Warzone 2 Audio Issues

Having trouble with the audio in a video game can be very frustrating. This is particularly true in a multiplayer game where having perfect audio at all times is critical for outplaying your opponents. However, since the release of Warzone 2, players have been plagued with Audio Issues, making it sound incredibly broken.

These problems are usually caused by your Audio Drivers requiring an update, Unoptimized Audio, or Windows Sound settings. But, whatever the case, I have a few methods for you to get around the issue.

Before you move on to complicated fixes, you should try some basic troubleshooting first:

Key Takeaways

Here are a few solutions to fix audio problems in Warzone 2:

Tweak the in-game Audio Settings.
Choose the Correct Mic in the Windows Mic Settings.
Optimize the Sound Sample Rate settings.
Turning off Spatial Sound.
Disable external USB Devices.

Tweak In-Game Audio Settings

Firstly, I suggest changing your Audio Mix to Headphone Bass Boost in Warzone 2. Doing this would offer a tighter and more dynamic audio range, especially if you are on Headphones. Further, as people also found, adjusting audio balancing like so can help fix the drown-out unnecessary sounds.

So, if you are also encountering issues, it’s best to use the best Audio Setting in Warzone 2. This will help optimize your audio settings, potentially resolving the issue.

You can apply them by going to Settings and switching to the Volume Tab.

Following are the in-game Volume Settings I recommend:

Audio Mix: Headphone Bass Boost or your Specific Audio Device.
Master volume: 100.
Music volume: Between 10 and 20 to avoid Drowning out other Sounds.
Dialogue Volume: 60.
Effect Volume: 100.
Hit Marker Volume: Between 70 and 90.
Mono Audio: Off.

setting optimal audio settings in warzone 2 — Changing Audio Settings in Warzone 2 (Image Captured by eXputer)

Adjust Default Microphone Settings

Audio issues in Call of Duty might also result from improper Windows Sound Settings. So, adjusting them will not only help you to enhance the crispness and accuracy of audio in-game but also of Windows generally. For this, you first need to ensure that the correct input and output devices are selected.

In most games, you can choose a specific microphone in the menu. However, Warzone 2 uses an old and outdated audio setup. So, I suggest manually setting the Default Microphone. Doing this will ensure that your intended microphone is indeed the one being used.

Follow the steps below to set up your default audio devices:

Click on Start Menu > Type Change System Sounds > Press Enter.
Switch to the Playback Tab > Right-click on your main Audio Device > Select Set as Default Device.
Switch to the Recording Tab > Right-click on your desired Mic > Select Set as Default Device.

Set microphone as default — Setting Default Microphone (Image by eXputer)

Set Sound Sample Rate

Games often have a default supported sample rate, generally 48K Hz. Sometimes, if the sample rate is incorrect, it can lead to audio issues like voice crackling. So, I recommend switching the sample sound rate of your audio device to 44.1k or 48k Hz.

To do this, follow the steps below:

Open Sound Settings > Switch to the Playback Tab.
Right-click on your Current Audio Device > Click Properties > Switch to the Advanced Tab.
Set the Default Format to 44.1k or 48k Hz.
Setting Sound Sample Rate (Image Copyrighted by eXputer)

If one frequency doesn’t resolve the issue, try using the other to find the default sample rate for your device.

Turn Off Spatial Sound

Windows Sonic is a spatial sound solution in Windows 10. It works well in certain situations but could also lead to audio issues in some games. This is because the feature creates artificial surround sound effects that can distort the direction of in-game audio sounds.

So, it’s generally a good idea to turn it off for games highly dependent on audio cues.

To turn off Spatial Sound, follow the steps below:

Open the Windows Sound Settings > Switch to the Playback Tab.
Right-click your Default Audio Device > Select Properties > Switch to the Spatial Sound Tab.
Select Off from the Spatial Sound Format dropdown > Apply the Changes.
Spatial Sound Setting. [Image Credit: eXputer]

Before checking if the problem persists, restart your c omputer once to solidify the change.

Disable Connected USB Devices

Lastly, if your PC is connected to many USB Devices, disable the ones you are not actively using. This can help resolve driver conflicts, causing Audio issues in Warzone 2, which some players also found to be the case. So, I highly suggest doing so to rule them out as a potential cause.

Follow the steps below to disable them:

Press Win + X > Select Device Manager > Double-click on Sound, Video, and Game Controllers.
Right-click on any Inactive Device > Click on Disable Device > Repeat for all such Devices.

COD Warzone 2.0 Audio Issues - Sound,videogame,controllers. — USB Devices in Device Manager (Image by eXputer)

My Thoughts

Call of Duty has always been close to my heart, and I am proud of how far the franchise has come. However, if there is one thing Activision can’t get right, it’s audio. Somehow, in every game, the audio is always broken. If it’s not on launch, it becomes so with an update.

Further, the issue has been widespread, with players voicing it on forums like Reddit, CODForums, and Microsoft Community. However, the Official Ravel Software Twitter account did acknowledge the problem. Further, updates have been pushed to resolve it.

As we mentioned last week, we’ve been looking closely at audio in #Warzone.

While we carefully evaluate areas to improve upon, we’re happy to deliver this an initial update specific to both first-person and third-party footstep audio.

While we hope these changes are well… pic.twitter.com/XprsnLEPGJ

— Raven Software (@RavenSoftware) December 14, 2023

Audio issues plague many multiplayer games, especially those in the Battle Royale genre, and Warzone 2 is no exception. So, if you still face the issue after the updates, I am sure the methods outlined in this guide will be of help.

However, if the problem persists, I suggest contacting Activision Support for personalized help.