Virtual DJ is one of the most popular software in the field. It offers a great solution for DJ artists who are just starting as well as experienced professionals. But often, users face problems while working with the application when they face lagging or performance issues.
In many cases, the fault lies within the DJing laptops that artists use for their requirements.
While these laptops don’t necessarily have to be as powerful as laptops meant for gaming or building designers, it still needs to be good enough.
However, there are plenty of other reasons why your VirtualDJ application could be lagging as well.
In this article, we’ll guide you on how to fix such issues and enjoy the music-mixing software in its full glory.
9 Common Causes for VirtualDJ Lagging on your Laptop
There are many reasons why this could happen. As there is no tell-tale method to diagnose the issue, you should try and troubleshoot all the reasons listed below.
1. Laptop Not Power Enough
The first reason is the most obvious whenever software is lagging or facing glitches. Your laptop might simply not be powerful enough to handle the workload. The main problem might be insufficient memory (RAM) required to run the program smoothly.
For VirtualDJ, here are the minimum requirements to use their services without any performance issues:
- Operating System: At least Windows 7 or newer versions. Ideally, Windows 10 64-bit or newer.
- Processor/CPU:At least an Intel i5 or AMD Equivalent.
- Memory: At least 8 GB of RAM.
- GPU: AMD or NVIDIA video card.
As you can see, there aren’t any vastly expensive specifications that you need to invest in for using VirtualDJ. If you don’t have a laptop that meets the minimum requirements, then you need to upgrade your device.
If your laptop is strong but you are still facing problems, move on to the other reasons.
2. Overheating
If your CPU overheats, then it will hamper its capabilities, ultimately causing performance issues while using high-end software.
To avoid this, you need to ensure that your laptop has a decent cooling fan. If not that, at least there needs to be adequate space for ventilation.
While working, it will be preferable if you could place the laptop on top of a holder. If you don’t want to invest in any extra equipment, you can simply keep it on top of an egg tray to provide sufficient ventilation.
The most fool-proof solution for this problem is simply purchasing a DJ laptop stand.
3. Wi-Fi Limitations
Often, applications and software such as VirtualDJ that need connectivity for several of its operations lag because the network is not strong. This is a common problem if you are using a wireless network. While the optimum speed of your internet connection can be good, the design of the network might be poor, leading to latency issues.
A good solution for this is to disable wireless networking. If possible, you can also switch to Ethernet connections as they provide a more stable internet connection.
If none of these solutions work, try and see if your drivers are updated.
4. Low ASIO Buffer
If you are using VirtualDJ while working with an ASIO sound card, chances are that you are facing lagging issues because the ASIO Buffer rate is set too low.
Here’s how you can fix that.
- Go to CONFIG.
- Find and select PERFORMANCES.
- Go to LATENCY.
- Change the Latency Settings to AUTO.
At the same time, follow these steps:
- Go to CONFIG.
- Select SOUND SETUP.
- Choose ASIO CONFIG.
- Try and see if it’s possible to increase ASIO Buffer Size from this tab.
Please note that after each change, you will need to restart the VirtualDJ application.
Even if you are not using ASIO, you can still troubleshoot the lagging problem by going to the Latency tab and changing it to “Auto”. You can also try turning the Safe Mode on or off to see if it changes the performance.
5. Outdated Drivers
In most cases where users are facing lagging, it might be due to un-updated drivers, BIOS, or firmware.
There is only one fix for this – making sure that all your drivers are up to date. For this, all you need to do is visit the website of your laptop’s manufacturer to check whether or not you are using the latest versions available.
Moreover, you also need to make sure that you are using the latest drivers for working with any DJ hardware such as MIDI controllers, sound cards, and so on.
6. Virus Infection on your Laptop
Sometimes, an application might start stuttering if your laptop is facing a virus infestation. These can include Trojan attacks, spyware, malware, and so on.
To avoid such issues, it’s better to keep a full-fledged antivirus system installed on your laptop. Perform a full-body scan of your system to check each file and prevent the infection from spreading further. If the antivirus does find any infections, instruct it to remove them and then reboot the computer.
Perform another scan once done and then use the software to see if there are any changes in the performance.
7. Unnecessary Bloatware
When you purchase a new laptop, manufacturers often overload the device with unnecessary software to give a higher value for money.
More often than not, these additional software hamper the performance of the laptop. You can check if this is the case for you by running your task manager and seeing all the applications/software running in the background.
If you have too many bloatware applications, you should install a fresh copy of Windows from an original CD. If you decide to do this, make sure that you create a data backup first.
8. Laptop Battery Switched to Power Saving Mode
Many users tend to switch their batteries to Power Saving Mode to get more time to work. However, they ignore the fact that doing so decreases the power of the laptop to withstand heavier loads.
Here’s how you can check this:
- Go to your Control Panel.
- Find and select Power Settings.
- Make sure that the slider is set for maximum performance and not maximum battery life.
9. Presence of Dual Video Cards
Sometimes, you might be facing lag because your laptop is running on dual video cards. In such cases, one video card supports high-performance tasks while the other is meant for low-performance tasks, specifically for saving battery life.
If some of your applications like VirtualDJ are lagging, your system might be using the lower-performance card.
Here’s how you can fix this –
- Go to your laptop’s Settings.
- Go to System >Display.
- Scroll down and select the option titled Graphics Settings.
- Select the application to be configured. In this case, choose VirtualDJ.
- Select the appropriate Graphics Specifications. High-Performance setting is recommended.
Winding Up
It’s not only annoying when VirtualDJ starts lagging, but it’s also bad for business. Imagine playing a sick track for the audience and suddenly, the music starts stuttering. To avoid that embarrassing situation, we’ve prepared a troubleshooting guide to eliminate any lagging problems that you might face while using VirtualDJ.
If none of our solutions work for you, you can use the Virtual DJ registry tool to set the maximum limit of memory that the software can use. If that does not help either, contact the application’s support staff for help.
