Are you fed up with the annoying high-pitched noises while listening to Spotify? Say goodbye to distractions and hello to crystal-clear sound. Fix high-pitched noise during songs today!”
Spotify is a widely used digital audio platform that offers millions of music and podcasts. Being a music-providing resource, Spotify does have some sound-related issues. Among these, the high-pitched noise during songs is the most occurred one.
A high-pitched noise is a high–frequency or pitch sound with more waves per second than a lower–pitched sound. High–pitched noises are typically described as sharp, piercing, or squeaky.
A high-pitched noise can be annoying and bad for the ears as well. We are here with the possible fixes to eliminate the high-pitched noise during songs on Spotify.
How to Fix High-Pitched Noise During Songs?
High-pitched noise on Spotify could be caused by technical factors related to lossy compression, source material, playback equipment, internet connection, or software/hardware issues. Here are a few potential reasons for these:
- Lossy Compression: Spotify uses lossy compression to reduce the file size of the songs to make them easier to stream. This compression process can result in the loss of some high-frequency information, leading to high-pitched noise.
- Low-Quality Source Material: If the original recording is of poor quality or damaged, it can result in high-pitched noise when played on Spotify.
- Poor Quality Headphones/Speakers: If the headphones or speakers being used to listen to Spotify are of poor quality, they may need to be able to reproduce the high–frequency information accurately, resulting in high-pitched noise.
- Bandwidth Limitations: If the internet connection is slow or has limited bandwidth, Spotify may stream at a lower bit rate, which can cause high–pitched noise.
- Software/Hardware Issues: Issues with the software or hardware used to play Spotify, such as outdated drivers or firmware, can result in high–pitched noise.
Have you changed the music to test if the high-pitched noise is not due to the music? This is one of the first remedies that a user tries. Sometimes, the music you are playing has a bug or some malfunction. To fix that, you must keep switching to different songs/music.
Apart from the above, there are quite a few potential fixes, which we will discuss individually.
Fix 1: Restart/Troubleshoot the Network/Internet Settings
Restarting the internet and network settings is the most recommended fix for most of Spotify’s solutions. In the case of the high-pitched noise problem, this fix would be a catalyst as a whole. So, it would be best if you restart/reconnect your WiFix/Ethernet/Cellular connections.
However, there are times when more than restarting would be needed, i.e., troubleshooting. In such a case, you must troubleshoot or reset the Network/Internet connection. The path where you can go and troubleshoot network/internet on Android/iOS and Desktop is given below:
For Android/iOS:
Follow the Path, “Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings”:
For Desktop:
Open the Path, “System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters,” locate the Internet Connections, and then click on Run:
This will initiate troubleshooting for your connections and will trace/fix the
Fix 2: Switch to Stable Internet Connection
Spotify offers the best user experience in the presence of a network connection. However, you must switch to a better internet connection if it is weak or ineffective. Apart from switching, you can also change the type of internet connection you are using, i..e, Cellular to Wi-Fi or vice versa. Similarly, Wi-Fi to Ethernet or vice versa.
Fix 3: Check Your Device’s Sound Settings
The High-Pitched noise is an audio–related concern of Spotify. Ensure that your device’s sound settings are correctly configured. The sound-related settings of Spotify are related to the streaming and the intensity of Volume. Let’s see how these can be configured on Android/iOS and Desktop Devices.
For Android/iOS:
Open the App Settings and then Audio Quality. Ensure that the Wi–Fi and Cellular streamings are set to Automatic. Moreover, it would be best if you turn ON the Auto adjust quality, as can be seen below:
For Desktop:
Open the App Settings, go down the Audio quality section, and you will have to set the two options as per your system:
- First is the Streaming quality related to the internet’s strength and quality. Make sure to set it as per your internet quality. The recommended is Automatic.
- Second is the Volume as per your environment. The recommended is Normal or Quiet, as these options do not affect the overall performance of the audio quality.
Fix 4: Turn Off the Equalizer
Spotify does offer a basic equalizer that can be tuned to get a specific sound output. Sometimes, this equalizer starts producing a noisy output that must be fixed by resetting it or choosing a different beat from the selection. Let’s see how it can be done.
