Unstable & stuttering audio is the common reason for spoiling the YouTube video experience. If you encounter this issue on YouTube while using Chrome on Windows, here are the fixes.
YouTube buffering and audio stuttering are very annoying when binge-watching your favorite TV show. They ruin the watching experience. However, in some cases, restarting the browser fixes the issues. Therefore, to assist you in resolving YouTube difficulties, we’ve collected a list of workable fixes that will help troubleshoot the issue.
Short on time? Use Advanced System Optimizer
The PC cleaning tool will help update the outdated & missing audio driver, the common reason behind the audio stuttering problem. Using the Driver Update module, you can easily scan the PC for problematic drives and update them. To use the tool, follow these steps:
1. Download and install Advanced System Optimizer
2. Launch the tool > click Windows Optimizers from the left pane > click Driver Updater
3. Perform the scan by clicking Start Scan Now > review scan results > update the audio driver.
4. Restart the PC to apply changes.
Now, first, let’s rule out hardware issues. To do so, play audio on any website or your computer. If the audio still stutters, the device seems to be an issue. In addition to this, connect the device with another computer. This will help identify if the audio device or the OS creates the issue.
If the stuttering persists on a different PC, replace the computer. However, if it works properly, there is a problem with the operating system. In such cases, jump to the operating system fixes.
However, if the problem occurs only with YouTube, the browser is most likely caused. This post will discuss both browser & system-specific fixes and how to fix them.
So, let’s start with some basic fixes.
Manual Troubleshooting Steps To Fix YouTube Audio Stuttering Problem
Before getting into technical troubleshooting, it’s best to try some general fixes. Below are some of the steps that might help.
1. Mute and Unmute the Browser Tab
Muting and then unmuting the YouTube tab has a strong possibility of resolving the YouTube stuttering problem. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the browser tab where YouTube is running.
2. Click on the Mute site option.
3. This will mute YouTube Tab in Chrome.
4. Exit Chrome.
5. Re-launch the browser > open YouTube > right-click on the tab > select the Unmute site.
6. Now, try to play the YouTube video; you should not face any problems. However, if this doesn’t help, let’s move to the next fix.
2. Eliminate Account Issues
Although the chances of having issues with the YouTube account are less. Still, sign out of your YouTube account > and create a new one to rule out any chances. Alternatively, you can sign in to another account.
If this fixes the problem, you will need to stop using the old account.
3. Try an Alternate Browser
To ensure that your default browser is not the reason for the problem, try switching to an alternate one and playing YouTube video. If YouTube works smoothly on another browser. It means your default browser has some issues.
However, if you don’t want to stop using Chrome, let’s try some browser-related fixes to troubleshoot the problem.
Chrome-Level Fixes to Troubleshoot Audio Issues
If you encounter the audio stuttering issue only in Chrome, try the following fixes:
1. Block Extensions
To avoid interference that might be causing YouTube audio problems, disable all sketchy extensions you’re using. The first ones to be blocked should be Adblockers. As they directly interact with YouTube’s script, they might be the reason behind the audio issue.
To check which extension is creating the problem, you must disable each extension.
1. Launch Chrome
2. Click the three dots at the top right > select More Settings > Extensions.
3. Move the slider one by one for each extension to disable it.
4. After disabling each extension, re-launch the browser and check if the problem is fixed or not.
5. However, if you are short on time, launch Chrome in the Incognito tab, where all add-ons, unless permitted, are disabled. Now try to run YouTube and see if it works fine or not. Suppose it doesn’t move to the next fix.
2. Disable Hardware Acceleration
The Chrome browser has a hardware acceleration feature to reduce the load off the CPU and shift it to GPU. The feature boosts browser performance. However, if your PC lacks a GPU, you might face issues.
Therefore, to confirm it isn’t the culprit, try these fixes:
1. Launch Google Chrome.
2. Click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner > select Settings.
3. From the left pane, expand the Advanced dropdown.
4. Go to System > and disable the “Use hardware acceleration when available” option.
5. Relaunch your browser. Now try to play the YouTube video; it should work.
3. Apply General Chrome-Based Fixes
If deactivating hardware acceleration does not resolve the issue, use Chrome debugging tools:
Upgrade Chrome browser
1. Launch Chrome > click the three dots > Settings > About Chrome > wait for it to check update > click Relaunch to apply changes.
2. If this doesn’t work, delete Chrome’s cache and cookies. Additionally, we suggest erasing Chrome browsing history.
When nothing works, only then delete the history, as it will wipe the slate clean.
Windows-Related Fixes
If none of the above fixes has worked, try some operating system fixes.
1. Update the Audio Driver
An out-of-date audio driver causes audio issues in browsers. Therefore updating the driver is suggested. You can update the driver manually from Device Manager, but it is time-consuming and risky. Hence we recommend using the Driver Updater module of Advanced System Optimizer. To use it, follow the steps below:
1. Download and install Advanced System Optimizer
2. Launch the tool > click Windows Optimizers from the left pane > click Driver Updater
3. Perform the scan by clicking Start Scan Now.
4. Wait for the scan to finish.
5. Review scan results and click Download next to the audio driver.
Alternatively, you can click Update Selected Drivers to update outdated drivers.
6. Restart the PC to apply changes.
In addition to this, you can use Smart PC Care offered by Advanced System Optimizer to clean junk files, scan and clean infections, and other potentially unwanted files.
This will help keep the PC clean and optimized. The all-in-one tweaking tool is best to keep the PC’s performance boosted and avoid facing common Windows issues.
2. Disable Audio Enhancements
The audio enhancement feature is an excellent addition to Windows 10. It breathes new life into your system’s sounds and often increases audio quality. However, in some cases, it might do the reverse.
Therefore, we suggest disabling it to see if it helps. To do so, follow the instructions below:
1. Right-click on the speaker icon present in the system tray > select Sounds.
2. Go to the Playback tab > select primary audio device > right-click > Properties.
3. In the Properties window click the Enhancement tab > check the box next to Disable all enhancements > click Apply > Ok.
If this doesn’t work, run the Windows audio troubleshooter.
3. Run the Audio Troubleshooter
To run the audio troubleshooter in Windows, follow the below steps:
1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go Update & Security.
3. Select Troubleshoot from the left pane > click Additional troubleshooters.
4. Click on Playing Audio > Run the troubleshooter.
5. Wait for it to run; it will be automatically fixed if any problem is detected.
Using these steps, we are certain that you will be able to fix the audio stuttering problem when running YouTube in Chrome.
No Audio Stuttering when Watching YouTube Video
The fixes mentioned above should help get rid of the audio stuttering problems, and you should be able to play videos without any problem. Please let us know which fix worked for you. Also, if you want to keep your Windows PC optimized, give Advanced System Optimizer a try.
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