How to fix audio clicks and pops? (LatencyMon Test/Report)

Question

I've been experiencing frequent audio clicks and pops. I have updated my Bios which appeared to lower the amount of clicks and pops, but they still happen quite frequently. Below is my stats export from a LatencyMon test.

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CONCLUSION

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Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.

LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:03:22 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.

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SYSTEM INFORMATION

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Computer name: [[PII Removed]]

OS version: Windows 11, 10.0, version 2009, build: 26200 (x64)

Hardware: MS-7D75, Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.

BIOS: 1.P7

CPU: AuthenticAMD AMD Ryzen 7 9700X 8-Core Processor

Logical processors: 16

Processor groups: 1

Processor group size: 16

RAM: 62853 MB total

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CPU SPEED

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Reported CPU speed (WMI): 380 MHz

Reported CPU speed (registry): 380 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

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MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES

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The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 10452.30

Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 34.043625

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 10442.90

Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 27.498877

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REPORTED ISRs

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Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 306.620

Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.000475

Driver with highest ISR total time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.000475

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 35858

ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0

ISR count (execution time 500-1000 µs): 1

ISR count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 0

ISR count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0

ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

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REPORTED DPCs

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DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 12402.990

Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: nvlddmkm.sys - NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 581.15 , NVIDIA Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.191422

Driver with highest DPC total execution time: nvlddmkm.sys - NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 581.15 , NVIDIA Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0.256967

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 290609

DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0

DPC count (execution time 500-10000 µs): 2570

DPC count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 72

DPC count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 221

DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 169

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REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS

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Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: mspaint.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 6336

Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 1861

Number of processes hit: 43

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PER CPU DATA

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CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 21.860646

CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 306.620

CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0.015382

CPU 0 ISR count: 35859

CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 12402.990

CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 8.084451

CPU 0 DPC count: 259056

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CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.259592

CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 1 ISR count: 0

CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 62.930

CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002854

CPU 1 DPC count: 619

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CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.668555

CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 2 ISR count: 0

CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 2147.940

CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0.023027

CPU 2 DPC count: 2373

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CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.564212

CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 3 ISR count: 0

CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 45.590

CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001347

CPU 3 DPC count: 294

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CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.091721

CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 4 ISR count: 0

CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 58.280

CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0.008560

CPU 4 DPC count: 1861

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CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.052485

CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 5 ISR count: 0

CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 49.210

CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0.007787

CPU 5 DPC count: 1747

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CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.411558

CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 6 ISR count: 0

CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 57.670

CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001978

CPU 6 DPC count: 364

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CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.406668

CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 7 ISR count: 0

CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 45.010

CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001150

CPU 7 DPC count: 253

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CPU 8 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.253742

CPU 8 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 8 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 8 ISR count: 0

CPU 8 DPC highest execution time (µs): 96.090

CPU 8 DPC total execution time (s): 0.022275

CPU 8 DPC count: 4939

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CPU 9 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.969481

CPU 9 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 9 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 9 ISR count: 0

CPU 9 DPC highest execution time (µs): 3611.450

CPU 9 DPC total execution time (s): 0.097953

CPU 9 DPC count: 8773

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CPU 10 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.401571

CPU 10 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 10 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 10 ISR count: 0

CPU 10 DPC highest execution time (µs): 296.380

CPU 10 DPC total execution time (s): 0.033732

CPU 10 DPC count: 6630

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CPU 11 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.393210

CPU 11 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 11 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 11 ISR count: 0

CPU 11 DPC highest execution time (µs): 87.70

CPU 11 DPC total execution time (s): 0.034728

CPU 11 DPC count: 6072

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CPU 12 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.272848

CPU 12 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 12 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 12 ISR count: 0

CPU 12 DPC highest execution time (µs): 34.120

CPU 12 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001234

CPU 12 DPC count: 253

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CPU 13 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.278782

CPU 13 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 13 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 13 ISR count: 0

CPU 13 DPC highest execution time (µs): 50.90

CPU 13 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001048

CPU 13 DPC count: 197

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CPU 14 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.199420

CPU 14 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 14 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 14 ISR count: 0

CPU 14 DPC highest execution time (µs): 33.070

CPU 14 DPC total execution time (s): 0.000717

CPU 14 DPC count: 106

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CPU 15 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.219932

CPU 15 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0

CPU 15 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0

CPU 15 ISR count: 0

CPU 15 DPC highest execution time (µs): 58.050

CPU 15 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001009

CPU 15 DPC count: 104

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Answer 1

Hi Liam Salziger

I understand how annoying this is, based on your LatencyMon results, you can try the following:

Clean‑install a different NVIDIA driver

• Use DDU in Safe Mode.
• Install a known stable (older) NVIDIA driver.
• Do not install GeForce Experience while testing.