For Android/iOS:
Open the Path “Settings > Playback > Equalizer” and ensure that its toggle button is turned off, as seen below:
For Desktop:
Open Spotify and go to Settings, scroll down, and you will get the Equalizer. If it is turned ON, click on the toggle to Turn it OFF, or click on the Reset to have a normal sound:
This will probably fix the high-pitched noise during the songs.
Fix 5: Clear Spotify Cache
The cache is a temporary and fast memory that allows you to perform regular operations quickly. If the application’s Cache is overloaded, Spotify might not offer the best results on audio quality. To keep running the system smoothly, users must clear the Cache.
For Android/iOS:
Open the Spotify application and tap on the Settings icon. After then, choose the Storage option to see the Clear Cache. Tap on this icon to remove everything from Cache.
For Desktop:
Go to the Applications Settings and scroll down to see the Storage option. Inside it, the Clear Cache button will clear all the Cache:
Fix 6: Restart Your Device
Sometimes, the system’s hardware/software components are not properly synchronized. In such a case, there is always a restart that gets you out of the Restart your device by turning it OFF and ON again. Relaunch Spotify to see if the high–pitched noise issue is resolved or not. These are some quick remedies that may help in certain cases but not all the time.
Fix 7: Check for App Updates
Updating your applications to the latest version is recommended whenever the publisher releases an update. After updates, most of the time, the older versions need more overall performance. So, keep checking the App Store from where you have installed the application.
For Android/iOS:
Open the App Store and search for the Spotify application. If there is any pending update, it will be shown as an UPDATE button:
For Desktop:
If you have installed Spotify from the App Store, you must check for updates simultaneously. Go to the App Store and search for Spotify; if there is an update, download/install it:
Fix 8: Update Your Device’s Operating System
Updating only Spotify may only work in some cases. You must ensure that the system on which Spotify is being used is updated. The outdated Operating System may need to be fixed for the overall performance of the applications.
For Android/iOS:
Open the General Settings, and you will see the Software Update; if there are any available, then a number pops up in front of it:
For Desktop:
Open the search bar and search for the Windows Update. This will navigate you to the following address:
Fix 9: Terminate the Processes and Repair
There is a possibility that some settings of Spotify are manipulated, which does not allow Spotify to run smoothly. In such scenarios, the high-pitched noise issue can arise, which can be fixed by terminating all the processes safely and then repairing the application.
Search for Spotify in the search bar and right-click on it to choose App Settings:
Scroll down inside the App Settings; you will see the Terminate and then Repair options as seen below:
Note: If the Terminate and Repair have not done the work for you, then go for the Reset. This will reset all the app settings and the data related to the application.
Fix 10: Use a Different Audio Output Device
An Audio Output device is where you listen to audio, i.e., earbuds and speakers. There is a possibility that your Audio device is not producing quality sound, thus resulting in high–pitched noise during songs.
It is recommended to try a different Audio device. Let’s say you are using earbuds; you must try the sound on speakers and vice versa.
Fix 11: Contact Spotify Customer Support
If you have practiced all the fixes and are still unable to get rid of the problem, then there is a possibility of some technical problem at Spotify’s end that cannot be fixed at the user’s end.
For this, you must contact Spotify’s Support Team through Twitter’s Official Support Page (Spotify). Open the link and just drop a Direct Message. Ensure that you have communicated the query clearly to avoid any ambiguity:
Bottom Line
The high-pitched noise on Spotify could result from a technical issue with your device or speakers. However, it’s also possible that the noise is part of the song itself or a result of the encoding or compression of the audio file.
The noise is likely part of the recording if the high–pitched noise only occurs while listening to certain songs or albums. In this case, there’s only a little you can do to fix the issue other than contacting the artist or Spotify support to let them know about it.
However, if the high–pitched noise occurs consistently across all songs and albums, it may be a sign of a technical issue with your device or speakers. Adjust the equalizer settings in Spotify or your device to see if that helps reduce the noise. Alternatively, you could use a different pair of headphones or speakers to see if the issue persists.
Adnan is a Software Engineer with an aim to learn and teach the community through words. The go-to expert about Technology. He has honed his skills in crafting easy-to-understand documentation, tutorials, and articles on these powerful tools.