What should I do if the audio service is not running on Windows 10?
What should I do if the audio service is not running on Windows 10?
I recently encountered a problem with my Windows 10 computer where the audio suddenly stopped working. After some digging, I found out that the audio service is not running. This issue is quite frustrating because I rely on my computer’s sound for both work and leisure activities like listening to music and watching videos. When I check the sound settings, it shows a red X icon over the speaker symbol and a message saying, ‘The audio service is not running.’ I am not sure what caused this problem or how to fix it, and I would like to understand more about what could be going wrong. I have tried restarting my computer multiple times, but the issue persists. Can someone explain why this might be happening and what can be done to resolve it?
8 Answers
Consider using the Command Prompt to reset the audio service:
1. Open the Start menu, type ‘cmd,’ and select ‘Run as administrator.’
2. In the Command Prompt, type ‘net stop audiosrv’ and press Enter.
3. Next, type ‘net start audiosrv’ and hit Enter again.
4. This will restart the Windows Audio service.
5. Verify if the audio service is now running.
In my experience, running the audio troubleshooter from Windows settings can help.
1. Go to Start > Settings > System.
2. Click ‘Sound’ in the left panel.
3. Under ‘Related Settings,’ click ‘Troubleshoot.’
4. Follow the instructions provided to detect and fix audio-related issues.
5. Check if the sound is restored once the troubleshooter finishes.
Try running the System File Checker tool to check for corrupted system files:
1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type ‘sfc /scannow’ and press Enter.
3. The tool will scan and attempt to repair corrupted system files.
4. After the scan, restart your computer and see if the issue still exists.
Sometimes, audio enhancements can cause conflicts. Here’s how to disable them:
1. Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar and select ‘Sounds.’
2. Go to the ‘Playback’ tab and double-click your default playback device.
3. Navigate to the ‘Enhancements’ tab and check ‘Disable all enhancements.’
4. Click Apply and OK, then test your audio.
A recent software update could be causing the issue. Consider uninstalling recent updates:
1. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. Click ‘View update history.’
3. Select ‘Uninstall updates.’
4. Choose the most recent update and uninstall it.
5. Restart your computer and check if your audio works again.
To start, you should check if the Windows Audio service is running and set to automatic. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Press ‘Windows + R’ keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type ‘services.msc’ and hit Enter.
3. Locate ‘Windows Audio’ in the list of services.
4. Right-click it and select ‘Properties.’
5. Ensure the ‘Startup type’ is set to ‘Automatic.’
6. If the service isn’t running, click ‘Start’ under Service status.
7. Apply the changes and check if your audio works now.
You might want to restore your system to a point where the audio was working:
1. Open Control Panel and search for ‘Recovery.’
2. Click ‘Recovery,’ and then ‘Open System Restore.’
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a restore point when your audio was functional.
4. Complete the process and check if the audio service issue has been resolved.
Updating the audio driver can often solve this issue. Follow these steps to update your driver:
1. Right-click on the Start button and open ‘Device Manager.’
2. Expand the ‘Sound, video, and game controllers’ category.
3. Right-click your audio device and select ‘Update driver.’
4. Choose ‘Search automatically for updated driver software.’
5. Follow the prompts to install any updates.
6. Restart your computer to apply the changes.