How to fix Windows 10 Realtek High Definition Audio Driver Issue

In this guide, I will tell How to Fix the Realtek High Definition Audio Driver Issues. I also had a similar issue and I spent a lot of time learning how to fix it. It took me 10 hours to find the right solution. So I decided to write about it. I hope it saves your time.

Despite the fact that Intel has upgraded its High Definition Audio codecs, most Windows machines still come with Realtek HD Audio Manager and its associated drivers.

Furthermore, because the majority of integrated sound cards on Windows PCs are built by Realtek, it makes more sense to use the first-party application for improved sound output.

Having said that, we’ve had instances of Realtek HD Audio Manager not being present in Windows 10. It does not appear in the system tray or the Control Panel.
Many people, understandably, have blamed the problem on the Windows update. Nonetheless, in this article, we will discover how to resolve the missing Realtek HD Audio Manager issue on Windows 10.

Step 1 – Confirm and Verify that there is a driver issue

To determine whether your PC’s sound problem is due to a driver issue, open Device Manager and look at the driver status:

To open a Run, hit the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard.

Enter “devmgmt.msc” and press OK. The Windows 10 Device Manager will be launched as a result of this.

Expand Sound, video, and gaming controllers in Device Manager. Realtek High Definition Audio is included in this category.
If there is a yellow mark next to the device name (typically an exclamation or a question mark), the driver has an issue and needs to be updated.

Step 2 – Update Realtek Audio Driver

Method 1 : Through Device Manager

You can update your Realtek sound card’s driver through Device Manager. To do this:

Step 1: Press Windows Key + X

Step 2: Select Device Manager

Step 3: Expand Sound, video, and game controllers

Step 4: Right-click on Realtek High Definition Audio

Step 5: Select Update Driver Software

Step 6: Select Search automatically for updated driver software

If there are any drivers that windows find it should install them automatically, however it might say that the best drivers are up to date, if you want you can click on search for updated drivers.

If this doesn’t work follow Method 2

Method 2 : Manually

In method 2 you need to download and install the driver manually.
To do this make sure you are installing the correct version of the driver.
To check the correct version of Realtek HD audio software, perform the following step.

Step 1: Click Start.

Step 2: Right-click Computer, and then click Properties.

Step 3: At the left pane, click Device Manager.

Step 4: Double-click the Sound, video, and game controllers category.

Step 5: Double-click Realtek High Definition Audio Driver.

Step 6: Click the Driver tab.

Step 7: Check Driver Version.

To manually update your Realtek audio driver you need to follow these steps:

Step 1. The very first thing you need to do is to download the driver from the official website of the manufacturer. 

(You can download it from here)

Step 2. After you have downloaded the driver, you need to unzip it to a folder on your desktop or any other place.

Step 3. When the download is complete, you must run the setup file (Make sure that you are logged on with an administrative account).

Step 4. You must follow the instructions that will be displayed on your screen.

Step 5. When you are finished, you must restart your computer.

All set

Step 3 – Check Cable Connection And Volume

If your cable connection is loose, then also you may get a Realtek high definition audio controller not working. Check that all of your speaker and headphone connectors are correctly attached and are not plugged into the wrong jack or are loose.

Check that the power and volume controls are turned on. The headphones are properly plugged in; nevertheless, the speakers may not operate if the headphones are plugged in.

If you check the cable connection and volume control, you should be able to hear the sound; if not, move on to alternative solutions.

Step 4 – Configure Windows Audio Service

If you’re familiar with Windows PCs, you’re probably aware of how important Windows services are for the proper functioning of any software or hardware.

If your Realtek audio device is not working on your PC, there may be a problem with your system’s Windows Audio Service. To resolve the issue, you must configure it. Here’s how you can go about it.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Run program by pressing the Windows + R keys at the same time.

Step 2: Next, type ‘services.msc’ into the text box and press the OK button.

Step 3: Navigate to the Windows Audio folder and right-click on it.

Step 4: Go to the Properties

Step 5: In the General tab, select Automatic as the Startup type.

Step 6: Now press the Start button.

Step 7: Finally, click OK to complete the configuration by selecting Apply.

Step 5 – Update Windows

It’s probable that the Realtek audio driver is incompatible with your out-of-date version of Windows. If that’s the case, you’ll need to update Windows to fix the ‘Realtek audio driver not working’ problem. Here are the actions you must take to do this.

Step 1: Navigate to your operating system’s Settings menu. You can do this by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Settings.

Step 2: Next, navigate to and select the Updates & Security settings option.

Step 3: Select Windows Update from the left menu.

Step 4: Now, click the Check for updates button to see if there are any available updates.

If an update for your operating system is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically. 

Step 6 – Restore the Previous Version Of Windows

If you started experiencing Realtek (R) audio not working issues after updating your operating system, the problem could be with the Windows update. It is simple to fix by restoring the prior version of Windows using the restore points. Here are the instructions that must be followed.

Step 1: Launch the Windows Run application by pressing the Windows + R keys at the same time.

Step 2: Next, type “rstrui” into the text field and press the OK button.

Step 3: In the System Restore wizard, click the Next button.

Step 4: Next, choose the Show more restore points option.

Step 5: Press the Next button.

Step 6: Next, choose a suitable restore point.

Step 7: Press the Next button.

Step 8: Finally, click the Finish button to complete the restoration.

Step 7 – Disable Audio Enhancements

You may check if Realtek high definition audio isn’t working in Windows 10 by disabling the audio improvement functionality. This function is intended to improve the performance of your sound card, however, it is not compatible with all sound cards.

As a result, it is recommended that you disable the Audio Enhancement Feature by following the procedures below:

1. The Control Panel window should now be open. To launch the run box, press the Windows key and R at the same time, then type ‘control’ and press the Enter key.
2. As shown in the figure, select the ‘View by Large Icons’ option and then Sound.
3. Right-click on the Default Device in the Playback tab and select Properties.
4. Then, go to the Enhancement tab and uncheck the option labeled Disable all sound effects.
5. Finally, check the sound on your computer. If the audio problem persists, click Cancel and then try these steps below.

Step 8 – Rollback Realtek driver to the previous version

If you tried to manually update the driver for your Realtek high definition audio device, the incompatible driver you downloaded is most probably causing issues. As a result, roll back the driver to resolve the issue. Here are the actions you must take to accomplish this.

• Go to Device Manager by pressing the Windows + R keys, type “devmgmt.msc” into the Run box, and clicking OK

• Select the Sound, video, and gaming controllers category.
• Right-click the Realtek high definition audio device and select Properties.

• Navigate to the Drivers tab and click the Roll Back Driver button.

• To complete the rollback, click OK and follow the onscreen instructions.
• Restart your computer.

Congratulations!! Go ahead and give yourself a treat. You did a great job and successfully installed Realtek HD Driver.

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Thanks !! You are awesome