How to reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11
- Users often face issues with the sound, and in such cases, it's best that you reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11.
- Doing so helps fix a bunch of underlying problems, including a corrupt driver.
- While the term sounds intricate and complex, reinstalling the audio driver is actually a simple and quick process. Find out the two ways you can do it.
Drivers play a critical role in the functioning of the PC by relaying the commands from the OS to the concerned device. Each device has a separate driver, including the audio ones. But, oftentimes, these may corrupt and you would be required to reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11.
The audio drivers are responsible for the audio input and output. And, most audio issues you encounter in Windows are generally due to outdated or corrupt drivers. While the former requires a user to update the driver, the latter can be fixed by simply reinstalling it.
Contrary to the belief, reinstalling the audio drivers in Windows is a fairly simple process and can be done within a few minutes. Before we proceed to the ways you can do it, let’s first understand when you need to reinstall the audio drivers.
When do I need to reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11?
Generally, Windows takes care of the driver updates along with the other necessary configurations and changes. But, if the device isn’t working as expected, due to a corrupt driver, you would be required to reinstall it.
To identify a malfunctioning device, check for a yellow exclamation mark (warning sign) on the device icon in the Device Manager. If you find any with it, reinstalling their driver should be your primary approach when troubleshooting.
How can I reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11?
1. Via Device Manager
- Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu.
- Enter Device Manager in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
- Now, double-click on the Sound, video and game controllers entry to view the devices under it.
- Right-click on the audio device, and select Uninstall device from the context menu.
- Tick the checkbox for Attempt to remove the driver for this device, and click on Uninstall.
- After uninstalling the driver, restart the computer.
- Windows will now look for the best available driver for the audio device and automatically install it.
This is probably one of the simplest and the quickest ways of reinstalling the audio driver in Windows 11. And the best part about the whole process, you don’t have to manually install the driver after removing it since Windows automatically does that.
2. Via Control Panel
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run command.
- Enter appwiz.cpl in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Programs and features window.
- Locate and select the audio driver, and click on Uninstall at the top.
- Click Yes on the confirmation box, if any pops up.
- Now, restart the computer and Windows will automatically install the best available driver for the audio device.
Another way to reinstall the audio driver is to first remove it from the Programs and Features window, and then restart the PC to let the OS automatically install it.
The second part, i.e., reinstalling the driver, remains the same in both the methods, and it’s just the uninstallation part that differs. Choose the one that you find more convenient to easily reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11.
In case both methods sound far too complex or time-consuming, you can always rely on a third-party utility. We recommend using DriverFix, a dedicated tool that automatically scans for any available newer versions and updates the installed drivers.
How do find out the installed version of audio drivers in Windows 11?
- Launch the Device Manager as discussed earlier, and double-click on the Sound, video, and game controllers entry.
- Right-click on the audio device, and select Properties from the context menu.
- Navigate to the Driver tab and jot down the driver version.
Once you have this information, it will be simple to locate the relevant driver on the OEM’s website, in case things go wrong and Windows doesn’t automatically reinstall the driver. Also, this will come in handy when updating the installed drivers.
How do I fix issues with the Realtek audio driver in Windows 11?
Several users also reported encountering issues with the audio driver, the underlying causes generally being trivial. Which in turn makes troubleshooting Realtek HD audio driver issue in Windows 11 a lot simpler.
Also, learn how to fix issues that cause the no sound problem in Windows 11.
These are all the ways you can reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11. Both ways are equally simple, and it’s up to the users to choose one or use a dedicated third-party tool.
More so, find out how you can manually install the drivers in Windows 11, in case the automatic update doesn’t work.
Tell us which method you choose to reinstall the audio driver in the comments section below. We’re eager to hear from you.
