Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 has Regular Audio Glitches

If your Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 experiences issues with sound, here are some steps to get your audio back up and running correctly.

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It is recommended in the ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 user guide to download the Lenovo Vantage app from the Windows store, which enables you to run a scan on the status of the hardware.

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Before opening your Lenovo, first make sure that your device is completely powered off and that your charging cable is disconnected. Make sure there is no electricity actively flowing through the device by discharging the battery before servicing it.

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There are a number of issues that can occur within your ThinkPad. Software is one of the most common issues for audio trouble, especially if the issue is no sound at all. Lenovo has a detailed list of audio troubleshooting steps for the ThinkPad as well as for Windows 10 and 11.

If you still experience issues after following those instructions, it could be an issue with the hardware. In that case, the following information should help you service your device.

Sometimes, devices simply arrive with poor and/or detective speakers. It's a reoccurring issue in different Lenovo products, so there's a chance that your ThinkPad may simply need replacements. For help with replacing your speakers, see [Speaker Replacement Guide].

If the audio from your computer is continuously sounding distorted or muffled, your speakers may have experienced some sort of failure and become damaged. This is a common issue simply because of how sound waves work; now would be a good time to do some replacing. For help with replacing your speakers, see [Speaker Replacement Guide].

Crackling sounds from the speakers could mean that the shield on the inside of your laptop is not properly protecting the components from interference. When you loosen the screws and remove the cover, check that the inner side does not have obvious discoloration—it's normal for colors to be brighter around where the plastic changes shape, but not on the flat sections. Spotting, especially in green colors, may indicate corrosion. This can happen if your laptop has been exposed to high humidity or survived a liquid spill.

If it appears that pieces are flaking off of the cover, you can attempt to paste it back onto the plastic, but it may be a good idea to just take your ThinkPad to be serviced if this is the issue.