A reader is having an issue with her computer sound:
“Do you have any answer for the terrible loud static noise on my laptop? I can’t do anything that involves sound. I’ve tried some suggested workarounds & had my tech here to no avail. I’m about to give up on my laptop which I love.”
Let’s start by narrowing down where the problem is. Do you hear the static with all sounds on your laptop or just when you’re viewing something on the Internet? If it’s Internet only, the fix may be as simple as clearing your browser cache. That can usually be performed by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Del.
If the static is everywhere, we need to figure out if the problem is your computer’s sound card or the speakers. Plug in a pair of earbuds or headphones. If there’s no static, the issue is with the speakers.
For both the sound card or the speakers, there’s the possibility that the drivers might need to be updated. If that doesn’t help, we’re probably looking at a mechanical issue like a loose wire or bad internal connector.
For the speakers, you can choose to use headphones or use Bluetooth or plug-in speakers with your devices. Or take it in to be repaired if you want to spend the time and money.
For the sound card, you could also take it in for a look or use a USB plug-in soundcard.
Update – after troubleshooting, the reader discovered the issue was the laptop speakers. She plugged in an extra set of speakers she had at home and all is well.