Skip to main content

Running Windows Boot Camp on 2016 MacBook Pro may kill your speakers

Apple releases updated drivers to solve 2016 MacBook Pro speaker issue

One of the things an Apple Mac can do that Windows 10 machines can’t do — at least easily and completely legally — is run both Windows and MacOS. Interestingly, it’s Apple’s Boot Camp utility that makes this feat possible, which essentially enables Macs of all flavors to boot directly to Windows 10 and use the Mac as if it were a Windows machine.

Usually, this is a fairly straightforward process that works well, with the resulting Boot Camp configuration doing fairly well at mimicking a Windows 10 machine with a few hardware limitations. As of the 2016 MacBook Pro machines, however, it appears that Boot Camp might be causing some serious and uncharacteristic audio issues, AppleInsider reports.

Recommended Videos

It appears that the new speakers running on the refreshed MacBook Pro line aren’t working so well with the obsolete drivers provided in the current version of MacOS Sierra Boot Camp. Users are reporting the issue on all models of the 2016 MacBook Pro and they are not experiencing the issue in MacOS. Virtual machines using Parallels or other software are also not experiencing the issue, providing more support of a bad audio driver causing the problem in Boot Camp.

Those experiencing the issue are complaining of intermittent volume “pop-outs” that occur independent of the volume settings, although raising the volume past 50 percent seems to contribute to the issue. Volume imbalance between the left and right speakers seems to be another symptom of the problem. Worse yet, some users are reporting that the speakers are being physically damaged as time goes on, making this issue more than a mere inconvenience.

Apple has since released new drivers via the Boot Camp Software Update utility that resolves the problem, MacRumors reports. The following video outlines how to install the new drivers:

Apple Issues Fix for MacBook Pro 2016 Bootcamp Speaker Glitch / Blown Speakers UPDATE

As noted, the new drivers won’t fix speakers that were physically damaged by the bug and anyone affected should be sure to contact Apple support for a resolution. Given the serious nature of the bug, 2016 MacBook Pro users should remain cautious in using their external speakers until the fix has been thoroughly tested in the wild and its efficacy fully confirmed. Apparently, the new drivers aren’t perfect, as some users report issues with low volume — given that higher volumes were involved with the damage previously reported, that might not be a terrible thing.

Article originally published in November 2016. Updated on 12-1-2016 by Mark Coppock: Added information on Apple’s new Boot Camp audio drivers issued to resolve the bug.

Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock is a Freelance Writer at Digital Trends covering primarily laptop and other computing technologies. He has…
Honor MagicBook Pro 14 beats the new MacBook Air in one striking way
The lid of the Honor MagicBook Pro 14 in green

Although its name may suggest otherwise, Mobile World Congress (MWC) is not just a show for mobile devices. The business side touches every facet of the consumer technology industry, and many of the biggest companies unveil new products for the European and wider global markets.

The latest edition — MWC Barcelona 2025 — did oversee a return to form, with more mobile devices launched than in recent years, but one of the non-mobile devices that stood out for me was the Honor MagicBook Pro 14.

Read more
A new report slams MacBooks’ repairability. Here’s what you can do if you need to fix yours
A person repairing a MacBook on a blue table.

Apple’s best MacBooks have earned a reputation for generous software support and top-tier build quality, two factors that mean they often last far longer than their rivals. But the flipside of the coin is the fact that MacBooks are incredibly difficult to repair, requiring specialized tools, complex disassembly and the enduring patience of a saint.

That idea has been reinforced by a recent report (PDF download) from the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund, which found that Apple’s MacBooks are the second-worst laptops in terms of repairability, with only Lenovo scoring lower. Worst of all, most of Apple’s poor score came from an extremely low disassembly rating, which will be ominous reading for anyone about to undertake the challenge of tearing down their pricey laptop.

Read more
MacBook Pro M5: Here’s everything we know so far
A person running Steam on the M4 MacBook Pro. Rocket League is up on the screen

If you’re in the market for one of Apple’s best MacBooks, the MacBook Pro should be top of your list. The latest M4 MacBook Pro brought some significant improvements to the range, and with the M4 MacBook Air just around the corner, you might be wondering what Apple has up its sleeve for the next MacBook Pro in the pipeline.

That model -- complete with Apple’s upcoming M5 chip -- is an intriguing prospect. Will Apple offer a total revamp, or will it be a more modest upgrade? What can we expect from the M5 chip? And will Apple finally launch its first OLED MacBook Pro when the M5 chip makes its debut?

Read more