I'm having audio glitches even under the device is underload a little bit just a little bit and I don't know how to fix that thing. It happens just after the macOs Tahoe update. I didn't have any problems in previous Os.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Audio Glitches
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.0
The reason is: Audio I/O Overload and Real-Time thread priority conflicts caused by a synchronization failure between the browser's process management and the macOS 26 (Tahoe) CoreAudio engine during resource deallocation.
Error codes: HALS_OverloadMessage and vm_rtfault_records.
If you are using Google (Chrome) or Firefox, please:
On a MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro chip, this issue occurs when running the iOS Simulator after a couple of minutes. I updated both macOS and the iOS Simulator version from Xcode, which fixed the sound issue and improved the simulator’s performance—it now runs more smoothly with better CPU usage.
It seems somewhat ironic that I discovered that turning on Low Power Mode actually solved the problem.
Same here. Only started after the Tahoe update. In my case (M1 pro) it only happens with hdmi or thunderbolt connections (tested with both a monitor with soundbar and a TV). Doesn't happen when playing on macbook speakers or with bluetooth connections.
This issue remains unfixed in Tahoe 26.3 (25D125).
After playing Music.app for 2-3 hours, noise begins to appear.
After several tens of minutes, it becomes impossible to distinguish the original audio.
Restarting Music.app and resuming playback eliminates the noise.
Today a senior advisor from Apple Support told me that they are well aware of this issue and that it will be fixed in Tahoe 26.1.
There are more reports here, yes.
It is similar to the bug
"External camera video is laggy/choppy in conferencing apps until Photo Booth is opened" in Tahoe.
It is a long shot but worth a try to compare your results.
Ai says—
[Photo Booth does record audio by using your Mac's built-in microphone by default, but only if the microphone is enabled in the system settings and the correct audio source is selected]
To be proactive you can file a bug report / submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple
I’m experiencing the same issue on my MacBook Pro M2 Max after updating to macOS Tahoe 26.0.1. I usually work in Xcode while listening to music, but that’s no longer possible, the problem disappears as soon as I close Xcode.
MBP 16" M2 Max
Tahoe 26.1
Yes having strange audio playback problems since updated to Tahoe 26. Here my experience, hope this helps if any Apple engineers happens to peek into these forums.
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First I doubted this was a specific web-browser issue - I use latest Firefox and listen audio from YouTube while I work. It seemed like when ever there were something happening, keyboard stroke, mouse button press, opening application, some random extra white noise cracking sounds were audible in the audio.
Then I thought this is an USB specific issue. I have a Allen Heath CQ18-T audio mixer - connected to MBP via USB and used as the audio output (and input). I have a Logitech mouse connected with a USB dongle and cracks seemed to happen whenever I interacted with a mouse. I use a BT keyboard (Logitech). When I pressed a button down from a keyboard and kept it pressed, there was a white noise noise spike added to the audio stream at roughly 250ms interval, continuously.
I plugged headphones directly to MBP and configured MPB/headphones as the audio output - still the same issue.
No matter if audio source is web-browser app or Apple Music app.
I’ve been grappling with this issue for months, and I’m still astounded by the lack of response and the unprofessionalism we’re subjected to. We’re a large group here. I’m refraining from using strong language because I’ve already been “edited” by the moderator. If this is indeed a real human being, I’m genuinely unsure. Anyhow, long live to sudo kill coreaudiod.
I just updated my iMac desktop computer to OS Tahoe 26.2. Now my audio for my external speakers is garbled and distorted. I have seen fixes for online I have tried them and each one fixes the problem, but only temporarily. The easiest temporary fix is using the Audio MIDI Setup and switching to 48,000 Hz or back to 44,100 Hz. I usually need to do this two or three times a day. Is there a permanent fix that I am missing? I use the computer as my main music source and this has been really inconvenient.
Yes, the crackling/distortion problem continues with the newest update. It's extremely frustrating. Infuriating, actually.
Went out and got a Bluetooth transmitter to plug into the audio jack. The sound quality is somewhat tinny, but at least I can use my AirPods without massive aggravating disturbance.
You need to report this to Apple: Feedback - macOS - Apple
Subject: Right Speaker Crackles / Stops Working After Sleep or Restart – macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro 14” M1 Pro 2021)
Description:
After updating my MacBook Pro (14‑inch, M1 Pro, 2021) to macOS Tahoe 26, I’ve encountered a recurring audio issue affecting the right internal speaker. After waking from sleep or restarting, the right speaker starts crackling (“zzz / krrrr”) and often stops producing sound entirely.
If I keep the Mac awake continuously, both speakers work perfectly — so this seems tied to power management or the CoreAudio driver, rather than a hardware defect. Both left and right channels appear in System Information, showing the device is still recognized correctly.
Temporary workarounds tried:
Despite all these steps, the issue persists consistently after every restart or sleep–wake cycle.
Impact:
The right speaker becomes unusable until I manually restart CoreAudio or reboot several times. This severely affects media playback and everyday usage.
Request:
Please investigate this potential macOS Tahoe 26 audio driver or power management bug on M1 Pro models, as multiple users are reporting the same symptoms online. Any acknowledgment or fix in an upcoming update would be greatly appreciated.
System:
Thank you for your attention and support.
And yes, the issues for me started after the updrade to Tahoe, on a MacBook Pro M1 that I have been using for 3 years, with USB headphones that I have been using for 1.5 years, and continue to use with another machine (a Windows PC) without any problems.
This seems to pin the issue specifically on the MacOS Tahoe release.
The error report on my Macbook Pro M1Pro, macOS Tahoe 26.3 (25D125)
2026-02-12 20:57:16.301510+0800 0xa07 Error 0x0 176 0 coreaudiod: (CoreAudio) [com.apple.coreaudio:AMCP] HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:233 HALS_OverloadMessage: Overload possibly due to client running as an adaptive unboosted daemon.
2026-02-12 20:57:16.301527+0800 0xa07 Error 0x0 176 0 coreaudiod: (CoreAudio) [com.apple.coreaudio:AMCP] HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:242 HALS_OverloadMessage: Overload possibly due to HAL client proc exceeding io cycle budget.
2026-02-12 20:57:16.301537+0800 0xa07 Error 0x0 176 0 coreaudiod: (CoreAudio) [com.apple.coreaudio:AMCP] HALS_OverloadMessage.cpp:249 HALS_OverloadMessage: Overload possibly due to safety violation.
Audio glitches on Mac after macOS Tahoe update
