How to Restart the Audio Driver in Windows 11

How to Restart the Audio Driver in Windows 11


Although not as widely used as Windows 10, Windows 11 is going to become a popular option as soon as support for Windows 10 stops. Besides, Windows 11 isn’t fleshed out as its older brother and as such, it’s more prone to issues and glitches in certain situations.

But what if you encounter any issues with your sound or you simply don’t have sound at all? Well, the only reasonable option is to restart your audio driver in Windows 11 and not immediately go and buy new speakers, a pair of headphones, or a monitor (if you use a monitor speaker).

Today, I’ll show you how to restart the audio driver in Windows 11 and fix your issues with the sound if you can’t hear anything or you experience sound glitches.

1. How to Restart the Audio Driver in Windows 11: An Easy Guide

Here are the required steps to restart the audio driver in Windows 11.

  1. Press Windows + X at the same time.
  2. Select Device Manager.
    Windows Device Manager
  3. In the Device Manager menu, click on “Sound, video, and game controllers.“
  4. Find your adapter from the list and double-click on it. For me, it’s a “High Definition Audio Device.“
    Windows Device Manager Audio
  5. Select the “Driver“ tab.
  6. Click on “Uninstall Device.“
    Windows Device Manager Audio 2
  7. When prompted, tick the box next to “Attempt to remove the driver for this device.“ Press Uninstall.
  8. Restart your computer.
  9. Windows will now automatically install the driver during the boot process, which will effectively restart the audio driver in Windows 11. To test it out, try listening to music or anything else. Sound problems and glitches should be removed now.

2. Bottom Line

Now that you know how to restart the audio driver in Windows 11, you should be able to remedy your sound problems. If problems persist, make sure you inspect your audio system physically or reset system sounds to their default settings.

In most cases, you can solve this type of problem without replacing your speakers or headphones.

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