If you hear static, buzzing, or crackling from your speaker or receiver during calls or playback, it is usually caused by signal interference, audio quality, or blocked holes. Please don't worry—you can follow the steps below to check your device. Most issues can be fixed with a simple cleaning or setting adjustment.
I. External Environment and Cleaning
1. Check and clean audio holes
In daily use, dust, lint from pockets, or small particles can gather in the speaker and receiver mesh. These particles can vibrate and cause crackling sounds. Please use a dry, soft brush (like a clean toothbrush) or an air blower to gently clean the bottom speaker holes and the top receiver mesh to ensure there are no blockages.
2. Check phone case and screen protector
Some third-party cases do not have precise cutouts, or screen protectors might cover the receiver area, blocking sound and causing buzzing due to resonance. Please temporarily remove your phone case and check if the screen protector is covering the top receiver. If the sound returns to normal, we recommend using original accessories or ones with precise cutouts.
3. Avoid electromagnetic interference
Strong magnetic fields or electromagnetic interference (from things like microwaves, high-power speakers, or elevators) can disrupt audio signals and cause static or buzzing. Please move to an open area with a strong signal, away from such devices, and test again.
II. Software Settings and Audio Check
1. Verify audio quality
Sometimes the noise isn't from the phone hardware, but from poor quality music/video files or background noise on the other person's end during a call. Please try playing high-quality music in different apps or use the system ringtone to test. If the ringtone sounds normal, your phone hardware is fine, and the issue was likely the specific file or app.
2. Turn off special sound effects
Features like "Equalizer," "Bass Boost," or "Virtual Surround Sound" in music apps can sometimes overload the speaker at certain frequencies, causing crackling. Please turn off the equalizer in your music app, set the volume to a medium level, and listen again.
3. Restart the device and update system
Running the system for a long time can cause temporary audio driver glitches. Please restart your phone to reload the audio components. Also, older system versions may have compatibility issues. We recommend going to Settings > About Device, tapping the card at the top, and updating to the latest version, as updates often fix known audio bugs.
If the steps above do not solve the problem, please back up your data and bring your proof of purchase to a realme Customer Service Center. Our professional engineers will be happy to inspect your device and assist you.
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