Crackling or distorted sound from my internal MacBook Pro M4 speaker but external work fine

I’m experiencing an issue with my new MacBook Pro M4. The internal speakers produce crackling or distorted audio when playing music, videos, or system sounds. However, when I switch to external speakers or headphones (Bluetooth or wired), the sound is perfectly clear.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:


  • Restarted the MacBook
  • Checked for macOS updates (everything is up to date)
  • Confirmed the issue persists across different apps (Safari, YouTube, Music etc.)


I wanted to check if others are experiencing the same with the M4 models or if there’s a software fix I’m missing.

Has anyone encountered this and found a solution? Is this something Apple is aware of?

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jun 7, 2025 3:14 AM

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Jun 7, 2025 4:16 AM in response to shuvopodder

The symptoms clearly suggest a hardware issue with the speakers themselves, just as dialabrain said.

Since it is an M4, it is still within warranty, so have it looked at, and probably fixed for free.


I have seen this problem on more than one mac laptop, but usually after several years, never on one so new.

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Jun 7, 2025 7:15 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too—it definitely feels like a hardware issue.

Just to add, I’ve only had this MacBook for about 2 months and I use it for just 2~3 hours a day on average, so it’s surprising to be running into speaker problems already. Although the issue isn’t too severe.

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Jul 9, 2025 3:06 AM in response to shuvopodder

Hey shuvopodder,


This has just started happening to my MacBook Pro M4 tonight. Or at least, tonight is the first time I've noticed it. I haven't used the speakers much on my MBP4 since I bought it. Tonight was the first time I've properly played music out of it for more than an hour straight, so after this kept happening, I decided to see if anyone else had experienced this.


I wasn't listening very loudly. I did all the things you did, and the other suggestions in comments. I also adjusted the Audio/Midi settings so the output format is 44,100 Hz and it didn't fix the issue.


Did you end up taking it to an Apple Store, or put in a repair request? Interested to know what the outcome was for you!

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Crackling or distorted sound from my internal MacBook Pro M4 speaker but external work fine

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