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How to Fix (DELL) Laptop Speaker Making Buzzing Noise

Why is my Dell laptop making a buzzing noise?

The main reason why a Dell laptop is making a buzzing noise is because of a dusty CPU fans or a  faulty Dual in-line memory module (Dimm).

  • Dusty CPU fans
  • Laptop cooling fan overworked
  • Faulty Dimm A

 

Dusty CPU fans

If you have been using your laptop non-stop,it is likely to collect fine layers of dust inside the CPU fans.

 

Laptop cooling fan overworked

The continuous function of your laptop for long hours without allowing it to rest for some time causes the cooling fan to accumulate dust. This causes a buzzing sound.

 

Faulty Dimm A

If the Dimm A of your computer is faulty, you need to run a diagnostics test. If the results indicate an error, it signifies a faulty hard drive. You will require technical assistance.

 

Why is my Dell laptop making static noise?

Your Dell laptop is making a static noise because of the incorrect installation of Realtek audio drivers through Windows Update. You will hear static noise if you have used the executable driver file to install the Realtek audio drivers.

  • Erroneous installation of Realtek audio drivers through Windows Update.
  • Utilization of executable driver file

 

Erroneous installation of Realtek audio drivers through Windows Update

The static noise that emanates from your Dell laptop is due to the incorrect installation of Realtek audio drivers through a Windows update. You can rectify this by substituting the Realtek audio driver with a Windows native driver, which is known to be a high-definition audio device.

 

Driver executable file utilized 

A driver executable file is not indispensable to Windows and is known to cause problems. A Windows native driver suffices.

 

How to fix a Dell laptop buzzing noise?

You can fix a Dell laptop buzzing noise by cleaning the dust from the fans or air vents, organizing better ventilation, updating the drivers and the basic input/output system, or running a hardware diagnostic test.

  • Cleaning air vents or fans
  • Organizing better ventilation
  • Updating drivers and basic input/output system (BIOS)
  • Running hardware diagnostic test

 

Clean air vents or fans

Air vents clogged with dust and cooling fans accumulate dust when the computer is active for long. This produces a buzzing noise, which can be resolved via the following steps:

 

  1. Switch OFF the computer.
  2. Check the air vents to understand the amount of dust or grime.
  3. Take a can of compressed air to clean the air vents. You can clean the cooling fans with a dry paper napkin. A slim duster also suffices if it reaches into the fan’s crevices.
  4. Ensure that your laptop is always positioned straight and on a hard surface. This will enable the passage of air to keep it cool. It will also help clear the fine layers of dust hovering around the air vents. 

 

Organize better ventilation

Computers are often kept running for long periods. This necessitates proper ventilation inside as well as outside the device. If your laptop receives ample ventilation, the laptop fans function effectively. 

 

Keep the laptop on a hard and flat surface. This way the side vents as wellas the vents on the base experience adequate ventilation at all times.

 

Update the drivers and the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)

You have to constantly update the BIOS and the device drives. When you update the drivers consistently, they enhance your laptop’s compatibility with the software and hardware. They also boost the performance of the laptop. Following are the device drivers you can install to improve the overall functioning of your computer including the cooling fans and other components:

 

  1. Chipset driver
  2. Video card (GPU) driver
  3. BIOS
  4. Thermal chipset driver

 

Dell laptop buzzing noise

 

How to fix a Dell laptop static noise?

The best way to fix a Dell laptop’s static noise is to uninstall the Realtek audio driver. You must then download it and install its latest version. You can also update the sound drivers, change faulty speakers, change the power settings, or run the audio troubleshooter.

 

Uninstall the Realtek audio driver from your Dell laptop

  1. Right-click on Start.
  2. Select Apps and Features.
  3. ChooseRealtek Audio Driver from the Apps & Features list.
  4. Right-click on Realtek Audio Driver and click on Uninstall.

 

Download the latest version of the Realtek audio driver from the official Dell website

  1. Browse through the Drivers & downloads page on the Dell website.
  2. Identify your Dell computer. You can download and install the Dell Support Assist to detect your Dell machine.
  3. Locate the latest version of the Realtek Audio Drive and download it.
  4. Save the file to your Dell laptop.
  5. Open File Explorer and go to the section where you have saved the downloaded Realtek driver.
  6. Double-click on the setup file to install the audio driver by following the instructions appearing on the screen.
  7. Restart your Dell laptop.

