In the world of
Helldivers 2, every sound is a potential clue. The low growl of an incoming Bile Titan, the distant hiss of a patrol of Terminids, or the clank of a bot drop—all of these audio cues are vital to your survival. When your game audio is plagued by crackling, stuttering, or other issues, it doesn't just impact your immersion; it can seriously affect your gameplay and lead to a frustrating end for your Helldiver.Fortunately, most of these audio problems are tied to common software or driver conflicts and can be resolved with a few simple fixes. This guide will walk you through the most effective solutions to get your game audio back to pristine quality.
Helldivers 2 Audio Crackling and Sound Issues: Fixing Your Game Audio
1. Start with the Basics: Check Your Hardware and Settings
Before diving into more technical fixes, it's always a good idea to start with the simplest solutions. These steps can often resolve common issues without much effort.
- Restart Your Devices: A simple reboot can often clear up temporary software glitches.1 Power cycle your PC, then unplug your audio device (headset, speakers, etc.) from its USB port or disconnect it, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in.
- Verify Your Audio Device: Your computer may be defaulting to the wrong audio device, especially if you have multiple peripherals connected.
- Launch Helldivers 2.
- Right-click the speaker icon on your Windows taskbar and select Open Volume Mixer.
- In the list of applications, find Helldivers 2.
- Ensure that both the Output Device and Input Device for the game are set to your intended audio device.
- Check In-Game Audio Settings: Open the in-game options menu and navigate to the audio settings. Make sure the volume sliders are set correctly and that no specific audio channel (e.g., music, sound effects) is set to an unusually high level that could cause distortion.
2. Solutions for PC Players with Bluetooth Headsets
Bluetooth headsets are a common source of audio problems due to how Windowsmanages their audio profiles. When both the microphone and headphonesare active, Windows can switch the headset to a lower-quality"Hands-free" mode, which often results in a tinny, crackling sound.
- Disable Hands-Free Telephony: This is one of the most common and effective fixes for Bluetooth headset users.
- Go to Windows Settings and navigate to Bluetooth & devices.
- Find your Bluetooth headset in the list and click on it.
- Select Properties, then open the Services tab.
- Uncheck the box next to Hands-free Telephony.
- Click Apply. This will force your headset to use its higher-quality stereo audio profile, which should eliminate the crackling.
- Disable Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service: If the first fix doesn't work, this more advanced solution can provide a more permanent fix.
- Open the Windows search bar and type "Services". Select the app from the results.
- Scroll down the list to find Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service.
- Right-click on it and select Stop.
- Right-click again and select Properties.
- In the drop-down menu for Startup type, select Disabled.
- Click Apply to save your changes.
3. Software and Driver Fixes
Corrupted game files or outdated drivers can also cause audio issues. These fixes ensure your game and system are running optimally.
- Verify Integrity of Game Files (Steam): Your game files may have become corrupted due to a crash or an updateerror. Verifying them will check for and replace any broken files.
- Launch the Steam app and go to your Game Library.
- Find Helldivers 2 in your list, right-click it, and select Properties.
- In the new window, navigate to the Installed Files tab.
- Click on Verify integrity of game files... and wait for the process to complete.
- Update Your Drivers: Outdated drivers, especially for your audio card or graphics card, cancause a wide range of performance issues, including audio problems.
- Graphics Drivers: Use software like the NVIDIA app or AMD Software to check for the latest drivers and install any available updates.
- Audio Drivers: Open your Device Manager (you can find it by searching in Windows) and navigate to Audio inputs and outputs or Sound, video and game controllers. Right-click your audio device and select "Update driver."
- Adjust Windows Sound Quality: In some cases, changing the audio format in Windows settings can resolve compatibility issues.
- Right-click the speaker icon on your taskbar and select Sound settings.
- Select your audio device from the list.
- Under the "Format" section, try lowering the audio quality to 16-bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).
By systematically working through these solutions, you can identify andfix the root cause of your audio problems. A clear, crisp sound isessential for an effective Helldiver, so get your audio back on trackand return to defending Super Earth!
Tags: Cooperative shooter, Top-down shooter, Sci-fi action game, Helldivers 2 gameplay, Helldivers 2 tips, Helldivers 2 update
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 PS5, Windows PC
Developer(s): Arrowhead Game Studios
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
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