How to Reinstall Realtek Audio Drivers & HD Audio Manager
Reinstall Realtek audio drivers with our easy to follow solutions
- Realtek HD Audio is among the most prevalent codec software for Windows desktops and laptops.
- This article includes guidelines for easily reinstalling the Realtek audio driver in Windows 10.
A lot of Windows laptops and desktops include Realtek sound. The Realtek sound driver is essential to the communication between the PC system and its speakers.
Therefore, reinstalling Realtek HD Audio Codec drivers can often resolve numerous sound issues on Windows PCs.
Why are drivers necessary?
A computer’s efficiency is dependent on the frequency with which it is updated and maintained. A driver is one of the components that must be updated on a regular basis.
Many people who own a computer are likely to have heard the phrase driver, but they may not be familiar with what it means or how important it is to the machine’s functionality.
Every computer contains a number of them, each of which controls a different set of installed software and hardware components. Your computer’s hardware and software will not function properly, and in some cases, they may not function at all, if you do not have the right drivers installed.
Thus it is necessary to reinstall your drivers independent of what OS you are using. This is related to a frequent question we received from users asking if they need to reinstall the audio driver on Windows 11 or Windows 10. Yes, it is a must!
For more information and solutions confirmed by users, check out our post on how to reinstall the audio driver in Windows 11. If owning a Windows 10 PC instead, take a closer look at the fixes below.
How can I reinstall sound drivers on Windows 10?
1. Reinstall the Realtek audio driver
You can manually reinstall the Realtek audio driver by downloading the suitable version from the official Realtek website. Open the installer file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Expert tip:
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Some users might prefer to utilize driver updater software instead, as it’s more convenient and less time-consuming.
After installing the software the only thing that’s between you and a fully-functional system is a quick mouse click.
The software will automatically download all the drivers for your system’s needs by checking your system’s setup and accessing its enormous database of drivers for each of the devices you use it with.
You can prevent these problems by using an automatic tool that will search and install the correct drivers on your computer with just a few clicks. That's why we recommend you use Outbyte Driver Updater. Here's how to do it:
- Download and install the Outbyte Driver Updater app.
- Launch the software.
- Wait for the app to detect all incompatible drivers.
- Afterward, it will show you a list of the drivers found to select the ones to Update or Ignore.
- Click on Update & Apply Selected to download and install the newest versions.
- Restart your PC to ensure the applied changes.
Outbyte Driver Updater
Use this software and solve all driver-related issues from your PC.2. Unninstall the driver and search for duplicates
Uninstall the driver
- Press the Windows key + X hotkeys.
- Select Device Manager on the menu to open the window shown directly below.
- Double-click Sound, video and game controllers to expand that category.
- Right-click Realtek High Definition Audio and select the Uninstall device option.
- Click the Delete the driver software for this device option shown directly below.
- Click Uninstall to confirm.
Search for duplicate drivers
- Click View and Show hidden devices. Uninstall duplicate audio drivers if there are any.
- Restart Windows before reinstalling the driver.
- Then, you need to open the Realtek HD Audio Driver download page.
- Click the 64 or 32-bit Realtek HD Audio Driver link to download the driver installer.
- Open the downloaded installer for the Realtek HD Audio Driver.
- Go through the setup wizard to install the Realtek HD Audio Driver.
- Restart Windows.
3. Uninstall the Realtek sound driver via Programs and Features
- Press the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
- Next, type in appwiz.cpl in Run’s box; and click the OK button.
- Enter Realtek in the search programs box.
- Select the Realtek High Definition Audio Driver listed within Programs and Features.
- Click the Uninstall button.
- Choose Yes on any confirmation prompts.
- Restart Windows after uninstalling the Realtek audio driver.
- Then reinstall the Realtek audio driver manually as outlined above.
As you can see, reinstalling drivers is not as easy as it seems if you’re not using specialized software to do so. For a better and faster result, it is recommended that you use Outbyte Driver Updater from the start.
Feel free to share your experience with us by using the comments section below.