 

Update your sound drivers

If your sound drivers have not been updated with the latest version, you will have to update them.

 

Change your speakers

Ensure your speakers are well connected. You can also check them for defects and get them changed.

 

Why does my Dell laptop make a buzzing sound when watching videos?

Your Dell laptop makes a buzzing sound when watching videos because of outdated drivers, the Dell support agent, incorrect installation of Realtek high-definition audio drivers, or malfunctioning cooling fans.

  • Outdated drivers
  • Dell support agent
  • Incorrect installation of Realtek high-definition audio drivers
  • Malfunctioning of cooling fans

You can resolve the above issues in the following ways:

 

Update device drivers regularly

Ensure that your drivers are always updated. Updated drivers enable all the updated programs in your laptop to function in a smooth manner.

 

Dell support agent

Uninstall the Dell support agent with the following steps. It has been one of the key causes of creating a buzzing sound in many Dell laptops.

  1. Go to the Control Panel
  2. Click on Programs
  3. In the Programs and Features section, click Uninstall a program
  4. Click on Dell support agent and uninstall it

 

Incorrect installation of Realtek high-definition audio drivers

If you have installed the Realtek audio drivers through a Windows update, you are bound to hear a buzzing sound, but this can be easily corrected.

  1. Install a Windows native driver.
  2. Uninstall the Realtek driver. 

 

The buzzing sound will be eliminated, and you can enjoy crystal clear audio.

 

Malfunctioning of cooling fans

If you are working on your Dell laptop for many hours, your cooling fans get overworked. They also tend to accumulate dust, and this distorts the audio. It’s quite simple to overcome this hurdle if you follow the instructions given below:

  1. Shut down your computer.
  2. Clean the air vents with a can of compressed air if they are blocked due to dust accumulation.
  3. Use a clean and dry paper napkin to clean the cooling fans.
  4. Keep your laptop on a clean, hard surface and upright position.

 

Why Dell laptop makes a buzzing noise when plugged in?

When plugged in, your Dell laptop makes a buzzing noise because of a malfunctioning charger, a blocked and overworked case, or cooling fans. Loose cables and screws, overloaded central processing unit, coil whine, heavy power supply, or keyboard keys issue are some of the causes.

  • Malfunctioning charger
  • Blocked and overworked case
  • Cooling fans
  • Ill-fitting/loose cables and screws
  • Overloaded CPU
  • Coil whine
  • Heavy power supply
  • Keyboard keys issue

 

Given below are a few simple solutions to overcome these glitches:

Malfunctioning charger

  • First, check the charger if you plug in your Dell laptop and it makes a buzzing sound. If the charger is faulty, you should unplug it immediately before it harms other parts of your laptop.
  • Have the charger repaired if it is a minor fault or replace it with a new one.

 

Blocked and overworked case or cooling fans

If your laptop has been overworked, its cooling fans also get overworked. When your computer is active for long periods, the cooling fans also tend to get covered with dust. These are minor issues, and you can resolve them in the following way:

 

  1. Rest your laptop at some intervals – either keep it in Sleep mode or shut it down and restart it when not in use.
  2. Clean the cooling fans and ensure that your laptop receives adequate ventilation on all sides, especially on the base.
  3. Place your laptop on a neat and hard surface.
  4. Position your laptop in an upright manner always.

 

Ill-fitting/loose cables and screws

  1. Ensure the cable is well plugged into the socket. 
  2. Check the socket and its screws. If the socket has been overused, the screws may have become loose. This impacts the connectivity and produces a buzzing sound.
  3. Check the cable connection. A loose connection creates a buzzing sound.

 

Overloaded CPU

An overworked laptop impacts the central processing unit (CPU). You may be using too many apps. Uninstall and delete apps that are not in regular use.

