WhatsApp for Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

On ROG phones this crackle is usually caused by ASUS's audio processing or aggressive battery management interfering with WhatsApp's call stream. First set WhatsApp to Unrestricted under Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Battery so it isn't throttled mid-call. Then test a call with Bluetooth turned off to rule out a flaky BT codec, and try toggling the Dirac/audio enhancement options under Settings > Sound & vibration. If it only happens on speakerphone, it can be the haptics/AirTrigger or a case covering the bottom mic, so test with the case off too. See how others solved this on Reddit

Several ROG owners report low earpiece and mic levels. Raise the in-call volume with the side keys while you are actually on a WhatsApp call, since call volume is stored separately from media volume. Check that no case or screen protector is blocking the top earpiece and bottom mics, and review Settings > Sound & vibration to make sure no enhancement is dampening output. Clearing WhatsApp's cache under Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage and rebooting can also restore normal levels if a buffer got stuck. See how others solved this on Reddit

Picture messages go out as MMS, which needs mobile data on and the correct carrier settings, not Wi-Fi. Turn on mobile data, then check Settings > Apps > Messages > Permissions to confirm Photos/Media and SMS are allowed. If it still fails, verify your carrier APN is configured for MMS (Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Access Point Names) and that the image isn't too large, since carriers cap MMS attachment size and the phone may need to compress it. For larger photos, use WhatsApp or RCS instead. See how others solved this on Reddit

Video-call failures are typically caused by missing camera/mic permissions or by battery restrictions killing WhatsApp in the background. Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions and enable Camera and Microphone, then set Battery to Unrestricted. Allow WhatsApp through the auto-start/background controls in the Mobile Manager app, update WhatsApp from the Play Store, and reboot, since a stale build after a system update often breaks video until refreshed. See how others solved this on Reddit

ASUS updates can re-enable aggressive power management that suspends WhatsApp when the screen is off. Set WhatsApp to Unrestricted under Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Battery, then open the Mobile Manager app and allow WhatsApp under its auto-start/background management. Finally, check Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Notifications to confirm alerts weren't reset or silenced by the update. See how others solved this on Reddit

It works well as a daily driver for WhatsApp and messaging once you tame the gaming extras. Disable AirTrigger shoulder gestures so they don't fire while you hold the phone, and you can ignore or hide Game Genie and the AnimeVision rear display if you don't game. Set WhatsApp to Unrestricted battery so chats sync reliably. The large battery is actually a plus for messaging uptime, so the main adjustment is just turning off the gamer-centric features you won't use. See how others solved this on Reddit