Citra Audio Problems – Fix Crackling, Stuttering & Desync (2026)

Audio problems are very common in the Citra emulator and can be very annoying. You might hear crackling sounds, broken or stuttering audio, or sound that does not match the video. These issues can make your game less enjoyable, but the good news is that most of them are easy to fix.

In this guide, you will learn simple and clear solutions for fixing Citra audio issues on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. It explains why these problems happen and how to fix them step by step. Most users can solve their sound issues in just 5–10 minutes and enjoy smooth, synced audio while playing their 3DS games on Citra.

Why Citra Audio Issues Happen: Understanding the Technical Background

Before fixing the problem, it helps to understand why Citra audio issues happen. When you know the basic reason, it becomes easier to apply the correct fix and avoid the problem again in the future.

CPU and GPU Synchronization:

Citra copies how the Nintendo 3DS works by using your computer’s CPU and GPU together. For smooth gameplay, both parts must work at the same speed and stay in sync.

• The CPU handles game logic, physics, and audio processing.
• The GPU handles graphics and visual effects.
• Both must finish their tasks at the same time for everything to stay smooth.

If the CPU runs faster than the GPU, or the GPU runs faster than the CPU, the sound system becomes unstable. When this happens, you may hear crackling, popping, or stuttering sounds.

Emulation Speed and Audio:

Citra shows an “emulation speed” percentage that tells you how close the game is running to real-time speed.

• 100% speed means everything is perfectly synced and audio is smooth.
• 95–99% speed may cause small crackles or short stutters.
• Below 95% speed usually causes heavy and constant audio problems.
• Above 100% speed makes the sound play too fast and high-pitched.

Most sound issues happen when the speed keeps moving between 95% and 105% instead of staying stable at 100%. During heavy scenes like battles or cutscenes, your system may slow down for a moment, which causes temporary audio problems.

Frame Drops and Audio Buffer:

Citra uses something called an audio buffer, which stores sound before playing it. If your game suddenly slows down, this buffer can empty too quickly.

What usually happens during frame drops:

• The system struggles in a heavy part of the game.
• FPS drops for a short time.
• The audio buffer runs low.
• You hear crackling or popping sounds.
• Once performance improves, the sound becomes normal again.

This is why audio problems often happen in battles or intense scenes but disappear in simpler areas.

Why Some Games Have More Audio Problems?

Some 3DS games use more advanced sound systems and need extra processing power.

Games that often stress the audio system include:

• Pokemon ORAS because of heavy battle sounds and music.
• Pokemon XY because of layered battle audio.
• Monster Hunter due to many background sound effects.
• Fire Emblem because of voice clips plus music and effects.
• Zelda games because of 3D positional audio.

If your system handles simple games well but struggles with these titles, the extra sound effects are usually the reason.

Main Reason :

Most Citra audio problems happen because the emulation speed is not stable. This can be caused by weak hardware, wrong settings, or too many background programs running. When you fix these issues and keep the speed close to 100%, audio usually becomes smooth and properly synced.

Fix #1: Enable Audio Stretching (Fixes 70% of Issues)

Audio Stretching is the most effective and important fix for Citra audio problems. For around 70% of users, simply turning on this option completely removes crackling and stuttering sounds. It is the first setting you should enable before trying anything else.

What Audio Stretching Does?

Audio Stretching automatically adjusts the sound speed to match small changes in emulation speed. If the emulator slows down to 98%, the audio also slows down slightly so everything stays in sync. When the speed goes back to 100%, the audio returns to normal automatically.

Without Audio Stretching:

• If emulation speed drops to 97%, the audio still plays at full 100% speed.
• The audio buffer starts emptying faster than it can refill.
• You begin to hear crackling and popping sounds.
• In some cases, parts of the audio may skip completely.

With Audio Stretching Enabled:

• If emulation speed drops slightly, the audio speed adjusts automatically.
• The audio buffer stays balanced and does not empty suddenly.
• Crackling and stuttering sounds disappear.
• Audio and video remain perfectly synced during gameplay.