 

Coil whine

This issue is a fallout of an overworked laptop. The coils in the internal components vibrate at a frequency that produces a buzzing sound. This can be fixed in the following ways:

  1. Maintain a strict frame per second (FPS).
  2. Disable your graphics processing unit (GPU) overlock. This helps increase the GPU’s core frequency at a slow pace and prevents overheating.
  3. Undervolt the GPU. This will consume less power and reduce the coil whine.

 

Heavy power supply

A surge in the electricity supply enables a speedy vibration of the capacitors causing coil whine. 

  1. Check the power supply. 
  2. In case you find the GPU experiencing a high level of coil whine, you need to replace it with a new one. This will prevent the buzzing sound from recurring. 

 

How to stop the buzzing noise coming from Dell XPS 15 Laptop?

You can prevent the buzzing noise from your Dell XPS 15 laptop by checking the cooling fans and air vents or device drivers. You can also look for insufficient ventilation or possible physical damage to your laptop’s internal components.

These issues can be rectified in the following manner:

 

Cooling fans and air vents

If the cooling fans and air vents are blocked due to layers of dust, they can impact the overall functioning of the Dell XPS 15 laptop and create a buzzing noise. The following steps can help you overcome the buzzing noise:

  1. Shut down your laptop.
  2. Use a device of compressed air to clear the air vents of dust. 
  3. Use a dust filter to clean the cooling fans.
  4. Keep your laptop on a hard and clean surface. 
  5. Ensure your Dell XPS 15 is always kept in an upright position so that the air vents do not get obstructed.

 

Device Drivers

Outdated device drivers can cause a buzzing sound and need to be updated accordingly. To experience the seamless functioning of your laptop, you should download and install the latest versions of the following drivers from the official Dell website by following the detailed instructions.

  1. Thermal chipset driver
  2. Chipset driver
  3. Video card / Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) driver
  4. Basic input-output system (BIOS) driver

 

Ventilation

Ensure that your computer gets overall ventilation. You can keep your Dell XPS 15 in a cool room or workstation to protect it from overheating. This enhances the performance of the laptop. 

 

Physical damage

A buzzing sound can also be the result of some faulty hardware. 

Run a diagnostic test. The test will help you evaluate the complete status of your laptop and understand if the hardware is damaged or not.

 

How to stop the buzzing noise coming from Dell XPS 13 Laptop?

You can stop the buzzing noise coming from your Dell XPS 13 laptop by ensuring that your Windows has not gone into sleep mode, checking your audio drivers, conducting an ePSA test, or restoring the system settings.

  • Check if Windows is in Sleep mode
  • Test your audio settings
  • Perform an Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA) test
  • Reset the current settings to the original settings

Below are some practical and simple tips to stop the buzzing noise from Dell XPS 13 laptop.

 

Check if Windows is in sleep mode

Most laptop users unplug their headphones once they put their laptop into sleep mode. Very often, Windows thinks that your earphones are still plugged in when you bring your laptop out of its sleep mode. Plug your earphones and then unplug them. You will be surprised at how the irritating buzzing sound has vanished.

 

Test the audio driver settings of your Dell XPS 13 laptop

  1. In your taskbar, right-click the speaker icon. 
  2. Click on Troubleshoot sound problems and then Open Enhancements
  3. Clear all the checkboxes. 
  4. Click OK and then click Next
  5. Click on Playtest sounds. Based on what you hear, you can click on the options stating the quality of the audio and choose to continue using the existing audio driver or another high-definition audio driver.

 

Conduct an Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA) test

A very effective way to understand if the hardware of your speakers is malfunctioning is to perform an ePSA test. 

 

  1. Restart your laptop and press the F12 key. 
  2. Select Diagnostics and then press the Enter key. You will be questioned on whether the colored bars are visible to you.
  3. Click Yes. You will hear a loud beep if the speakers are in good condition. If you don’t hear it, your speakers are faulty. You can ask Dell to replace them.

 

Reset the current settings to the original settings

If the buzzing sound is stubborn, you can roll back the current settings to the original ones. The process is very simple and you can start with the taskbar. 

  1. Click on Search in Windows and type Create a restore point
  2. In the System Properties window, click the System Restore tab.
  3. Click System Restore… followed by Next.
  4. Select a restore point before the buzzing sound started. 
  5. Click on Next and then on Finish

This will rollback your current settings to the restore point you have selected. This is sure to make you free of all the buzzing sounds.

