Windows 10 is the latest version of Microsoft Windows, and well worth upgrading to. Not all upgrades go smoothly, however. What do you do if, after upgrading, your computer’s audio sounds bad or has extremely low volume? Show
When your audio sounds terrible after upgrading your PC – the sound is distorted, the bass is lacking, there’s screeching and chirping– it’s time to troubleshoot your problem and get it fixed. It probably has something to do with the Realtek HD Audio built into many computers today. Let’s take a look at how to fix Realtek HD audio low and bad quality after a Windows 10 upgrade. Check Your ConnectionsIt may sound too obvious, but when you’re experiencing audio issues you should always check all your cable connections, especially with a desktop system. Most external computer speakers today connect via USB, so make sure that connection is solid. You may also want to try connecting to a different USB port on your computer. If your external speakers connect via an analog audio port, double-check the connection. Wiggle the connector around a little and see if that makes a difference. Also, and this should go without saying, make sure the physical volume knob is turned up on your speakers. Yes, sometimes the solution is that simple. Finally, try connecting a set of headphones or earphones. If they sound okay, then the problem is probably in your speaker connections. If the headphones sound just as bad as the speakers, then the problem is internal. Remember, when you plug in your headphones the speakers typically go silent. Increase the VolumeIf your problem is that the sound volume is too low, and you have the physical volume controls turned up on your external speakers, you need to try increasing the volume on your system. You can do that from the Windows volume control by following these steps:
Change Speaker PropertiesThere are several settings related to your system’s speaker properties that can affect your computer’s sound quality. All of these settings are accessed from the Speakers Properties dialog box. To open this dialog box, follow these steps:
Adjust the Sound QualityIt’s possible that during the upgrade Windows default sound quality was inadvertently changed. There are three primary quality options – CD quality, DVD quality, or Studio quality, possibly with various frequency options. You might think that the highest quality is always the best, but this isn’t the case. If you’re using lower quality speakers (including those included in many laptops), setting the sound quality too high can cause popping in your audio. Conversely, if the sound quality is set too low and you have really good speakers connected, you may need to increase this setting. Given all the different options, you’ll probably need to experiment somewhat. To reconfigure this setting, follow these steps:
Disable Spatial SoundWindows 10 includes an option for spatial sound, which enhances the sound field when you’re listening through headphones. Enabling this option can, on occasion, cause normal audio to sound not quite right. Follow these steps:
Disable All Sound EffectsRealtek HD Audio offers a variety of sound enhancements that can be applied to your system’s sound. You want to make sure that all of these sound effects are disabled so you’re getting a clean audio signal. Follow these steps:
You may have to restart your computer for these changes to take effect. Change the Minimum Processor StateWindows lets you select from various power plans. This is important if you have a laptop computer, as some power plans turn off various system settings to conserve battery power. Unfortunately, settings in the default “balanced” power plan can affect audio quality. It all has to do with something called the minimum processor state. When set too low, it can result in crackling and distorted sound. To increase this setting, follow these steps:
Roll Back, Update, or Uninstall the Realtek Audio DriverIf your audio problems started after a recent Windows update, you may need to roll back the Realtek audio driver to a previous version that you know was working. To do this, follow these steps:
If that doesn’t work, you can try updating the driver to a newer version, if available. Follow the same steps but from the Realtek Audio Properties dialog box, click Update Driver. Windows will search for a newer version of the driver and, if it exists, install it. If Windows can’t find a new version, go to Realtek’s website and download it from there. Switch to the Windows Generic Audio DriverIf all else fails and you still have audio problems, you can try switching to Windows’ generic audio driver. Here’s how:
Driver Support Can Keep Devices Up to DateUpdating or reinstalling your audio driver is just one example of how you can update system drivers to keep your computer operating smoothly. You can use Driver Support to keep all the drivers on your computer current and in prime operating condition. Driver Support scours your system for all active device types supported. When you fully register the service, it automatically updates any drivers that are missing or out of date. |