The speed change is very small, so most players never notice the slight adjustment.

Step-by-Step: How to Enable Audio Stretching

Windows, Mac, and Linux:

• Open the Citra emulator and wait for it to fully load.
• Click on Emulation in the top menu bar to open emulator options.
• Select Configure to open the settings window.
• Click on the Audio tab from the left sidebar menu.
• Find the option labeled Enable Audio Stretching in the list.
• Check the box to activate this feature.
• Click OK to save your changes.
• Restart your game to clear any old audio buffer problems.

Android:

• Open the Citra app on your device.
• Tap the three-line menu icon in the corner.
• Go to Settings and then select Audio.
• Turn on the toggle for Audio Stretching.
• Return to your game and continue playing normally.

Although the setting works immediately, restarting the game ensures better results.

Performance Impact of Audio Stretching:

Audio Stretching uses very little system power and is safe to keep enabled at all times.

• CPU usage increases slightly by about 1–2%, which is too small to affect performance noticeably.
• RAM usage increases by only a few megabytes, which is almost nothing for modern systems.
• FPS does not decrease because this feature focuses only on sound processing.
• Emulation speed often becomes more stable after enabling it.
• Overall sound quality becomes smoother and more consistent.

Even systems with minimum requirements can use Audio Stretching without problems.

When Audio Stretching Will Not Fix the Problem:

Audio Stretching mainly fixes small sync problems caused by minor speed drops. It will not solve every possible audio issue.

It may not help if:

• Emulation speed stays below 90% most of the time due to weak hardware.
• Your audio drivers are outdated, broken, or conflicting with other software.
• There is a physical issue with your speakers or headphones.
• The game itself has a specific audio bug in Citra.
• The ROM file is damaged or incomplete.

If your issue continues after enabling this option, you may need to adjust other settings or update drivers.

Before and After Comparison:

Before Enabling Audio Stretching:

• You hear constant crackling during battles or heavy scenes.
• Sound stutters when entering busy areas.
• Audio may cut out briefly during cutscenes.
• The sound slowly goes out of sync with the video.
• The overall gaming experience feels distracting and annoying.

After Enabling Audio Stretching:

• Sound plays smoothly even during demanding scenes.
• Crackling and popping noises disappear completely.
• Audio remains perfectly synced with gameplay.
• Cutscenes play without sound distortion.
• The overall experience feels stable and professional.

Always enable Audio Stretching before trying advanced fixes. For most users, this single setting completely solves Citra audio problems and restores smooth, synchronized sound.

Fix #2: Change Audio Output Device

Sometimes Citra audio problems happen because the emulator is set to “Auto” for audio output. When this option is selected, Citra automatically chooses your default sound device. On systems with multiple audio devices, this can cause conflicts, wrong device selection, or crackling sounds.

Why “Auto” Output Can Cause Issues?

When “Auto” is enabled, Citra depends on your operating system to decide which audio device to use. If Windows or your system changes the default device during gameplay, Citra may lose sound or start producing crackling.

Common Situations Where This Happens:

• A desktop connected to both monitor speakers and headphones at the same time.
• A laptop using internal speakers while also connected to HDMI audio.
• A USB headset plugged in along with built-in motherboard audio.
• Bluetooth speakers paired while wired speakers are also available.
• Virtual audio devices created by recording or streaming software.

In these situations, the system may switch devices automatically, which can break the audio inside Citra.

How to Select a Specific Audio Device?

Manually choosing your sound device makes sure Citra always uses the correct hardware.

Windows, Mac, and Linux:

• Open Citra and go to Emulation > Configure > Audio.
• Find the Output Device dropdown menu.
• Click the dropdown where it says “Auto.”
• Look through the list of available audio devices.
• Select your main device, such as your headphones or speakers.
• Click OK to save the setting.
• Open a game and test if the audio works properly.

