(11 Fixes) Google Home Crackling Sound Issue [Updated 2023]

Beach bonfires. Rustling leaves. Pages flipping in a secondhand bookshop.

Crackling noises are typically calming and cozy.

Except when it’s your Google Home device…

That’s never a good sign.

But, don’t be worried.

You can get rid of that crackling in no time. Let me guide you.

Keep reading to discover:

• 11 clear-cut ways to fix your Google Home with a crackling sound.
• How a faulty power source causes crackling on your Google Home device.
• Ultrasound Sensing: Google’s new feature and why it can cause crackling audio.
• The perfect distance between Google Home and your router to avoid audio distortion.
• And so much more…

Why is my Google Home making a crackling sound?

Your Google Home is crackling because of the Ultrasound Sensing feature. High volume, app cache, and connection issues can also cause the crackling sound. Otherwise, it’s a faulty power source or dirty hardware. There could also be a 2.4 GHz interference around your Google device.

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Google Home crackling sound: 11 fixes

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#1: Power cycle your Google Home device

I’ve had a lot of devices quit on me…

The first thing I always try to do?

Power cycle it.

This is like a restart, but with a little twist.

You see, regular restarts rarely shut down your device. Instead, they just put it in Standby or Sleep Mode.

On the other hand, you can power cycle your gadget with these steps:

1. Power down your device.
2. Remove it from the power source.
3. Wait for 30 seconds.
4. Reconnect it to the power source and turn it on.

What makes this better than a regular restart is the 30 seconds of staying still.

Since it’s unplugged from the power source, those seconds will drain all charges from your device.

Once your device has no more charges…

It powers down, and all the stuck tasks can restart.

Which means that all errors, including crackling sounds, can go away.

Now, if you’re using a Google Nest with Google Home…

There’s an easier way of power cycling your device. You don’t even need to stand up to:

1. Open the Google Home app on your phone. (Now on Android and iOS).
2. Go to the Wi-Fi menu.
3. Press Settings.
4. Select Restart Entire Network.

#2: Disable Ultrasound Sensing

Does the crackling primarily come from your Google Nest devices?

If so, you likely have Ultrasound Sensing enabled.

Yes. The same Ultrasound that medical professionals use in hospitals…

However, the application is different.

You see, Ultrasound works by emitting low-frequency sound waves that we can’t hear. A Google Home device can use these vibrations to map out where you are in the room.

Once it knows your place, it’ll give you the following features if you’re nearby:

• Viewing notifications.
• Automatic volume control.
• Commute and traffic status.
• Get daily news and weather updates.

Neat, right? The problem is that devices in your home can interfere with the Ultrasound.

As a result, it’ll start to emit random crackling sounds.

So, to turn off your Ultrasound Sensing, you must follow these instructions:

1. Open the Google Home app connected to your Google device.
2. Long press the tile corresponding to your device until a popup menu appears.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Head to Recognition & Sharing.
5. Set Ultrasound Setting to Off.

#3: Lower your volume

Can you only hear the crackling when you’re playing loud music?

Then your Google device might be hitting the max amplification levels.

To explain that, let me ask you this:

When you’re using a headset with your smartphone, do you sometimes get a notification saying:

“Loud music may harm your hearing if you listen to it for too long…”

This is because most speakers can only play music at a safe level, around 70 dB.

However, speakers work around that by amplifying their maximum volume.

The problem is that amplification doesn’t always work correctly.

Sometimes, it can result in loud crackling from your speakers’ audio.

To turn down the volume on your Google Home device, you need to:

• Google Home: Turn the top of your device counterclockwise.
• Google Home Mini: Tap the left side of your device. 10 taps should mute the audio.

That said, you can also turn down the volume of your Google device using your voice.

You just need to call on your Google Assistant by saying:

“Hey, Google…”

And then using any of the following phrases:

Command	Result
“Minimum volume.”	Sets the volume at the lowest setting but not mute.
“Maximum volume.”	Sets the volume at the highest setting.
“Turn the volume up.”	Raises your current volume by 10%.
“Turn the volume down.”	Lowers your current volume by 10%.
“Set volume level to [Insert level here].”	Sets your volume at a specific setting.
“Increase/Decrease volume by [Insert level here].”	Raises or lowers your current volume per your instructions.
“What’s my volume?”	Tells you the current volume level.

Alternatively, adjusting the volume is also possible on the app with these directions:

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Go to the Media menu.
3. Adjust the volume.

#4: Clear app cache

Are you using your Google Home device with the Google Home app?

Preferences and history on the app can also cause sound glitches on your device.

To get rid of these glitches, you must clear Google Home’s cache. This is information saved by the app on your device about you.

But, time can corrupt cached data.

As a result, they can cause other errors on your phone and connected devices.

That’s why clearing your cache is essential. And this is how you can do that:

Android

1. Go to your Settings menu.
2. Open the Applications or Apps section.
3. Scroll down until you see the Google Home app and press it.
4. Clear Cache and Clear Data.

iOS

1. Go to your Settings menu.
2. Scroll down until you see the Google Home app and press it.
3. Press Clear App Cache on Next Launch.

#5: Reconnect the device paired with Google Home

Next, maybe the problem isn’t your Google Home device or app…

But the link between the two of them.

