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Fix Audio Crackling During Gameplay on Windows 11 25H2

Audio crackling under load is usually a DPC latency spike from a misbehaving driver. Identify and fix the cause in five steps.

by@guidox updated:10/26/26 time:15 min level:Intermediate works on:Windows 11 25H2 tools:LatencyMon
TL;DR

Crackling during gameplay means the audio buffer is starving because a driver is hogging the CPU for too long. **Lower the sample rate**, disable enhancements, and use **LatencyMon** to find the offending driver.

Before you start

Requirements

  • Admin rights
  • LatencyMon from https://www.resplendence.com/latencymon
Step by step

Instructions

01

Confirm crackling only occurs under load

Play audio at the desktop — if it is clean, the issue is load-related. Launch a game and confirm the crackling starts within a few minutes of gameplay.

02

Set the audio format to 24-bit 48000 Hz

Open **Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings**. Right-click your playback device, select **Properties > Advanced**, and choose **24 bit, 48000 Hz**. Higher sample rates increase buffer pressure under load.

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tipIf you use an external DAC, set the format in its own control panel as well.
03

Disable all audio enhancements

In the same **Properties** window, go to the **Enhancements** tab and check **Disable all enhancements**. On some Realtek devices this tab is labeled **Spatial Sound** — set it to **Off**.

04

Identify the offending driver with LatencyMon

Run **LatencyMon**, click the green play button, and play your game for 2-3 minutes. Switch to the **Drivers** tab and sort by **Highest execution (ms)**. The driver at the top is causing the DPC spike.

⚠ warningCommon culprits: ndis.sys (network driver), nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA GPU), ACPI.sys (power management). Update the specific driver identified.
05

Update chipset and audio drivers

Download the latest chipset driver from your motherboard manufacturer and the latest audio driver from Realtek or your audio interface vendor. Install both and restart.

06

Verify clean audio under load

Re-run **LatencyMon** during gameplay. The bar should stay green and the highest DPC execution should be under 1000 microseconds. Audio should be crackle-free.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

Crackling persists even at idle

This points to a hardware issue — a ground loop, a failing audio jack, or a defective USB DAC. Test with different headphones or speakers on a different port.

LatencyMon shows nvlddmkm.sys as the top offender

Clean install the latest NVIDIA driver from https://www.nvidia.com/drivers using the 'Custom > Clean install' option. If the issue started after a specific driver version, roll back one release.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Does switching to WASAPI Exclusive mode help?

Yes, it bypasses the Windows audio mixer and reduces buffer overhead. Enable it in your game's audio settings if available.

Will a USB sound card fix this?

If LatencyMon identifies the onboard Realtek driver as the culprit, a USB DAC moves audio processing off the internal bus and usually eliminates the crackling.

How to undo this

Re-enable audio enhancements in **Sound > Properties > Enhancements** and set the sample rate back to your previous value. Uninstall LatencyMon if no longer needed.

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