Audio Distortion or Speaker Static Noise on Latitude, XPS, Inspiron, Precision, and Vostro Laptops

When the Realtek audio drivers are installed using the Windows Update or the driver executable file, there is a small chance that the speakers may exhibit a static noise during audio playback.

Scenario (including but not limited to):

• driver update through windows update
• audio driver installation with Dell driver pack (CAB)
• audio driver installation by .inf instead of Dell driver package (DUP)

Affected Platforms:

• Inspiron 5401/5408
• Inspiron 5501/5508
• Latitude 3410
• Latitude 3510
• Latitude 3550
• Latitude 5310
• Latitude 5410
• Latitude 5411
• Latitude 5510
• Latitude 5511
• Latitude 7210 2-in-1
• Latitude 7310
• Latitude 7410
• Latitude 9510
• Precision 3550
• Precision 3551
• Precision 5540
• Precision 5550
• Precision 5750
• Vostro 5401
• Vostro 5501
• XPS 13 7390 2-in-1
• XPS 13 9300
• XPS 13 9380
• XPS 15 7590
• XPS 15 9500
• XPS 17 9700

This issue is caused when the Realtek audio drivers are installed using Windows Update or using the driver executable file.

To resolve the audio distortion or static noise issue, uninstall the Realtek Audio driver and then download and install the latest version of the Realtek audio driver.

Uninstall the Realtek audio driver:

1. Right-click Start and select Apps & features.
2. In the Apps & features window, locate and select Realtek Audio Driver (Figure 1).
3. Click Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
5. Restart the computer (if prompted).

Download and install the latest Realtek audio driver from the Dell.com/support website:

1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & Downloads page.
2. Identify your Dell product
   1. Click Download & Install SupportAssist to auto-detect your Dell product. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Dell SupportAssist. For more information, see the Dell knowledge base article Dell SupportAssist (formerly Dell System Detect): Overview and Common Questions.
   2. Or, enter the Service Tag, Express Service Code, or the Serial number of the Dell product and click Search.
   3. Or, click Browse all products to manually select your Dell product from the catalog
3. Select the Operating System that is installed on the computer.
4. Under Category, select Audio.
5. Locate the latest Realtek Audio Driver.
6. Click Download and save the file to your computer.
7. Open File Explorer and browse to the location where the downloaded file is saved.
8. Double-click the Realtek Audio Driver setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
9. Restart the computer.

Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• Static Noise from Speakers on Select Dell Inspiron Laptop PCs
• My Laptop Makes a High-Pitched Buzzing Noise
• How to Fix Problems With My Speakers Emitting Unwanted Noise
• A Guide to Identifying the Source of an Abnormal Noise on a Dell Computer
• How to Troubleshoot Audio or Sound Recording Issues
• Inspiron, Vostro, Alienware, XPS, Precision, and Latitude Laptop Audio Distortion When Playing Music or Video after Windows Update