How to Identify the Correct Device:

• Look for names like “Realtek Audio,” “NVIDIA HDMI,” or your headphone brand name.
• Usually, the device you recently used in Windows is the correct one.
• If you are unsure, test each device one by one until you find the one that works cleanly.

Android:

• Citra on Android usually follows system audio settings automatically.
• To change output, go to Android Settings > Sound > Output Device.
• Choose your preferred speaker or headphones from there.

Testing Different Audio Devices:

If you are not sure which device works best, test them one at a time.

Simple Testing Steps:

• Select the first device from the list.
• Start a game and listen carefully to the audio.
• If there is no sound or crackling continues, switch to the next device.
• Repeat the process until you find one that gives clear sound.
• Remember the working device so you can use it again later.

Some devices may produce sound but still have crackling, while others give smooth and clean audio.

USB vs Onboard Audio:

Different types of audio hardware behave differently with emulators.

Onboard Audio (Motherboard Audio):

• Usually appears as “Realtek” or your motherboard chipset name.
• It is generally stable and works well with Citra.
• It has lower delay compared to Bluetooth devices.
• It is usually the safest option for gaming.

USB Audio Devices:

• Includes USB headsets and external sound cards.
• May sometimes cause crackling due to USB communication delays.
• Can work better if plugged into a different USB port.
• Testing both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports can sometimes fix issues.

HDMI Audio:

• Sends sound through a monitor or TV.
• May have slight delay if drivers are not configured properly.
• Usually works fine once correctly selected in settings.

Bluetooth Audio:

• Not recommended for emulation because it has high delay.
• Can cause audio lag and random disconnections.
• Wired headphones or speakers are much more stable.

If you continue to experience audio issues, try switching from USB or Bluetooth audio to your motherboard’s built-in audio. This helps determine whether the problem is caused by the device itself.

Fix #3: Update Audio Drivers

Old, broken, or outdated audio drivers are a very common reason for Citra sound problems. If your drivers are not updated, the emulator may struggle to communicate properly with your sound device. Updating drivers can fix compatibility issues, remove crackling sounds, and improve overall audio performance.

Windows Audio Driver Update:

Most Windows computers use Realtek audio drivers or drivers provided by the laptop or motherboard manufacturer.

Method 1: Using Device Manager (Easy Method)

• Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager from the list.
• Expand the section called Sound, video and game controllers to see your audio devices.
• Right-click your main audio device, usually named “Realtek High Definition Audio.”
• Click Update driver from the menu that appears.
• Choose Search automatically for drivers so Windows checks for updates online.
• If an update is found, let Windows download and install it completely.
• Restart your computer after installation to apply the changes properly.

Method 2: Download from Manufacturer Website (More Reliable)

• Open Device Manager, right-click your audio device, and open Properties.
• Go to the Details tab to identify your exact audio chipset model.
• Visit the official website of the manufacturer such as Realtek, ASUS, MSI, Dell, or HP.
• Go to the Support or Downloads section of the website.
• Download the latest driver that matches your Windows version.
• Run the installer file, and allow administrator permission if asked.
• Restart your computer once installation is complete.

Realtek Audio Driver Update:

Realtek is the most common audio chipset in home and gaming PCs.

• Visit the official Realtek website.
• Download the latest version of High Definition Audio Codecs for your Windows version.
• Make sure you choose the correct 64-bit version if you are using 64-bit Windows.
• Install the driver and restart your system.

After updating, you can also install Realtek Audio Console from the Microsoft Store to adjust advanced sound settings that may improve Citra audio quality.

Mac Audio Updates:

macOS manages audio drivers automatically through system updates.

• Click the Apple menu and open System Settings or System Preferences.
• Go to General and select Software Update.
• Install any available macOS updates shown on the screen.
• Restart your Mac after the update finishes installing.

Mac audio issues are less common, but if you use external USB audio interfaces, make sure you download drivers directly from the device manufacturer’s website.

Linux Audio System Updates:

Linux systems use ALSA and PulseAudio (or PipeWire) for sound management.

