible incompetence on behalf of microsoft.

Major issue for well over a year thats to do with Microsoft Windows 11/10 both equally effected.

Most PC's have this issue

My old Ryzen system had the issue

A new ryzen system had the issue

my new intel rig has the issue

my fathers Dell has this issue

I spent £2k as said and changed properties to fix this. Done everything on the planet, Disabled onboard audio and used 3 different sound cards, as well as fresh installs and windows sonic. No bios changes to XMP or Power settings fixes this. Microsoft is aware of the issue I believe but dont want to fix it as its too much effort. I am thinking of taking legal action against microsoft as they have advised me 5 times over the past year that my PC is broken. Evidently its not when I built 2 from scratch to defeat this issue. and my fathers PC is a all in one Dell i3 PC.

Audio crackling. Popping on pause and playback of certain sounds. Windows Related issue likely but Effects ALL audio devices and makes them unusable for certain applications.Ways to recreate easily.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqzGzwTY-6wPause and unpause this video and OR slide the volume slider while playing. (Crackling popping will be heard)This issue has made me unable to use my PC's properly for 2 years, I bought a Audigy FX V2 to try and fix this issue thinking it was the ALC4080 causing the issue on the 6th motherboard I bought for this issue. but it isnt 4080 as its disabled in bios.I will list ALL I have tried to fix this issue and the specs below. I cannot get a word from microsoft that isnt "Reinstall your drivers or buy a new motherboard" Of which I have tried 6.Current Speci5 12600KFMSI Unify Z690 MEG32GB Crucial pro 6000MHZRTX3060 Ventus 2XMSI GL650NVME/SATA SSDCreative Audigy FX V2**Note this issue is on EVERY PC, including my Fathers i3 All in one Dell. and friends gaming PC (separate properties in UK)**I have tried Updating Drivers/BIOS/Windows10/11 from scratch3X PCs of varying Spec including Dell all in ones.Regedit Realtek Power settings (FF FF FF FF) (00 00 00 00)Changed NVIDIA GPU to integrated AMD APU (Same issue)Nvidia Power settingsChanging Refresh rate to 60hz.Windows Power settingsSetting varying Sound settings from 16bit 44100 to 24Bit 192000 (All devices)Disabling all drivers to audio and using windows sonic (Same issue)USB sound card, Creative SE, Creative Audigy FX V2 / Non brand USB DAC / FDIT Sound card (5x Sound cards) and NoneChanging Buffer size, Latency CompensationForce Resampling to 44.1KForce WDM Driver to 16 BitTurning off windows Fast startTurning off Hardware acceleration on all APPS.All new peripherals, wires and audio devices.Tried 1 Monitor not 2Enabled "Listening back to my own device" on mute to keep Chip running.Disabling WIFI/Ethernet/BluetoothDifferent Properties and Computers.XMP on/Off (Different speeds)Bitlocker OffWindows 10 and 11 Reinstalls (Pro version)Overclocking and underclocking4+ AM4 motherboards 2x LGA Socket boards. tested all same issue.PCI Gen 3 instead of 5M.2 Gen 2 instead of 420+ Nvidia driversLatency mon no errors. on old AM4+ PC but had same issue, though my intel does report Latency but it isnt the issue. (As AM4 was fine and had the issue)***Certain games are unplayable.***CS2- Audio crackles if someone uses MICCyberpunk-Engines crackleRed dead 2, Loading new Areas cracklesUltimate admiral Dreadnoughts - Crackles when shootingMany more things tested. I am £2000 Deep into this issue and well over a year since the issue began. It worries me when fixing my fathers PC His exhibited the same issue. Popping and crackling on playback resuming and pausing. Some Games are unplayable due to this.Spent well over a year on this issue. Its not hardware. End of. 6 Motherboards and 3x Entirely new built PC's at different properties same issue. ALL DIFFERENT PERIPHERALS.Microsoft for well over to near 2 years has told me I got a broken motherboard and or my drivers are not installed. Honestly no idea how they have a job some of them.If someone Can find a FIX, a GARUNTEEED FIX. (That 100% works for my issue for windows.) I will gift the user £10 Steam voucheras incentive. As I cant game/Video edit in over a year.

It isnt hardware, Any windows installation on any hardware has this issue.

Now found 12 windows machines that are having this issue

been a problem for 2 years that Microsoft is refusing to fix. Im currently looking into solicitors due to windows support telling me to buy 10+ different PCs saying that they are broke. Im going to have to take a legal action route on this.

I know personally companies that have lost 10,000s in revenue who work with audio due unfixable pops found in recordings and playback.

Linux doesnt have this issue.

Wow, thanks so much for all your research. I made NVIDIA my default playback device, and used the HDMI out so I could hear sound from my desktop monitor. Sad to say I heard exactly the same snap crackle pop I've been hearing all along. So maybe this issue is not Realtek driver but something else?

thank you,

Hi Welcome to Microsoft community.I understand how frustrating it can be to deal with audio issues like crackling and popping sounds on your desktop. Here are several troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the problem:1. Check Audio SettingsRight-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Sounds.Go to the Playback tab, select your audio device, and click Properties. In the Advanced tab, try changing the default format to a different setting (e.g., 16 bit, 44100 Hz). Test each setting to see if it resolves the issue. 2. Disable Audio EnhancementsIn the same Properties window, go to the Enhancements tab. Check the box that says Disable all enhancements and click OK. This can sometimes resolve issues caused by audio enhancements. 3. Update or Roll Back Audio DriversSince you've already reinstalled the Realtek drivers, check if there is a newer version available:Go to Device Manager (right-click the Start button and select Device Manager).Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.Right-click on your audio device and select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.If the problem started after a recent update, consider rolling back the driver:Right-click on your audio device in Device Manager. Select Properties, then go to the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver if the option is available. 4. Change Power Management SettingsSometimes power management settings can affect audio performance:In Device Manager, right-click on your audio device, select Properties, and go to the Power Management tab. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. 5. Adjust Sample Rate and Bit Depth In the Advanced tab of your audio device properties (as mentioned in Step 1), try adjusting the sample rate and bit depth settings. Sometimes setting it to a lower value can help with crackling issues. 6. Run the Audio TroubleshooterWindows has a built-in troubleshooter that can help:Go to Settings > System > Sound. Scroll down and click on Troubleshoot under the Advanced section. 7. Check Background Applications Certain applications running in the background can interfere with audio performance. Close any unnecessary applications, especially those that might be using audio resources (like browsers or streaming apps). 8. Reinstall Audio Drivers CompletelyIf the above steps don’t work, consider completely uninstalling the audio drivers:In Device Manager, right-click your audio device and select Uninstall device. Make sure to check any option to delete the driver software. Restart your computer; Windows should reinstall the drivers automatically. If none of these steps resolve the issue, it may be worth checking for any hardware issues or considering a professional assessment. Sometimes, a faulty audio jack or internal component can cause such problems. Don't hesitate to ask if you have further questions or need more assistance!Best regardsDerrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist