> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://flstudiopro.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # FL Studio Audio Crackling: Fix Clicks and Pops - URL: https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-crackling-audio/ - Published: 2026-08-25T01:21:29.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-20T00:29:36.000Z - Description: Protect your session, then compare live playback with a WAV on a clean output. Test the matching driver, buffer, plugin or recording path one change at a time. - Author: Eric Norris - Tags: Troubleshooting To fix FL Studio audio crackling, first separate live playback trouble from a click stored in the audio. Preserve your session, loop the failing passage and compare it with a WAV export played through a known-clean output. Then test the driver, buffer or specific plugin that fits the symptom instead of changing every audio setting. ## First, identify which kind of crackle you have **Before opening another project, restarting or updating:** save a separate project version and keep the original. In the standard FL Studio Trial, export the audio you need while the session is still open. You can save an FLP, but cannot reopen it until you purchase and unlock FL Studio. Saving alone does not make it safe to leave that session. A licensed edition can still contain native Image-Line instruments or effects running in Trial because they are not included in that edition. Image-Line's [trial-plugin warning](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/app%5Ffeature.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) says these become empty Channels or FX slots on reopening unless unlocked. Re-saving that reopened project before unlocking loses their settings. Third-party plugin trials have their own restrictions; do not assume they follow this behavior. Preserve the original FLP and render needed sounds before removing or replacing plugins. Keep the source recordings and samples too: an FLP is not an archive of those files. Once the session is protected, make these comparisons: 1. Loop the passage that crackles. Note whether the noise follows a musical event, appears randomly or happens only when you start, stop or move playback. 2. Export that range to WAV. Play the file and a known-clean reference through the same output. If both crackle, test another known-clean device or playback system before blaming the export. 3. When it is safe to leave the session, open an empty test project and play one instrument included in your edition. Compare it with the failing project using the same driver and buffer. | Result | Next useful check | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Live project crackles; exported file plays cleanly on a reliable output | [Check the real-time deadline and driver.](#watch-the-underrun-counter-and-fl-studio-cpu-meter) | | The same click remains in the WAV on another clean playback system | [Inspect the recorded source, edit boundary, plugin render and output level.](#fix-clicks-that-appear-in-the-export) | | Only the input or its monitored return crackles | [Compare direct monitoring, software monitoring and a dry recording.](#keep-recording-latency-low-without-recording-crackle) | | Known-clean audio crackles in other apps too | [Test the output device, connection and system.](#check-the-system-when-the-counter-stays-still) | | One project or a transport action triggers the click | [Isolate its plugin path or transport reset behavior.](#find-the-plugin-that-misses-the-deadline) | Repeat an apparently successful test. An intermittent driver fault can disappear for one playback without being fixed. Image-Line's [Audio Settings documentation](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/envsettings%5Faudio.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) distinguishes live underruns from render faults; listening to an exported file still uses a live playback system. ![Compare live crackling, exported audio and a clean reference on reliable playback paths](https://storage.ghost.io/c/23/d1/23d1461e-9a6f-4583-9f0a-3ee044fc8192/content/images/2026/09/crackle-diagnosis-guide.webp) Preserve the session first. A noisy playback device can make a clean export sound damaged; repeat the comparison before choosing a repair. ## Watch the underrun counter and FL Studio CPU meter Open `Options > Audio settings`, note the `Underruns` count and replay the failing passage. A count that increases with audible clicks indicates that the audio buffer is running out of data. Counts accumulated while loading a project or plugin are not, by themselves, a reason to change settings. The [FL Studio CPU meter](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/toolbar%5Fpanels.