Disable NVIDIA audio (if not using HDMI/DP sound)

• Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers
• Disable NVIDIA High Definition Audio.

Disable audio enhancements

• Settings > System > Sound > Your output device
• Turn Audio enhancements off.
• Disable Spatial sound if enabled.

Set Windows power for low latency

• Power plan: High Performance or Ultimate Performance
• PCI Express > Link State Power Management: Off
• CPU minimum state: 100%

BIOS power settings

• Disable Global C‑State Control / CPU C‑States (or set Typical Current Idle).
• Leave Precision Boost enabled.

Install latest AMD chipset drivers

• Download directly from AMD, then reboot.

Disable background GPU features

• Turn off Xbox Game Bar and background recording.
• Disable hardware acceleration in browsers and non‑essential apps.

These steps directly target the nvlddmkm.sys DPC latency spikes shown in your report, which are the root cause of the audio dropouts, not faulty hardware.

Thanks for sticking through the troubleshooting, and I hope this finally gets you clean, stable audio. If anything still pops after this, feel free to follow up and we can narrow it further.

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Answer 2

LatencyMon and the Windows documentation both point to exactly the kind of issue shown in the report: long and/or frequent DPCs and ISRs causing audio glitches.

From the data provided:

• Highest DPC execution time: ~12,400 µs (12.4 ms) in nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA GPU driver)
• Highest ISR execution time: ~306 µs in Wdf01000.sys
• Highest interrupt-to-process latency: ~10,452 µs (10.4 ms)

For smooth audio, Windows guidance is:

• ISRs should not run longer than 25 µs
• DPCs should not run longer than 100 µs
• Durations above 1–3 ms can already cause glitches

So the GPU driver’s DPCs (up to 12 ms) are well beyond what the audio engine can tolerate and are the primary suspect for clicks and pops.

Actionable steps, in order of impact:

1. Focus on the NVIDIA driver (main culprit)

• Update to a different NVIDIA driver branch (newer or previous stable) using a clean install.
• When installing, choose a minimal set of components (driver only + PhysX, avoid extra overlays/telemetry where possible) to reduce DPC load.
• After changing the driver, rerun LatencyMon while playing audio/video to see if nvlddmkm.sys DPC times drop below 100 µs and the long 5–12 ms spikes disappear.

2. Reduce long-running ISRs/DPCs in general Windows multimedia guidance identifies these as a top cause of audio glitches:

• Long-running ISRs and DPCs (like the ones shown) can delay the audio engine and cause pops.
• Frequent ISR/DPC “storms” from network, storage, or graphics drivers can have similar effects.

Mitigations:

• Ensure chipset, storage, and network drivers are up to date from the motherboard vendor.
• Test with Wi‑Fi temporarily disabled or using wired only, and with any third‑party USB devices disconnected, then rerun LatencyMon to see if another driver is contributing.

3. Power management and CPU throttling LatencyMon already hints at this, and Windows multimedia docs agree that CPU and kernel threads running at higher IRQL for too long can cause glitches.

• In BIOS/UEFI, disable aggressive CPU power‑saving features that cause rapid frequency changes (for example, global “Eco”/“Ultra low power” modes). Keep standard power saving, but avoid extreme throttling.
• In Windows, use a balanced or performance power plan rather than a power‑saving plan when doing audio work.

4. Check for client-side starvation (disk/network) Windows streaming/media guidance calls out “client side starvation” as another cause of glitches:

• If disk or network is heavily used, the source cannot feed the decoder fast enough, causing dropouts.

Mitigations:

• Avoid heavy disk activity (large file copies, background indexing, game installs) while monitoring audio.
• If audio is streamed, test with local files to rule out network issues.

5. Verify audio driver and format

• If using a third‑party audio codec driver (for example, Realtek), test switching to the inbox “High Definition Audio Device” driver via Device Manager to see if behavior improves, as some users have resolved audio anomalies this way.
• In Sound settings → Playback device → Properties → Advanced, try different default formats (sample rate/bit depth) and test whether a more standard format (for example, 16‑bit, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz) behaves better.

6. General guidance from Windows multimedia tools Windows multimedia assessment tools and exercises highlight the same root causes seen here:

• DPC or ISR > 1 ms
• Drivers or kernel threads running at dispatch level too long
• Disk or network not keeping up
• Decoder or GPU saturated

Your LatencyMon report matches the first case (long DPCs, especially from the GPU driver). Addressing that driver and avoiding ISR/DPC storms is the key path to eliminating clicks and pops.

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References:

• Results for the Streaming Media Performance Assessment
• Exercise 4 - Use MXA to Analyze Audio Glitches
• Low Latency Audio
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
• Audio issues after win11 25h2 update - Microsoft Q&A