Ubuntu or Debian:

• Open the Terminal.
• Type sudo apt update to refresh package lists.
• Type sudo apt upgrade alsa-base pulseaudio to update audio components.
• Restart your computer using sudo reboot.

Arch or Manjaro:

• Open the Terminal.
• Type sudo pacman -Syu alsa-utils pulseaudio to update audio packages.
• Restart your system after updates finish.

If audio still has issues, you can restart PulseAudio manually using commands like pulseaudio -k and pulseaudio --start.

Rolling Back Drivers (If New Driver Causes Problems):

Sometimes a new driver may create new issues instead of fixing them.

• Open Device Manager and right-click your audio device.
• Select Properties and open the Driver tab.
• Click the Roll Back Driver button if it is available.
• Choose a reason for rolling back and confirm your choice.
• Restart your computer after rollback completes.

If the rollback option is disabled, you will need to manually download an older driver version from the manufacturer’s website.

Verify After Updating Drivers:

After updating or reinstalling drivers, test Citra again carefully.

• Open Citra and load one of your games.
• Listen carefully for crackling sounds in different areas.
• Test audio during battles and cutscenes where sound problems often appear.
• Make sure the sound stays synced with gameplay.
• Check that emulation speed remains stable around 100%.

If audio problems continue even after updating drivers, move on to the next fixes to further improve stability.

Fix #4: Lower Emulation Speed for Better Synchronization

If your PC cannot keep emulation speed at a stable 100%, slightly lowering the speed limit can fix audio crackling and desync. This method gives your system a small performance buffer so it does not constantly struggle to reach full speed.

Understanding Frame Limit Adjustment:

The frame limit controls how fast Citra tries to run the game. By default, it is set to 100%, which matches the original 3DS speed. If your system keeps jumping between 97% and 100%, audio may go out of sync.

Why Lowering Speed Helps:

• Your system may struggle to stay at a steady 100% speed during heavy scenes.
• Emulation speed may constantly move between 97% and 102%.
• These small changes cause the audio to fall out of sync.
• Setting the limit to 97% or 98% gives your system a stable target.
• Your PC can maintain that slightly lower speed more consistently.
• Audio remains synchronized because speed no longer fluctuates.

When You Should Use This Fix?

This method works best in specific situations.

Use This Fix When:

• Emulation speed stays around 95–99% but never reaches a stable 100%.
• Audio Stretching is already enabled but sound issues continue.
• You are using a minimum-spec or older system.
• Certain games always cause slowdowns in specific areas.
• Background apps are using some of your system resources.

Do Not Use This Fix When:

• Emulation speed is already stable at 100% all the time.
• Speed drops below 90%, which usually means your hardware is too weak.
• You only notice rare and very small frame drops.

How to Change Frame Limit?

You can adjust this setting inside Citra’s General settings.

Step-by-Step:

• Open Citra and go to Emulation > Configure.
• Click on the General tab.
• Make sure Limit Speed is checked.
• Find the Speed slider or percentage value (default is 100%).
• Lower it to 98%, 97%, or 96% depending on your system.
• Click OK to save the setting.
• Start your game and watch the emulation speed during gameplay.

Recommended Settings:

• If speed jumps between 95–100%, set it to 97%.
• If speed jumps between 97–100%, set it to 98%.
• Do not go below 95%, as the game will feel noticeably slower.

Effects of Lowering Speed:

Reducing the frame limit slightly has only a small impact on gameplay.

• The game may run 2–5% slower than normal speed.
• Most players do not notice the difference at 98%.
• Cutscenes may feel slightly slower at 95%.
• Gameplay usually feels almost the same.
• Audio quality becomes much smoother and more stable.

Speed Perception Guide:

• 98% speed feels almost identical to 100% during play.
• 95% speed may feel slightly slower but still playable.
• Below 95% speed feels clearly slow and less enjoyable.

For most users, the smoother sound is worth the tiny speed reduction.

Game-Specific Adjustments:

Some games work better at certain speed limits.