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com#panel%5Fcpu) measures how much of the buffer's available time was needed to generate its audio. Task Manager and Activity Monitor measure processor utilization differently. A busy processing chain or system interruption can miss that short deadline while overall CPU usage looks low. A still counter does not rule out an underrun. Some driver paths and options, including `Mix in buffer switch`, bypass it. Listen as well as watching the numbers, and note which driver is selected before comparing results. ![FL Studio Audio Settings device, buffer and underrun controls on Windows and macOS](https://storage.ghost.io/c/23/d1/23d1461e-9a6f-4583-9f0a-3ee044fc8192/content/images/2026/09/audio-settings-guide-v2.webp) Compare the selected device, buffer length and underrun counter. The displayed values are examples; use the buffer guidance for your audio-driver setup. ## Select the right audio driver before raising the buffer On Windows, prefer the native ASIO driver supplied for your interface. Image-Line recommends it for performance and recording. Obtain compatible updates from the interface manufacturer, not a driver-download utility. Without a native driver, FL Studio ASIO is a convenient multi-client option for built-in audio, but it runs through the Windows audio system rather than bypassing it. ASIO4ALL is another option to test; the detailed Audio Settings manual ranks it ahead of FL Studio ASIO for performance. That does not guarantee it will work better with your devices. Activate only the inputs and outputs needed for the comparison. On macOS, select the intended Core Audio input and output. Check the manufacturer's macOS support before installing interface software. Do not look for a Windows ASIO control panel on a Mac. After any driver change, confirm where you are listening and which input is selected. FL Studio ASIO can use separate input and output devices, so different names are not automatically an error. If you are unsure which route is active, establish it with the [audio device and latency setup guide](https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-audio-settings/) before comparing crackles. ## Test buffer length in controlled steps A longer buffer gives the audio engine more time, at the cost of more monitoring delay. It is not a universal cure. Image-Line's [architecture-specific buffer guidance](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning-content/fl-studio-online-manual/html/app%5Fopt.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) makes a distinction between Intel/AMD systems and Apple Silicon: - **Intel or AMD:** use the [Audio Settings manual's 10 to 20 ms range](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/envsettings%5Faudio.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) as a troubleshooting starting point, then test supported steps. This is vendor guidance, not a hard minimum that prohibits a lower stable setting for recording. - **Apple Silicon:** start at 128 samples for a light test project. If necessary, try supported values of 192, 256, 512 and 1024\. Shorter buffers can help engage performance cores. A heavy project already using those cores may need a longer buffer from the outset; do not force an overloaded arrangement down to 128. Write down your current value. In Windows ASIO mode, open `Show ASIO panel`; on macOS, adjust the buffer in Audio Settings. Change one supported value, replay the same section several times and check the audible result alongside the counter. Keep the lowest setting that meets your current playing or recording needs without recurring glitches. If you test `Triple buffer` on Windows, note that it doubles latency and helps only some ASIO drivers near overload. Turn it off again if it does not help. Record separate working values for tracking and dense mixing rather than assuming one number fits both. ## Check sample rates along the active audio path Check FL Studio's sample rate and the rate accepted by the selected interface or driver. For a Windows shared-audio path such as FL Studio ASIO, also inspect the relevant Windows input and output formats. A native ASIO driver controls its own hardware path; unrelated Windows devices are not part of that comparison. On macOS, inspect the selected devices in `Audio MIDI Setup`. Image-Line recommends 44.1 kHz as a default, or 48 kHz where required by a device. Use a supported rate that fits the session and delivery requirements. Rates of 96 or 192 kHz increase processing work, but do not automatically cause crackling. Matching rates removes a configuration variable; it is not proof that every mismatched shared-mode setting produces noise. If you use digital connections or an Aggregate Device, check synchronization against the device documentation. Otherwise, leave a normally working internal clock alone. You cannot identify a clock fault just from the sound of a tick. For persistent Mac device problems, Image-Line suggests testing an Aggregate Device, particularly for recording. Treat this as an optional comparison after the basic device test. Apple's [aggregate-device instructions](https://support.apple.com/guide/audio-midi-setup/set-aggregate-device-settings-ams094c7edb4/mac?ref=flstudiopro.com) require matching sample rates and explain drift correction for devices that are not hardware-synchronized. Do not enable drift correction indiscriminately on a hardware-synchronized setup. ## Isolate a plugin or a transport-only click Open `View > Plugin performance monitor`, or double-click the CPU panel. Close and reopen the monitor to clear old measurements, then reproduce the problem. In the [monitor's columns](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/menu%5Fview.