Audio glitches on Mac after macOS Tahoe update

I did not notice this response when browsing the thread initially. I too had Xcode Developer Tools iPhone/iOS Simulator app open and yes it clearly causes/amplifies the problem. Closing iOS Simulator removed all audio glitches! My guess it's not just iOS Simulator but simultaneous open active apps interfacing with macOS audio services do not play well together in current Tahoe system. Maybe.

This was the solution for me, I had a simulator running without realizing it. After removing it, I haven't experiences any sound issue anymore!

k_azmi wrote:

You are my hero. I just changed my format. I don't know this setting before. Because before updating to Tahoe 26.1, this problem never showed up.

Image default after update to Tahoe.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/c2a451cf-04a2-409c-a118-45fa25d545c2

and found your solutions. I changed the setting to format below.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/d0fe3df9-7b68-43f9-addb-66d139302b0c

and my sound become normal again. Big thanks for you.

good computing k_azmi ! Appreciate your feedback.

I've reported this issue separately in MacBook M1 Pro with USB headphones crackl… - Apple Community but looking at the discussion and workarounds (killing coreaudiod or changing the format in Audio MIDI Setup) it seems to be the same problem.

For everyone else, can you see if in your case MacOS unified logs show the same messages around the time that the crackling starts?

Use this command to stream logs in realtime with a filter that should show only audio-related events:

log stream --predicate '(eventMessage CONTAINS[c] "audio" || eventMessage CONTAINS[c] "media" || eventMessage CONTAINS[c] "IOSurface" || sender CONTAINS[c] "audio" || subsystem CONTAINS[c] "audio" || process CONTAINS[c] "audio") && NOT process IN {"runningboardd", "airportd"}'

In my case, there are 3 events in the logs that seem to accompany this problem: coreaudiod: (libAudioIssueDetector.dylib) (a report of detected audio issue ), usbaudiod: current microframe timestamp calcError (a USB audio error) and HALS_OverloadMessage: Overload (an overload errors in Apple CoreAudio Hardware Abstraction Layer).

In my case, the workarounds discussed (killing coreaudiod or switching the device's sample format in Audio MIDI Setup) only help temporarily, and the crackling comes back in a few minutes, gradually escalating to completely inaudible.

Yes and it's unfortunate that most if not all 3rd party software developers scramble to keep up with Apple Updates.

It may take developers several months to write codes to fix issues. Since Windows is not as aggressive on updates as Apple the users are spared the headache. I'm running a Multi Media platform on Mac Studio. Recording studio and Video editing. I did notice some of the settings were lost with the Tahoe update for instance MIDI routing had to be reconfigured to be able to have sound. Also a native plugin synth only the sound crashes and that didn't happen before. There are non response glitches on commands that were not there before. What I mean by glitch is a freeze up.

Same here on v26.0.0 and on 26.0.1. It goes on for weeks now! v26.0.1 update helped nothing!!

(BTW the machine is casually getting hot, which has never happened before.)

Some of my colleagues have this issue as well.

This fix works, but only for a short period of time:

sudo pkill coreaudiod

MacBook Pro 14-inch, 2021 (Apple M1 Pro, 32 GB RAM)

[Edited by Moderator]

This fixes the issue for me open terminal and run `sudo killall coreaudiod`.

If it happens again just run it again, until apple fixes it

Same thing. But

`sudo killall coreaudiod`

actually helps for now. Thank you adteulade-pp

Same here. Only started after the Tahoe update. In my case (M1 pro) it only happens with hdmi or thunderbolt connections (tested with both a monitor with soundbar and a TV). Doesn't happen when playing on macbook speakers or with bluetooth connections.

Today a senior advisor from Apple Support told me that they are well aware of this issue and that it will be fixed in Tahoe 26.1.

There are more reports here, yes.

It is similar to the bug

"External camera video is laggy/choppy in conferencing apps until Photo Booth is opened" in Tahoe.

It is a long shot but worth a try to compare your results.

Ai says—

[Photo Booth does record audio by using your Mac's built-in microphone by default, but only if the microphone is enabled in the system settings and the correct audio source is selected]

To be proactive you can file a bug report / submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

I’m experiencing the same issue on my MacBook Pro M2 Max after updating to macOS Tahoe 26.0.1. I usually work in Xcode while listening to music, but that’s no longer possible, the problem disappears as soon as I close Xcode.

MBP 16" M2 Max

Tahoe 26.1

Yes having strange audio playback problems since updated to Tahoe 26. Here my experience, hope this helps if any Apple engineers happens to peek into these forums.

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First I doubted this was a specific web-browser issue - I use latest Firefox and listen audio from YouTube while I work. It seemed like when ever there were something happening, keyboard stroke, mouse button press, opening application, some random extra white noise cracking sounds were audible in the audio.

Then I thought this is an USB specific issue. I have a Allen Heath CQ18-T audio mixer - connected to MBP via USB and used as the audio output (and input). I have a Logitech mouse connected with a USB dongle and cracks seemed to happen whenever I interacted with a mouse. I use a BT keyboard (Logitech). When I pressed a button down from a keyboard and kept it pressed, there was a white noise noise spike added to the audio stream at roughly 250ms interval, continuously.

I plugged headphones directly to MBP and configured MPB/headphones as the audio output - still the same issue.

No matter if audio source is web-browser app or Apple Music app.

I’ve been grappling with this issue for months, and I’m still astounded by the lack of response and the unprofessionalism we’re subjected to. We’re a large group here. I’m refraining from using strong language because I’ve already been “edited” by the moderator. If this is indeed a real human being, I’m genuinely unsure. Anyhow, long live to sudo kill coreaudiod.

You need to report this to Apple: Feedback - macOS - Apple