How to fix Starfield audio issues

Image of Starfield player walking on a planet

Image of Starfield player walking on a planet
November 1, 2023: Wondering how to fix Starfield audio issues? Take a look at our guide containing everything you need to know.

Having an immersive space exploration experience in Starfield is incredibly fun, but you might encounter audio issues when you're out and about. So if you have run into trouble with your sound output in Bethesda's newest RPG, then you’re going to have to look up information on how to fix audio issues in Starfield.

The good news is that you're already in the right place, as this article will investigate the possible causes of your audio problems in Starfield. We take a look at possible solutions that are already proven to work for other players.

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So without further ado, let’s dive straight in with answers to this common issue.

How to fix audio issues in Starfield

There are a number of methods to get your sound working properly within this popular RPG from Bethesda. So we’re going to cover each one in turn.

1. Install the game on an SSD

Setting up the game files on an SSD instead of a normal hard drive can go quite a long way to ensuring a continuously smooth playing experience free of sound stuttering and occasional cutouts.

This is because solid-state drives are able to read and process audio files faster than their hard drive counterparts. This in turn helps to combat those pesky audio issues. SSDs also provide faster loading times and general gameplay smoothness.

More so, having the game installed on an internal SSD is one of the minimum PC requirements officially outlined by the game’s developers.

So, you'll definitely want to heed their word in order to avoid annoying audio problems.

2. Disable various graphical rendering options

Another way to overcome the issue of audio in Starfield is to disable specific rendering options.

Turning off various graphical settings such as upscaling, vertical sync, motion blur, and variable rate shading (VRS), can have a positive impact on the way in which the game handles sound output.

This upscaling pre-set causes audio interruptions, especially on hardware that has trouble with graphical rendering and audio processing. Additionally, vertical sync may occasionally cause delays in audio playback when this setting is turned on.

On the other hand, motion blur overloads your computer’s GPU, leading it to favour visual stability over audio stability when it comes to graphical performance. With motion blur switched on, you may notice your audio sporadically cutting out or falling out of sync with the visuals on your screen. Therefore, disabling this setting is a good way to try and rectify a prevalent sound issue.

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Finally, VRS improves frame rates but comes at the expense of the game’s resource management. Turning off this setting can go a long way to helping with audio smoothness.

3. Lower your graphics settings to fix audio issues

Adjusting the game's overall graphic settings to a lower level is a good way to allocate more resources towards audio stability.

By lowering things like frame rate from 120 FPS to 60 FPS, for example, your computer system can more evenly distribute its resources. This means it can provide a less choppy audio experience, with minimal pauses and stutters.

4. Update your PC’s drivers to fix audio issues

If a driver issue is causing sound within your Starfield game to cut out, then updating the offending driver is a good way to clear up the audio issues you may be experiencing.

However, if all of these possible solutions fail to resolve your audio problems within the game, then the last course of action you could take is to uninstall and reinstall Starfield to see if that does the trick.

Hopefully, you’ve found this guide helpful in fixing any audio issues you’re having in this space exploration game. For more on Starfield, check out how to pay off a bounty, plus how to scrap items.

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