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If Windows audio stopped after you updated or installed a driver, first confirm the correct output is selected and the volume is on. Then work through Windows Update, driver rollback or reinstall, and audio services—testing sound after each step. These instructions apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11; the right fix depends on whether Windows still detects the audio device and whether the problem began immediately after an update.
Why sound can stop after an audio-driver change
A driver may be incompatible with the PC or only partially installed, preventing Windows from using the audio device. Windows audio services can also fail to start. Missing, outdated, disabled, or incorrectly loading drivers are other possible causes; the symptom alone does not identify which one applies. Microsoft’s audio troubleshooting guidance and its update-related sound guidance describe these possibilities.
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Try these fixes in order
After each change, test audio. If sound returns, stop; otherwise continue to the next relevant step.
1. Check the selected output, volume, and mute
- Select the speakers or headphones you actually want Windows to use. If more than one output is available, sound may be going to a different device.
- Check the Windows volume and confirm that neither Windows nor the speakers or headphones are muted.
2. Install pending Windows updates and restart
Open Windows Update, install any pending updates, then restart the PC and test audio. Microsoft recommends checking for updates and restarting as an initial response to sound problems following an update.
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3. Roll back a driver if the problem started after an update
Rollback is a useful early driver-specific option when audio stopped immediately after a driver update and Windows still lists the audio device. It is available only if Windows has a previous driver version to restore.
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video and game controllers, right-click the audio device, and choose Properties.
- Open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver, if available. Follow the prompts.
- Restart Windows and test sound.
If the rollback control is unavailable, there is no previous version Windows can use through this option. Continue with the driver update or reinstall steps.
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4. Update the audio driver
Microsoft recommends Windows Update as the first source for audio drivers. You can also check the device in Device Manager:
- Open Device Manager and expand Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click the audio device and select Update driver.
- Follow the on-screen options to search for a driver, then restart if one is installed.
Microsoft’s Device Manager driver instructions cover this route. If Windows reports that no suitable driver is available, check the PC or audio-device maker’s support page for the exact model and a compatible Windows driver rather than using an unverified driver-download site.
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5. Reinstall the audio device’s driver
If updating did not help and the audio device appears in Device Manager, uninstall it and let Windows try to reinstall its driver. Save open work first because this process requires a restart.
- In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click the audio device and choose Uninstall device. Confirm the action if prompted.
- Restart the PC. Windows should attempt to reinstall the driver automatically.
- Test sound. If the problem remains, Device Manager may offer a generic Windows driver: open the device’s driver update flow, select Browse my computer for drivers, then Let me pick from a list of available drivers, if those options are shown. Follow the prompts and test again.
Microsoft describes reinstalling the audio device and trying a generic driver as troubleshooting options.
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6. Restart Windows audio services
A service that failed to start can interrupt audio even when the driver is present. Restart the services Microsoft lists for audio troubleshooting:
- Open the Start menu, search for Services, and open it.
- Find Windows Audio, right-click it, and choose Restart.
- Repeat for Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
- If the issue persists, restart Remote Procedure Call (RPC) as listed in Microsoft’s broader audio troubleshooting guidance, then test sound.
Which driver option should you try?
| Situation | Most relevant next step | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Audio stopped immediately after a driver update; device is listed; rollback is available | Roll back the driver | Windows restores the previous driver version; restart and test. |
| Device is listed, but there is no usable previous driver or rollback did not help | Update through Windows Update or Device Manager | Windows may find and install a compatible driver; restart if prompted. |
| Updating did not help, but the device remains listed | Uninstall the device and restart; consider the generic driver option | Windows should try to reinstall the driver during startup. |
| Windows cannot find a compatible driver, or the device is missing from Device Manager | Look up the exact PC or audio-device model on its manufacturer’s support site | Use only a driver listed for that model and compatible Windows version; if the device remains absent or sound still fails, contact the maker’s support. |
This is a practical way to choose among Microsoft’s documented procedures, not a ranking of success rates.
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When to contact the manufacturer
Use the computer or audio-device maker’s official support site if Windows cannot find a suitable driver, the device is absent from Device Manager, or the steps above do not restore sound. Search by the exact model and check that the driver supports your Windows version. A missing device or persistent silence does not, by itself, prove that the hardware has failed.
Windows 10 support status
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, and security fixes ended on that date; see Microsoft’s Windows 10 support notice. The audio troubleshooting steps above cover Windows 10 and Windows 11, but this lifecycle notice means Windows 10 no longer receives those free updates or protections.
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