After all, loose connections can result in audio distortion.

If you suspect this to be the problem…

The first solution you should try is to reconnect the device to the app. You can do this in two steps:

Step 1: Disconnect the device from the Google Home app

1. Open your Google Home app.
2. Long press the tile corresponding to your device until a popup menu appears.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Choose Remove Device.
5. Tap Remove to confirm.

Step 2: Reconnect the device to the app (Home, Home Mini, and Nest)

1. Return to the main menu of the Google Home app.
2. Press the Add (+) button.
3. Select Set Up Device.
4. Choose New Device.
5. Follow the in-app instructions until your device is fully connected.

#6: Remove interference

Take note of the area around your Google Home device.

There could be some interference around it that’s causing the crackling.

You see, your Google Home device uses the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

This is the same band used by other devices, such as:

• Wi-Fi.
• Radio.
• Bluetooth.
• Microwaves.
• Baby monitors.
• Security cameras.
• Fluorescent lights.

If you have any of these around your device, disable what you can.

#7: Close the distance between your Google Home and router

Aside from the crackling, take note if the audio of your Google Home does this:

• Stutter.
• Get delayed.
• Become choppy and inaudible.

When you notice those, then the problem is your device’s distance from the router.

So, how close should it be?

According to Google, it should be within 15 ft to 20 ft (4.5 m to 6 m) of the router.

#8: Move your Google Home device to a different power source

Shh. Don’t make any noise for a couple of seconds.

Put your ear closer to the Google device.

Does it emit a quiet but audible buzzing noise?

That and frequent crackling are signs that your power source or outlet is broken.

After all, too much electricity can manifest on your device’s audio in many different ways.

So, move your device to a different power source to get rid of this issue.

Or you can also buy a surge protector. This is a type of extension cord that protects your TV from power fluctuations.

Here are my picks for the best surge protector out there:

• Accell Power Air.
• Belkin PivotPlug.
• Furman Power Station 8.
• Anker PowerExtend Strip.
• Tripp Lite Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector.

#9: Clean the insides of your Google device

Maybe it’s not the software but the hardware that’s the problem.

Something might’ve gotten stuck inside your Google Home device…

And is now bouncing around the insides of your speaker.

Thus, creating the crackling sound.

To clean the insides of your device, carefully follow these instructions:

1. Use a hairdryer or heat gun to loosen the rubber on your Google Home device.
2. Remove the rubber using a thin blade.
3. Unscrew the back of your device.
4. Once it’s open, lightly tap the device to loosen any stuck particles.
5. Next, gently sweep the inside of your device with a small brush.
6. Lastly, spray the insides using a can of compressed air from a safe distance.

If you’re worried you might damage your device by doing this, don’t be.

To reassure you, here’s a video of someone else disassembling their Google Home device:

#10: Update your firmware

Outdated firmware could also be the cause of the crackling on your device.

You see, crackling is a common issue among Google speakers.

And common issues tend to be patched out using updates.

So, to update the firmware of your Google Speaker, follow these steps:

Google Speakers (Including Home, Home Mini, and Nest)

1. Open your Google Home app.
2. Long press the tile corresponding to your device until a popup menu appears.
3. Select Device Settings.
4. Scroll down and select System Firmware Update.

Smartphone

For good measure, it’s also wise to update your smartphone.

After all, the Google Home app on your phone is how you control your device settings.

You can update your smartphone using these directions:

Android

1. Open the Settings menu on your Android phone.
2. Go to System.
3. Select System Update.
4. Press OK to confirm.
5. Wait until the update finishes.

iOS

1. Open the Settings menu on your iPhone.
2. Go to General.
3. Select Software Update.
4. If applicable, choose the update you want on your phone.
5. Tap OK to confirm.
6. Wait until the update finishes.

#11: Perform a factory reset

Lastly, in case of an emergency…

You can always try to factory reset your Google product.

Sure, this will get rid of all data and preferences on your device…

But it’ll also remove all:

• Errors.
• Glitches.
• Malware.

With the Google Home app, you can easily reset your device with these instructions:

1. Open your Google Home app.
2. Long press the tile corresponding to your device until a popup menu appears.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Select Factory Reset.
5. Tap OK to confirm.

However, what if your Google Home app is having problems?

That’s okay. You can still factory reset your Google Home device physically. This is how:

Google Home

1. Plug the device into a power source.
2. Flip the Google Home device.
3. Press the Mute button until you hear confirmation that it’s starting to reset.

Google Home Max

1. Plug the device into a power source.
2. Flip the Google Home device.
3. Press the Factory Reset button until you hear confirmation that it’s starting to reset.

Google Home Mini and Nest Audio

1. Plug the device into a power source.
2. Press the Microphone button at the side of the device.
3. Wait until the light turns orange.
4. Once it does, press and hold the center of your Google Home Mini until it resets.

You may also be interested in: 3 Ways To Factory Reset Google WiFi In 10 Seconds

BONUS: Get in touch with Google

If your Google Home device still has that pesky crackling sound…

Then chances are, the problem is with the internal parts of your device.

There’s nothing you can do but to turn to Google…

So, get in touch with a Google representative here.