RetroArch audio driver configuration: WASAPI vs XAudio2 vs DirectSound
RetroArch on Windows offers multiple audio output drivers — WASAPI, XAudio2, and DirectSound — and the choice matters. The wrong driver can cause crackling, high latency, or silence. Most Windows users should use WASAPI (Shared Mode) for the best balance of low latency and stability, but the right choice depends on your hardware and use case.
Solutions
Solution 1
WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API) Shared Mode is the recommended audio driver for most RetroArch users on Windows 10 and 11. It gives low latency without requiring exclusive control of your audio device.
- Go to Settings → Audio → Output.
- Set Audio Driver to wasapi.
- After changing the driver, fully quit RetroArch (Main Menu → Quit RetroArch) and relaunch. Driver changes require a restart to apply.
- Back in Settings → Audio → Output, you will now see a WASAPI Shared Mode toggle. Keep this ON (Shared Mode) unless you have a specific reason to use Exclusive Mode (see Solution 2).
- Set Audio Latency (ms) to 32–64ms. Start at 64ms; if your audio is stable with no crackling, try 32ms. Lower values give less delay between input and sound; values below 16ms typically cause crackling unless you have a dedicated sound card.
- Confirm Audio Sync is set to ON — this lets RetroArch use audio as the master timing signal, which prevents audio/video drift.
Why WASAPI Shared Mode: it uses Windows' own audio mixer (the audio is mixed by the OS alongside other application audio), which means Discord, music, and browser audio can all play at the same time without conflict. The OS mixer adds minimal latency on modern hardware — usually less than 10ms beyond what you set in Audio Latency.
Solution 2
WASAPI Exclusive Mode bypasses the Windows audio mixer entirely and talks directly to the audio hardware. This gives the absolute lowest audio latency but prevents any other application from producing sound while RetroArch is running.
- Use Exclusive Mode if you are doing competitive gaming where even 5ms of extra latency matters, or if you have a high-quality audio interface and want to bypass Windows' resampling entirely.
- Enable it: Settings → Audio → Output → Driver = wasapi → restart RetroArch → Settings → Audio → Output → turn WASAPI Shared Mode OFF. RetroArch will now claim exclusive audio access on launch.
- Side effects: Discord audio, YouTube, and any other app will be silenced while RetroArch is running (they will show as playing but output nothing, or may error). When you exit RetroArch, audio returns to other apps normally.
- Exclusive Mode requirement: your audio device's sample rate in Windows Sound settings must match RetroArch's output rate (Settings → Audio → Output → Audio Output Rate, default 48000 Hz). A mismatch causes the driver to fail to open in exclusive mode, resulting in silence. Set both to 48000 Hz.
- If Exclusive Mode fails with silence after setup, Windows is blocking it. Control Panel → Sound → Playback → (your device) Properties → Advanced → check "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device." If it was already checked, uncheck and recheck it.
Solution 3
XAudio2 is the audio driver built into DirectX. It is simpler than WASAPI and works reliably on nearly all Windows hardware. Use it if WASAPI causes problems on your system.
- Settings → Audio → Output → Audio Driver = xaudio. Restart RetroArch.
- XAudio2 is more forgiving about buffer size — it handles small buffers (low latency) more gracefully than DirectSound on most modern hardware. If WASAPI crackles at 32ms but XAudio2 does not, XAudio2 is your better driver.
- XAudio2 always runs in Shared Mode — it does not have an exclusive mode option. Discord, music, and other audio will continue to work alongside RetroArch normally.
- Good choice for: older Windows 10 systems, laptops with built-in Realtek audio where WASAPI behaves erratically, or any setup where Discord and game audio must coexist.
Solution 4
DirectSound is a legacy audio API from the Windows XP era. RetroArch still includes it for compatibility, but it is generally the worst-performing option on modern Windows. Use it only as a last resort.
- DirectSound adds more latency than WASAPI or XAudio2 because it routes through an extra compatibility layer in modern Windows (DirectSound is emulated on top of WASAPI internally). Typical added latency: 30–80ms above what you set in Audio Latency.
- When DirectSound helps: on extremely old hardware (integrated audio from 2005–2010 era) or on Windows machines where WASAPI and XAudio2 both fail to initialize (rare), DirectSound sometimes works where the newer APIs do not.
- Do not use DirectSound if: you want low-latency audio, you are getting crackling on WASAPI/XAudio2 (DirectSound will be worse, not better — fix the root cause instead), or you are on any PC made after 2012.
- Quick driver recommendation table:
- Modern Windows 10/11, standard use: WASAPI Shared
- Competitive / lowest latency, exclusive OK: WASAPI Exclusive
- Stability issues with WASAPI / Discord coexistence needed: XAudio2
- Last resort only, legacy hardware: DirectSound
- Linux: use alsa or pulse depending on your audio server
- After any driver change: always fully quit and relaunch RetroArch — the driver is loaded at startup, not live-swapped. Also re-test at your target latency setting since different drivers handle the same buffer size differently.
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