• Pokemon ORAS often runs more smoothly at 98%.
• Monster Hunter may benefit from a 97% limit.
• Fire Emblem usually works fine at 100%, but lower if needed.
• Zelda games may need 98% if audio crackles during combat.

You can create separate Citra profiles for different games if needed.

Monitoring Emulation Speed:

To make sure your new setting works, check Citra’s performance stats.

• Go to View > Show Performance Stats (or press Ctrl + Shift + P).
• Look at the speed percentage shown on the screen.
• It should stay stable at your chosen value, such as 98%.

If speed still moves up and down a lot even after lowering it, your system may need stronger hardware or further optimization.

Fix #5: Disable Hardware Shader (Rare Cases)

In most cases, Hardware Shader improves performance and makes games run faster. However, in rare situations, it can cause audio timing problems. If all other fixes have failed and sound is still crackling or out of sync, turning off Hardware Shader may help.

When Hardware Shader Can Cause Audio Issues?

Hardware Shader moves graphics work from the CPU to the GPU, which normally increases FPS. But on some systems, this can create timing problems between sound processing and graphics rendering.

Situations Where This May Happen:

• Your GPU drivers are old, broken, or not fully compatible with Citra.
• You are using integrated graphics with weak or unstable OpenGL support.
• Certain GPU models may have small timing issues with emulators.
• Your CPU and GPU performance levels are very different, causing imbalance.

These cases are not common, but they can affect audio synchronization.

Performance Impact of Disabling Hardware Shader:

Turning off Hardware Shader has a noticeable performance cost.

What Happens When You Disable It:

• FPS can drop by 20–40% because the CPU now handles all graphics work.
• CPU usage can increase by 30–50%, especially in heavy scenes.
• Graphics quality stays the same, but rendering becomes slower.
• Audio may become smoother if timing conflicts were the issue.

You should only try this if other fixes did not solve your sound problem.

How to Disable Hardware Shader?

The option is inside Citra’s Graphics settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Open Citra and go to Emulation > Configure.
• Click on the Graphics tab.
• Find the option called Enable Hardware Shader.
• Uncheck the box to disable it.
• Click OK to save changes.
• Restart Citra and test your game audio again.

Try Accurate Multiplication First:

Before disabling Hardware Shader completely, try turning on Accurate Multiplication in Graphics > Advanced. This setting can fix timing and shadow issues without causing a big performance drop.

When You Should Try This Fix?

This method should be used only in specific cases.

Try It When:

• All other audio fixes have completely failed.
• Audio crackling is strong and constant in every area.
• You believe the issue is related to GPU timing.
• You are willing to accept lower FPS for better sound.
• Your GPU has known compatibility problems with emulators.

Do Not Try It When:

• Audio Stretching already fixed the problem.
• Your FPS is already below 40 and performance is weak.
• Other fixes partially worked and only need small adjustments.

Alternative Shader Settings:

Instead of fully disabling Hardware Shader, you can try smaller adjustments first.

Other Options to Try:

• Disable Shader JIT in Graphics > Advanced to test if it improves stability.
• Lower shader accuracy if your system allows this option.
• Delete the shader cache by going to Emulation > Configure > Graphics > Delete Shader Cache.

These options may solve timing problems without reducing performance as much as completely disabling Hardware Shader.

Game-Specific Audio Issues and Fixes:

Some games have special audio problems that need slightly different solutions. Even if general fixes work for most games, a few titles need extra adjustments because they use heavier sound effects, music layers, or voice clips.

Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire (ORAS) Audio Crackling:

Pokemon ORAS is well known for audio crackling, especially during battles.

Why ORAS Has More Audio Problems:

• The battle music has multiple layered sound tracks playing at the same time.
• Many sound effects trigger together during attacks.
• Mega Evolution adds extra sound processing.
• Some battles include short voice clips that increase CPU load.

