In this guide, we will be discussing some plausible methods to fix the crackling & popping sound in Pixel 6 and 6 Pro which appears during calls, video recordings, and while using some apps/games. The flagships from the Silicon Valley giants, as usual, did manage to grab the attention of the masses. But this time, it wasn’t for all the right reasons. A plethora of bugs and issues were already bugging these devices since launch and then Google blessed these devices with the December update.
While they have since launched the January 2022 update and did manage to rectify some of those issues, many of them are still left to be addressed. And one of them is the random cracking sounds that seem to be bugging some users. There’s no definite pattern for this issue, and as of now, only a handful of users are facing it. This might be the reason why it has been in the news till now. But this doesn’t take away anything from the fact that it is still one of the most infuriating issues to deal with.
Going by the reports, the issue first came to light while playing the Boom Beach and Clash of Clans game, so the initial fingers were pointed at the developers since both of them are developed by the same team. But then the issues also started pouring in from games likes Genshin Impact and AetherSX2, which are not part of the aforementioned developers. Likewise, apps like Boost for Reddit are also currently bugged with this problem. Not to mention the fact that the phone calls aren’t spared either.
Moreover, users have also noticed crackling/static noise while recording videos, which seems to be more prominent when filming in quiet environments. Even the Bluetooth isn’t left behind either. Whenever users are trying to play music via their Bluetooth device or just before disconnecting it, they hear those same sounds. If you are also getting bugged with any of these issues, then this guide shall come in handy. In this tutorial, we will be discussing some methods to fix the crackling & popping sound in Pixel 6/Pro. Follow along.
Table of Contents
Pixel 6/Pro Crackling & Popping Sound in Calls, Recordings, Apps
Do note that there’s no universal fix as such. You will have to try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and see which one works best in your favor. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
FIX 1: Disable Adaptive Sound
During the November Pixel Drop, we got blessed with the Adaptive Sound feature that silently made its way. For the unware, Adaptive Sound makes use of your device’s microphone to determine the noise around you and then makes some software level changes to improve the sound quality. While it sounds like a great functionality on paper, there’s still some way to go before it becomes practically efficient. So you could consider disabling it for the time being, using the below-given instructions.
- To begin with, head over to the Settings menu on your device.
- Then go to Sound & vibration and select Adaptive Sound.
- Now turn off the toggle next to it to disable this feature.
- Check if it fixes the crackling & popping sound on your Pixel 6/Pro.
FIX 2: During App Usage
When it comes to the app usage scenario, there’s no blanket toggle as such that would rectify all app-related issues. Rather, as of now, we will have to deal with this issue at an individual level. In this regard, the fix for Genshin Impact is now available. All that you have to do is head over to its in-game settings menu and then switch over to the Legacy Audio API. This will rectify the underlying random noise issue.
FIX 3: While Recording Videos
This crackling and popping sound while recording videos in Pixel 6/Pro is significantly louder in 1.0x-filmed videos in comparison with the ones shot at 0.7x. The fact that the 0.7x lens doesn’t have OIS, whereas 1.0X does have it, seems to point fingers at the Optical Image Stabilization functionality. But it’s all speculations at this point and the only fix, for now, is to temporarily stay away from 1.0X.
Concluding Remarks
So with this, we round off the guide on how you could fix the crackling & popping sound in Google Pixel 6/Pro devices. While there were some hopes of these issues being addressed with the January update, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Hence the workarounds such as the ones listed above are our best bet for the time being.
In this regard, we will be further updating this guide at regular intervals as and when we get hold of more tweaks. Likewise, if you know of any method that worked out in your favor then you may share it with us in the comments section below.
James
This is absolutely ridiculous. I just made the cutest video of my dog, where he does something he has never done before. I thought it would be really nice to post it online, but when I reviewed it, it’s all just a bunch of buzzing and crackling in the video. Recorded it with my Pixel 6 Pro, which I must say I’m very disappointed with. It’s so filled with bugs. Just called Google today about a problem with the Facebook app not working properly. The cursor jumps around all over the place, and you can’t finish a comment or sentence. Reinstalling the app does nothing. Looks like this phone was not ready for prime time.