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com), `%` is the plugin's share of the audio-buffer deadline, `Time` is its latest recorded processing measurement and `Peak` is its highest stored measurement. An old peak is a clue, not proof that a plugin caused the click you just heard. Test one suspect at a time in the protected copy: - For a Mixer effect, use that slot's enable/disable switch. The [effect-slot manual](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/mixer%5Fplugin.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) confirms that bypass leaves audio passing through the track and its other active effects. Do not confuse the slot switch with muting the whole Mixer track or turning the slot mix knob down. - For an instrument, use its [Channel Rack mute control](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning-content/fl-studio-online-manual/html/channelrack.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) during sequenced playback, then restore it. This stops its Step Sequencer and Piano roll playback, but live MIDI can still trigger it. The comparison can also change downstream load or level; it does not prove that all processing stopped or that the instrument itself is defective. If a change removes the crackle, test the instrument and its effects separately before blaming one plugin. Preserve its version, format, preset, routing and automation before updating or trying a vendor-supported alternate format. Test replacements in a separate instance or copy; settings and automation are not guaranteed to transfer between formats. **If the click happens only on start, stop or seeking:** note the state of `Options > Audio settings > Reset Plugins on Transport`. If enabled, test it off and repeat that action. Listen for changes in tails, phase or state-dependent playback before keeping the change. The similarly named `Reset on transport` inside Plugin Performance Monitor only resets its stored measurements. Use `Use fixed size buffers` only as a targeted compatibility test for a suspect plugin. The [Wrapper documentation](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/plugins/wrapper.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) says it can help rendering errors or crashes, but can add latency. Do not enable bridging or maximum-size buffer options across every plugin. If the problem is inside a modular chain, trace the connections with the [Patcher routing guide](https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-patcher/). ## Separate recording crackle from monitoring delay For external audio recording in FL Studio, you need Producer Edition or higher. Use the intended input, then compare what you hear while monitoring with the file actually recorded. A delayed or doubled voice does not necessarily mean the recording contains clicks. For a dry test recorded into the Playlist, select `External input only (EXT)` in the Mixer recording pickup selector. Image-Line's [recording instructions](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/recording%5Faudio.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) explain that this captures the interface input before FL Studio effects and excludes internally routed Mixer audio. Set the recording level at the interface. Keep the original takes and listen to the test file on a verified playback path. If your interface supports direct monitoring, you can hear its input without the round trip through FL Studio. For this Mixer-to-Playlist test, keep `External input only (EXT)` and set `Monitor external input > Off` to stop FL Studio's duplicate monitored input. Keep the correct input and recording arm set; do not mute the entire recording track as a substitute. Confirm the recording still captures the intended signal. This is not an Edison recording setup. If you need to hear FL Studio effects while performing, use software monitoring and test a stable buffer. Temporarily bypass latency-heavy processors on the monitored path. A lighter backing mix may make recording easier, but direct monitoring and a longer buffer cannot repair clicks already captured in a take. When the dry file contains the fault, compare the input level, cable and a direct USB connection, one at a time. For routing questions, follow the [Mixer routing guide](https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-mixer/). ![FL Studio recording pickup selector with external input and software monitoring options](https://storage.ghost.io/c/23/d1/23d1461e-9a6f-4583-9f0a-3ee044fc8192/content/images/2026/09/recording-pickup-guide.webp) For Mixer-to-Playlist recording, choose External input only (EXT). With interface direct monitoring, set Monitor external input to Off. The reference still shows When armed, not Off; keep the intended input and recording arm enabled. This is not an Edison setup. ## Reduce project load without losing the sound Close plugin windows with `Alt/Option+F12` and unnecessary background apps first. Lowering voices, oversampling or quality modes may reduce processing, but can change the sound. Note each original value and compare before committing. Before consolidating, restore