How can you resolve audio driver conflicts in Windows 10?

1 Update Drivers

Updating your audio drivers is the first line of defense against driver conflicts. In Windows 10, you can do this through the Device Manager. Open it by right-clicking the Start button and selecting 'Device Manager'. Find 'Sound, video and game controllers', right-click your audio device, and choose 'Update driver'. Select 'Search automatically for updated driver software' to let Windows find and install the latest driver. If Windows doesn't find a new driver, check the manufacturer's website for updates.

2 Rollback Drivers

If updating didn't solve the issue, or if it started after a recent update, rolling back the driver may help. Again, navigate to Device Manager and locate your audio device under 'Sound, video and game controllers'. Right-click, select 'Properties', then go to the 'Driver' tab and click on 'Roll Back Driver'. This option reverts to the previous version of the driver that may have been more stable. If the rollback option is greyed out, it means there isn't a previous driver to revert to.

3 Uninstall Drivers

Sometimes the best solution is to uninstall the audio driver and let Windows reinstall it. In Device Manager under 'Sound, video and game controllers', right-click your audio device and select 'Uninstall device'. You might also want to check 'Delete the driver software for this device' if you suspect the driver itself is corrupted. After uninstalling, restart your computer. Windows will attempt to reinstall the audio driver during the reboot process, which can often resolve any conflicts.

4 Configure Audio

Proper configuration is key to resolving audio issues. Right-click the sound icon in your taskbar and select 'Open Sound settings'. Ensure the correct output device is selected. Then, go to 'Device properties' and click on 'Additional device properties'. Under the 'Advanced' tab, you can test different formats to see if changing these settings resolves your audio problems. Sometimes, simple misconfigurations can lead to sound issues that are easily fixed.

5 Disable Enhancements

Audio enhancements can sometimes cause conflicts leading to audio issues. To disable them, right-click the sound icon in your taskbar and select 'Sounds'. In the Playback tab, right-click your default device and select 'Properties'. Navigate to the 'Enhancements' tab and check the box that says 'Disable all enhancements' or 'Disable all sound effects'. Apply the changes and test your audio. This can often clear up any software conflicts causing sound problems.

6 Troubleshoot Sound

Windows has a built-in audio troubleshooter that can automatically detect and fix a range of sound problems. To access it, right-click the sound icon in your taskbar and select 'Troubleshoot sound problems'. Follow the on-screen instructions. The troubleshooter will check for issues such as disabled devices or driver errors and attempt to fix them automatically. While not always successful, it's a good starting point before diving into more complex solutions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

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