 

How to stop the buzzing noise coming from Dell Alienware M15R6?

You can stop the buzzing noise coming from Dell Alienware M15R6 by running a SupportAssist diagnostic test or checking the audio from your headphones and speakers. You can also prevent the noise by checking your microphone for damages.

  • SupportAssist diagnostic test
  • Checking audio from Headphones and Speakers
  • Examining the microphone

The buzzing sound can be fixed in the following ways:

 

Perform a SupportAssist diagnostic test

The SupportAssist is embedded in the BIOS. The BIOS launches it internally. Earlier known as ePSA, it examines your entire hardware. Run this test in an interactive mode or set it to a monthly automatic mode as well. This test provides exact results on the underlying problems, if any, in the hardware for you to take appropriate action. It may fix some issues automatically.

This test also tells you if you need to replace some internal parts to resolve the buzzing noise.

 

Check audio from headphones and speakers

  1. Play music or video and ensure that the audio is not muted.
  2. Click on the audio icon visible on the lower right-hand corner of your laptop screen.

Mute and unmute your speakers. A vertical green bar moving up and down indicates faultless speakers while a gray bar denotes faulty speakers.  

  1. Click on Playback devices.
  2. Right-click on the device of your preference and set it as the default option.
  3. Disable (or disconnect) the other devices. 
  4. See if your headphones and speakers are configured correctly. 
  5. Uninstall the audio driver and install the latest audio driver from the Drivers page on the official website of Dell. You may also update your BIOS driver if it is outdated.
  6. Make sure your speakers are properly connected.

 

Faulty microphone

  1. Click on the sound icon on the lower right-hand side of your Dell Alienware M15R6 screen.
  2. Click on Recording devices.
  3. Right-click on the Microphone / headset option.
  4. Click on Set as default device.
  5. Right-click on the Microphone / headset option.
  6. Click on Properties.
  7. Click onthe Levels tab.
  8. Make the required volume adjustments.
  9. Click OK.

 

How to stop buzzing noise coming from Dell Alienware M15 Ryzen R5?

You can stop the buzzing noise coming from Dell Alienware M15 Ryzen R5 by checking the audio from your headphones, or performing a SupportAssist diagnostic test. You can also put an end to the noise by inspecting your microphone for damages, or checking the connectivity of your speakers.

 

  • Checking audio from headphones
  • Inspecting the microphone
  • Running a SupportAssist diagnostic test

The buzzing sound can be resolved in the following manner:

 

Check audio from headphones

  1. Play a video or audio. Ensure that the audio is not muted.
  2. Click the Sound icon on the lower right-hand corner of your laptop.
  3. Mute and then unmute your speakers.

Play the audio. If you see a vertical green bar moving up and down, your speakers are functioning flawlessly. If your speakers are faulty, you will see a grey bar.

 

  1. Click the Playback devices tab.
  2. Right-click on the device of your choice and set it to Default.
  3. Disable the other devices. 
  4. Check to see whether your speakers are properly connected.
  5. Check for the correct configuration of your speakers and headphone.
  6. Uninstall the audio driver. From the Drivers Page on the official website of Dell, Install the latest audio driver. Do a BIOS update also if needed.

 

Malfunctioning microphone

  1. Click on the Sound icon on your Dell Alienware M15 Ryzen R5 laptop.
  2. Click Recording devices.
  3. SelectMicrophone / headset followed by Set as default device.
  4. Select the Microphone / headset option once again.
  5. Click Properties.
  6. Click the Levels tab to adjust the volume levels according to your preference.
  7. Click OK.

 

Run a SupportAssist diagnostic test

Execute this SupportAssist test in an interactive mode. You can also set it to a monthly automatic mode. The SupportAssist is internally launched by the BIOS and does a hardware check for internal faults that have to be rectified. Some issues are fixed by this test automatically. The results of this test inform you about what components are faulty and need to be replaced. Once you replace them the issue of buzzing noise is resolved.

Ernie Lo

Ernie Lo is a qualified web designer and web developer. He works as an IT support technician and website manager at Benleigh Vending, and he also fixes vending machines.

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