Optimizing Windows for audio

Before blaming your operating system, it's essential to explore other potential causes of audio problems. We've compiled a checklist to help you troubleshoot common audio issues effectively.

1. Audio device drivers 
   Make sure that the correct drivers for your audio device are installed and functioning correctly. Check for any reported issues with the drivers provided by the manufacturer. 
    
2. Adequate RAM 
   Confirm that your computer has sufficient RAM to support the software you're using. Insufficient RAM can lead to performance issues, including audio dropouts. 
    
3. Storage Space 
   Ensure that your computer has enough storage space for smooth operation. To avoid performance degradation, aim to keep at least 20% of your total storage capacity free.
    
4. USB connections 
   Examine the USB cable, ports, and USB hubs connected to your audio device. Ensure they meet the device's specifications and are free from faults that could affect audio performance.
    
5. Cloud storage
   Do not access files and projects directly from cloud storage services while working on audio tasks. Cloud access can introduce latency and performance issues.
    
6. Idle applications
   Shut down any unnecessary applications or background processes that may consume system resources. This step can free up resources for smoother audio performance. 

If all the above points comply, it is likely the reason for your trouble lies within the Windows operating system. Please try the following steps to improve the behavior: 

1. Disable system sounds 

Search for "Control Panel" -> "Hardware and Sound" -> "Sound" -> "Sounds" tab -> "Sound Scheme menu" -> choose "No Sounds" -> "OK" 

2. High-performance power settings 

Search for "Power Options" -> "Create a power plan" -> "High Performance" -> Name your plan, for example, "Audio Optimized Plan" -> Set "Turn off the display" and "Put the computer to sleep" to "Never" -> "Create" 

3. Disable USB selective suspend 

Search for “Edit power plan” -> “Change advanced power settings” -> “USB settings” -> On battery / Plugged in “disable” -> “OK” 

4. Adjust processor power management 

Select "Change Plan Settings" for your custom power plan -> Open "Advanced power settings" -> Expand "USB settings" -> Disable "USB Selective suspend" -> Expand "Processor power management" -> Set the minimum and maximum process state to 100. 

5. Processor schedule 

Search for "Advanced system settings" -> "Advanced" tab -> "Performance” -> “Settings…" -> "Advanced" tab -> activate "Background services" -> "Apply" -> “OK” 

6. Disable startup apps  

Search for "Task Manager" -> "More details" -> "Startup" tab -> select all apps that are not required for automatic launch -> "Disable" 

7. Disable programs in system configurations 

Search for "System Configuration" -> "Services" tab -> check "Hide all Microsoft services" -> Remove check from all applications you don't need -> "Apply" -> "OK" -> "Restart" popup 

8. USB power management settings 

Search for "Device Manager" -> open dropdown menu of “Universal Serial Bus controllers” -> right-click all items -> "Properties" -> "Power Management" tab -> uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" -> “OK” 

9. Disable network cards 

Sometimes network cards cause audio issues, if the network card is not the cause of an issue it is advised to revert this action. Search for "Device Manager" -> open dropdown menu of “Network adapters” -> right-click items -> “disable” 

10. Disable “C States” 

To conserve energy, some CPUs have low-power modes called "C-states" or "C-modes" implemented. Disabling C-states in your computer's BIOS might resolve audio issues.  

This process varies depending on your PC's hardware, and we strongly advise getting in touch with the motherboard manufacturer for assistance. 

11. Hard drive compression 

Locate your hard drive(s) intended to use for audio work -> Right-click "Properties" -> "General" tab -> uncheck both "Compress this drive to save disk space" and "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed" -> "Apply" -> "OK" 

We really hope the information we shared has helped you to sort out any Windows and Audio problems you've had. If things are still not working right, don't hesitate to get in touch through our customer support.