ORAS-Specific Fixes:

• Enable Audio Stretching, as it fixes most sync problems immediately.
• Lower resolution to 2x Native during battles to reduce GPU load.
• Keep CPU clock exactly at 100%, because higher values can cause timing issues.
• Disable texture filtering to reduce extra processing.
• Always use Citra Canary, as Nightly has more bugs.
• Close all background apps so your system focuses only on the game.

Pokemon X and Y Audio Problems:

Pokemon X and Y also have audio issues, but they are usually less serious than ORAS.

Fixes for Pokemon XY:

• Turn on Audio Stretching, which solves most stuttering.
• Keep FPS stable above 40 for smooth sound.
• Avoid using frame skip features, as they break audio sync.
• Use the latest Citra Canary build for best compatibility.

Most users only need Audio Stretching to fix XY audio.

Zelda Games Audio Stuttering:

Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora’s Mask 3D may have timing problems in some areas.

Zelda Audio Fixes:

• Keep Hardware Shader enabled, as it usually improves performance here.
• Select your audio output device manually instead of using “Auto.”
• Maintain stable 60 FPS in open areas for proper timing.
• Accept small FPS drops in busy areas, as they are normal.

Majora’s Mask Clock Sound:

The clock ticking sound may stutter sometimes. This is a known emulator limitation, but Audio Stretching helps reduce it.

Fire Emblem Audio and Voice Clips:

Fire Emblem games combine music, sound effects, and voice acting, which increases audio load.

Fire Emblem Fixes:

• Always enable Audio Stretching first.
• Make sure your CPU has enough free resources.
• Close background applications that use CPU or RAM.
• Update to the newest Citra build, as voice support improves over time.

If only voice clips crackle while music is fine, your CPU may be struggling. Lower graphics settings slightly or increase CPU performance if possible.

Mario Kart 7 Sound Problems:

Mario Kart 7 runs fast and uses continuous sound effects, which can stress the system.

Mario Kart 7 Fixes:

• Enable Audio Stretching, as it is very important for this game.
• Keep FPS close to 60 because the game depends on stable timing.
• Lower resolution if FPS drops below 55 during races.
• Disable post-processing effects to reduce extra load.

During 12-player races, engine sounds may stutter slightly on weaker systems. This is normal due to heavy processing.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf Audio Desync

Animal Crossing uses constant background music and ambient sounds.

Animal Crossing Fixes:

• Turn on Audio Stretching to maintain sync.
• Keep frame limit at exactly 100% for stable timing.
• Avoid using speed-up features, as they break audio timing.
• If desync builds up over time, save and restart the game.

When the hourly music changes, you may notice small glitches. Restarting Citra usually fixes it.

General Game-Specific Tips:

If any game has audio issues, try these steps:

• Enable Audio Stretching first, as it works for most cases.
• Search for known issues related to that specific game.
• Always use the latest Citra Canary version.
• Lower graphics settings during heavy audio scenes.
• Monitor emulation speed and keep it stable.
• Create separate Citra profiles if different games need different settings.

Each game stresses the emulator differently, so small adjustments can make a big difference in audio stability.

Platform-Specific Fixes: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android

Different operating systems handle audio differently. Because of this, some audio problems on Citra need platform-specific fixes. Below are simple and clear steps for each system.

Windows Audio Fixes:

Windows has many audio settings, and sometimes built-in sound effects cause problems with Citra.

Disable Audio Enhancements:

Audio enhancements like bass boost or reverb can interfere with emulator sound.

• Right-click the sound icon in the bottom-right system tray.
• Click Sound settings from the menu.
• Select your current audio device (speakers or headphones).
• Click Device properties.
• Open Additional device properties.
• Go to the Enhancements tab.
• Check Disable all enhancements to turn off extra sound effects.
• Click OK to save changes.

Disabling enhancements often removes crackling and distortion.

Change Exclusive Mode Settings:

Exclusive mode allows apps to take full control of your audio device, which can sometimes cause conflicts.

• Go to the same Device properties window.
• Open the Advanced tab.
• Uncheck Allow applications to take exclusive control.
• Set the default format to 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).
• Click OK to apply changes.