the quality you want in the printed audio and check the plugin's own offline-quality options. Audition the rendered result for clicks, tails, timing and routing. Keep the original instrument, patterns and source files recoverable. A muted Playlist clip does not necessarily stop its source plugin processing; do not disable a shared instrument until you have checked every pattern and route that still uses it. Likewise, do not edit or delete a shared sample file to remove one occurrence. If the audio path is stable but the CPU deadline stays under pressure, continue with the [high-CPU troubleshooting workflow](https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-high-cpu/). Avoid lowering normal project timing resolution or changing musical routing just to make the meter look smaller. ## Check the system when the counter stays still Play a known-clean file outside FL Studio. If it also crackles, compare another output device and cable. Wired headphones are a useful test against a Bluetooth or interface path, not a promise that every wired device is fault-free. - Connect the interface directly to a suitable USB port for the test instead of through a hub. - Close other apps using the audio devices, including calls and screen recording. Recheck the same file. - Check manufacturer driver and firmware guidance for your model and operating system before updating. - Check power and cooling if performance changes as the laptop warms up or switches power source. Do not apply a universal CPU-percentage or power-plan recipe. On a Windows shared-audio path, disable optional `Audio Enhancements` on the output while mixing. Image-Line notes that FL Studio ASIO can be affected by system EQ, loudness and spatial processing. If only FL Studio ASIO misbehaves, compare another supported driver using the same intended device rather than reinstalling Windows. ## Fix clicks that are actually in the export First confirm that the WAV carries the defect: replay it on a known-clean system and locate the click. After protecting the current session, you can import the WAV into an empty project for inspection. A repeated defect at the same point across clean playback paths is stronger evidence than a random pop from one player. An offline render can take longer than real time, so it does not generate the live device-buffer underruns described earlier. Plugin processing-block compatibility is different. A plugin may render incorrectly, and its wrapper's fixed-size buffer setting can sometimes help. Increasing the live hardware buffer is not a general repair for a damaged file. - **At an Audio Clip boundary:** try a short fade at that edge and listen to the attack or tail. The [Audio Clip manual](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning-content/fl-studio-online-manual/html/playlist%5Faudioclip.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) describes fades and zero-crossing edits. Zero-crossing edits can shift the cut from your intended position, and active fades replace declick modes at that end of the clip. Preserve a separate sample copy before editing shared source data. - **With one plugin active:** render the same range with and without the suspect effect, or compare the instrument and its downstream effects separately. A disappearance identifies a path to investigate, not automatic proof of a plugin bug. Test documented compatibility options and re-render after each change. - **At an overloaded output:** check levels before the stage that distorts. Image-Line's [mixing guidance](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning-content/fl-studio-online-manual/html/mixer%5Flevelsandmixing.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) distinguishes internal floating-point headroom from physical output and fixed-depth exports. A 16- or 24-bit render can clip above its limit; lowering the final fader cannot undo distortion already created inside a plugin or recording. FL Studio ASIO has another trap: with `Hard-clip output at 0dB (otherwise limiting will be applied)` off, Windows limiting can hide output clipping during live listening. This is post-FL Studio live-output handling, not a limiter inside the project, and the switch does not affect internal processing or rendered files. Check the Master meter even when playback sounds clean; do not assume that a red internal Insert meter alone proves damaged audio. A declicker is for confirmed noise, not an unexplained playback fault. Aggressive detection can damage musical transients. Once the click is resolved, use the [mastering and final export checks](https://flstudiopro.com/fl-studio-mastering/) to assess the finished output. ## Use this repair order and keep the working settings 1. **Protect the session.** Save a separate project version and preserve needed audio before switching projects or restarting. Standard Trial cannot reopen saved projects until licensed. Preserve needed trial-plugin audio, and do not overwrite the original project with reopened native Image-Line trial-plugin placeholders. 2. **Classify the noise.** Compare the failing passage, its WAV export and a known-clean reference. Verify the playback path before calling a click printed noise; use an empty project only after preserving the session. 