Fix: The Audio Service is not running in Windows 10 (6 solutions)

Learn how to fix the “The Audio Service is not running” problem in Microsoft Windows 10.

Run the Windows “Playing Audio Troubleshooter”

Windows 10 has a built-in tool called Playing Audio Troubleshooter.

You can use this tool to try and fix all kinds of sound problems.

You can run this tool and see if it can fix your problem.

Two ways to open this tool:

• Right-click on the small speaker icon located in the system tray and then click on Troubleshoot sound problems.
• Open settings, click on System, click in the left sidebar on Sound, and then click on Troubleshoot.

Check Windows Audio services

1. Open Windows “Services”.

Four ways to open “Services”:

• Search for services in the Windows search bar or Cortana and then click on Services when it appears.
• Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type services.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Right-click on the start menu button, click on Run, type services.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Click on the start menu button, click on Windows System, click on Windows Administrative Tools and then double-click on Services.

The “Services” window appears.

2. Scroll down to the Windows Audio service.

3. Double-click on Windows Audio service to open its Properties.

You can also right-click on the Windows Audio service and then click on Properties.

4. Make sure that the Startup type is set to Automatic.

5. Click on the Start button. If it's already started, then click on the Stop button and then click on the Start button.

6. Click on the Apply button.

7. Click on the OK button.

8. Repeat step 3 to 7 for the following Windows services:

• Remote Procedure Call
• Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

If the Multimedia Class Scheduler service is present on your system, then you should repeat step 3 to 7 also for this service.

9. Close the “Services” window.

Roll back sound device driver

1. Open Windows “Device Manager”.

Four ways to open Device Manager:

• Search for device manager in the Windows search bar or Cortana and then click on Device Manager when it appears.
• Right-click on the start menu button and then click on Device Manager.
• Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Right-click on the start menu button, click on Run, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.

3. Right-click on the sound device and then click on Properties.

4. Click on the Driver tab.

5. If there's a Roll Back Driver option then click on it.

6. After the process is completed, you restart your PC.

Make the “Windows Audio” service log on as Local System account

1. Open Windows “Services”.

Three ways to open “Services”:

• Search for services in the Windows search bar or Cortana and then click on Services when it appears.
• Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type services.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Right-click on the start menu button, click on Run, type services.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

The “Services” window appears.

2. Right-click on the Windows Audio service and then click on Properties.

3. Click on the Log On tab.

4. Select (check) the Local System account option.

5. Click on Apply at the bottom of the window.

6. Click on OK.

Uninstall and reinstall sound device driver

1. Open Windows “Device Manager”.

Four ways to open Device Manager:

• Search for device manager in the Windows search bar or Cortana and then click on Device Manager when it appears.
• Right-click on the start menu button and then click on Device Manager.
• Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Right-click on the start menu button, click on Run, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.

3. Right-click on the sound device and then click on Uninstall device.

On my PC, the sound device is Conexant SmartAudio HD, but it might be different on your PC.

A “Uninstall Device” window appears.

4. Select (check) the Delete the driver software for this device option if available.

5. Click on Uninstall.

6. Restart your computer after the process is completed.

Uninstall NVIDIA sound device driver

I had the “The Audio Service is not running” problem on Windows 10, but I had sound.

For me, the problem started after I updated the “NVIDIA GEFORCE” driver.

The driver added a sound device (driver) and after removing it my problem was solved.

The following step will show you how to uninstall the NVIDIA sound device (driver).

1. Open Windows “Device Manager”.

Four ways to open Device Manager:

• Search for device manager in the Windows search bar or Cortana and then click on Device Manager when it appears.
• Right-click on the start menu button and then click on Device Manager.
• Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• Right-click on the start menu button, click on Run, type devmgmt.msc in the “Run” dialog and then click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.

3. Right-click on the NVIDIA sound device and then click on Uninstall device.

A “Uninstall Device” window appears.

4. Select (check) the Delete the driver software for this device option if available.

5. Click on Uninstall.

6. Restart your PC after the process is completed.

This solution fixed my problem.