Setting audio to 48000 Hz matches Citra better and reduces crackling.

Windows 10 vs Windows 11:

• Windows 11 has a new layout, but the same audio settings still exist.
• Both systems work equally well once configured correctly.
• If you use Windows 11, also disable Spatial Sound if it is enabled.

Realtek Audio Console (If Installed):

If your PC uses Realtek audio:

• Open Realtek Audio Console from the Start menu.
• Disable all extra audio effects inside the app.
• Set playback format to 48kHz.
• Turn off features like Loudness Equalization.

These settings prevent conflicts with Citra.

Mac Audio Fixes:

macOS usually has fewer audio issues, but sample rate mismatches can cause crackling.

Adjust Audio MIDI Setup:

• Open Audio MIDI Setup (Applications > Utilities).
• Select your active audio device.
• Set format to 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz.
• Set quality to 2-channel, 16-bit.
• Close the window (settings save automatically).

Make sure Citra’s output rate matches your Mac’s sample rate.

Permissions Check:

• Open System Settings > Privacy & Security.
• Make sure Citra has permission for audio access.

Mac Notes:

• Apple Silicon Macs may perform better using native ARM builds of Citra.
• External USB audio devices often work better than built-in speakers.

Linux Audio Fixes:

Linux audio setup depends on your distribution.

PulseAudio Configuration:

• Open the terminal.
• Type nano ~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf.
• Add or edit these lines:
  default-sample-rate = 48000
alternate-sample-rate = 48000
• Save and restart PulseAudio using:
  pulseaudio -k
pulseaudio --start

Setting both sample rates to 48000 helps reduce crackling.

ALSA Configuration (If Not Using PulseAudio):

• Open terminal and type nano ~/.asoundrc.
• Add:
  defaults.pcm.rate_converter "samplerate_best"

This improves audio quality.

User Permissions:

• Make sure your user is in the audio group by running:
  sudo usermod -a -G audio $USER
• Log out and log back in after this change.

Android Audio Fixes:

Mobile devices have more audio delay compared to PCs.

Switch Audio Backend:

• Open Citra settings.
• Look for Audio Backend option.
• Try switching between AAudio and OpenSL ES.
• On newer Android versions, AAudio usually gives lower latency.

Adjust Buffer Size:

• Go to Citra Settings > Audio.
• Increase buffer size if crackling happens.
• Lower buffer size slightly if audio is delayed.

Device-Specific Tips:

• Samsung: Disable Game Launcher if it affects performance.
• Xiaomi: Disable battery optimization for Citra.
• OnePlus: Turn off Dolby Atmos during gaming.

Mobile Performance Tips:

• Lower resolution and graphics settings if audio lags.
• Close background apps before starting Citra.
• Use performance mode if your phone supports it.
• Avoid overheating, as thermal throttling affects audio timing.

Bluetooth Warning:

Bluetooth headphones usually have 200–300ms delay on mobile devices. This can cause audio desync in Citra. For best results, use wired headphones when playing.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps:

If the main fixes did not solve your Citra audio problem, you can try these advanced troubleshooting steps. These methods focus on system performance, background software, and possible conflicts that affect sound stability.

Close Background Applications:

Other programs running in the background use CPU and RAM, which can affect Citra’s audio processing. Even if your PC seems strong, too many active apps can cause audio crackling.

Applications You Should Close:

• Web browsers like Chrome or Firefox with many open tabs, because they use high RAM and CPU.
• Discord, especially if hardware acceleration is enabled, as it consumes GPU resources.
• Streaming or recording software like OBS or Streamlabs, which heavily use CPU and GPU.
• Game launchers such as Steam or Epic Games Launcher running in the background.
• Torrent clients downloading files in the background.
• Antivirus programs performing real-time scanning.
• Video editing software that consumes heavy system resources.
• Virtual machines running other operating systems.