3. **Check the deadline and device.** Watch Underruns and the CPU panel. Confirm the actual input/output, preferring native ASIO on Windows or the intended Core Audio device on macOS. 4. **Test the buffer.** Use Image-Line's roughly 10 to 20 ms starting guidance for Intel/AMD. On Apple Silicon, try 128 samples for a light project, then supported 192, 256, 512 or 1024 values as needed; heavy projects may need a longer buffer initially. 5. **Check the active sample-rate path.** Confirm a supported rate in FL Studio and the interface, plus relevant shared-system settings or Aggregate Device members. Keep the session's delivery requirements in view. 6. **Isolate the project fault.** Reset monitor measurements and test one effect or instrument path. For start/stop-only clicks, compare Reset Plugins on Transport separately from the monitor's measurement reset. 7. **Check input or system noise.** Compare a dry recording with monitoring, or test a known-clean wired output and direct USB connection. Preserve the original takes and change one condition at a time. 8. **Repair confirmed file defects.** Check source audio, clip edges, plugin render behavior and output clipping. Restore intended print quality before rendering again, audition the result and retain the source project. If the fault persists, note the FL Studio build, OS, interface, driver version, buffer, sample rate and exact trigger for support. A reduced diagnostic copy can help, but removing channels also changes routing and load. Keep the original and its media; check dependencies before interpreting a cleaner stripped-down project. Do not reset settings as the first repair. If support recommends it, Image-Line's [reset procedure](https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/app%5Freset.htm?ref=flstudiopro.com) calls for recording your settings first and restoring custom MIDI, Audio, General and File choices afterward. Diagnostics is not available in the standard Trial. For a different symptom, choose the matching route in the [FL Studio troubleshooting hub](https://flstudiopro.com/tag/fixes/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Why is my audio crackling in FL Studio? A live buffer underrun is a common cause, but driver faults, plugin behavior, recording defects, clipping and abrupt Audio Clip edges can sound similar. Preserve the session, then compare live playback with an export on a known-clean output to choose the right test. ### How do I stop crackling in FL Studio? Protect the project and needed audio first. Loop the failing section, confirm the device and watch the underrun counter. Test a buffer appropriate to your CPU architecture, then isolate one plugin or input path. If an exported file also clicks, verify its playback system before assuming the noise is stored in the file. ### What buffer size should I use to prevent crackling? Use a supported value that stays clean and meets your monitoring needs. Image-Line suggests roughly 10 to 20 ms for Intel/AMD as a starting point. For light Apple Silicon projects, begin at 128 samples and try 192, 256, 512 or 1024 if needed. A heavy Apple Silicon project may require a longer buffer from the outset. ### Why does FL Studio crackle when the CPU is low? The operating system's overall CPU utilization does not show whether every short audio deadline was met. One processing chain or system interruption can cause a glitch despite a low average. Some driver-related underruns also bypass FL Studio's underrun counter, so a low meter or unchanged count does not exclude them. ### Why does FL Studio crackle only while recording? A short monitoring buffer or a problem in the live input path may be involved. Compare a dry recording with what you hear while monitoring. When recording into the Playlist with External input only (EXT), use the interface's direct monitoring if supported and turn FL Studio's Monitor external input off to avoid a duplicate return while keeping recording armed. Direct monitoring does not repair defects already captured in the file. ### Why is the underrun count increasing but I hear no crackle? FL Studio can count underruns during project or plugin loading. Image-Line says these totals alone do not indicate a problem. Note the count before replaying the failing passage and check whether new increments coincide with audible glitches. ### Why does the exported WAV crackle when live playback is fine? First rule out a faulty playback device or player by checking the WAV on a known-clean system. If the defect remains, inspect recorded noise, clip boundaries, plugin rendering and output clipping. Offline generation is not subject to live device-buffer underruns, but a plugin's processing-buffer compatibility can still affect rendering. ### Does increasing buffer size reduce audio quality? Buffer length is a timing setting, not a bit-depth or sample-rate reduction. It generally changes processing headroom and monitoring delay rather than intended fidelity. A plugin with buffer-dependent behavior can be an exception, so compare the sound after changing it. Quality-mode changes are separate and need checking before consolidation or export.