How to Check Resource Usage (Windows Example):

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Click the CPU column to sort programs by processor usage.
• Click the Memory column to sort by RAM usage.
• Close any high-usage programs that are not necessary while gaming.

Some services run quietly in the background. You can check the Services tab in Task Manager and temporarily stop non-essential services.

Disable Audio Effects and Equalizers:

Third-party sound software can interfere with Citra’s audio system.

Common Audio Software That Causes Problems:

• Dolby Atmos or DTS sound enhancements.
• Nahimic audio software installed on gaming laptops.
• Sonic Studio or ASUS audio tools.
• Sound Blaster control software.
• Equalizer APO.
• Voicemeeter virtual audio mixer.

What You Should Do:

• Disable or temporarily uninstall these programs.
• Restart your computer after disabling them.
• Test Citra audio again without any extra audio effects running.

Many of these tools modify audio in real time, which can cause crackling or delay inside emulators.

Check System Resource Usage:

High CPU, RAM, or disk usage can directly cause sound stuttering.

Tools to Monitor Usage:

• Windows: Use Task Manager.
• Mac: Use Activity Monitor.
• Linux: Use htop or System Monitor.

Ideal Resource Conditions:

• CPU usage should stay below 80% while playing.
• At least 2GB of RAM should remain free.
• Disk activity should not stay at 100%, as this causes stutter.

If Usage Is Too High:

• Close unnecessary background programs.
• Pause Windows Update while gaming.
• Disable file indexing temporarily.
• Turn off cloud sync apps like OneDrive or Google Drive during gameplay.

Temperature and Thermal Throttling:

If your CPU or GPU overheats, it reduces its speed automatically. This causes unstable emulation speed, which leads to audio crackling.

How to Check Temperature:

• Windows: Use tools like HWMonitor or Core Temp.
• Mac: Use iStat Menus or Macs Fan Control.
• Linux: Use the sensors command in terminal.

Safe Temperature Ranges:

• CPU should stay below 80°C under heavy load.
• GPU should stay below 85°C while gaming.

Ways to Improve Cooling:

• Clean dust from fans and air vents.
• Improve airflow inside your PC case.
• Use a cooling pad for laptops.
• Replace thermal paste if you are experienced.
• Keep your room temperature lower while gaming.

Overheating often causes small speed drops that break audio sync.

Check for Multiple Citra Instances:

Sometimes Citra does not fully close and continues running in the background.

How to Check:

• Open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac).
• Look for more than one “citra” or “citra-qt” process.
• Close all extra instances and keep only one running.

Running multiple instances can create audio conflicts and resource overload.

Clear Corrupted Audio Cache:

Citra stores cached data to improve performance. Sometimes this cache becomes corrupted and causes sound issues.

If Cache Clear Option Exists:

• Open Emulation > Configure in Citra.
• Look for cache management settings.
• Clear any audio or shader-related cache.

Manual Cache Clearing:

• Close Citra completely before doing anything.
• Go to Citra’s user folder:
  • Windows: C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Citra
  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Citra
  • Linux: ~/.local/share/citra-emu
• Delete or rename the cache folders.
• Restart Citra and launch your game again.

Citra will rebuild the cache automatically, which can fix corrupted data causing audio crackling.

If none of these steps fix the issue, the problem may be hardware-related or due to very low system performance. In most cases, however, carefully following these steps resolves stubborn Citra audio problems.

Conclusion:

Audio problems in Citra can be annoying, but in most cases they are easy to fix with the right settings. Most users solve their issue by enabling Audio Stretching, choosing the correct audio device, updating drivers, and keeping emulation speed stable. If needed, lowering the frame limit slightly, disabling Windows audio effects, or closing background apps can also improve sound stability.

After applying the correct fixes, you should get smooth audio without crackling, proper sync between sound and video, and consistent sound quality during gameplay. If problems still continue, your hardware may be too weak, your game file may be corrupted, or the issue may be game-specific. In that case, consider upgrading your CPU, checking community forums, or testing a different game file.

Frequently Asked Questions