How to fix 'The Audio Service is not running' in Windows 10

This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to fix the 'The Audio Service is not running' problem in Windows 10.


Run the Windows 'Playing Audio Troubleshooter'

Windows 10 has a built-in tool called Playing Audio Troubleshooter, which you can use to try and fix all kinds of sound problems.

  1. Right-click on the speaker icon located in the Windows system tray.
  2. Click on Troubleshoot sound problems.
    Open Windows Playing Audio Troubleshooter
  3. If the tool finds a problem, follow its steps to fix it.

You can also open the tool by opening settings > System > Sound > Troubleshoot.


Check Windows Audio services

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Run.
  3. In the 'Run' window, you type services.msc.
    Open Microsoft Windows services
  4. Click on Ok or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  5. In the 'Services' window, you scroll down to the Windows Audio service.
    Microsoft Windows Audio service
  6. Right-click on the Windows Audio service.
  7. Click on Properties.
    Open Windows Audio service properties
  8. Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
  9. Click on Start. If it's already started, click on Stop and then click on Start.
    Microsoft Windows Audio service properties
  10. Click on Apply.
  11. Click on OK.
  12. Right-click on the Remote Procedure Call service.
  13. Click on Properties.
  14. Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
  15. Click on Start. If it's already started, click on Stop and then click on Start.
  16. Click on Apply.
  17. Click on OK.
  18. Right-click on the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service.
  19. Click on Properties.
  20. Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
  21. Click on Start. If it's already started, click on Stop and then click on Start.
  22. Click on Apply.
  23. Click on OK.
  24. If the Multimedia Class Scheduler service is on your system, right-click on it. If the service is not on your system, you're done, and you can close the 'Services' window.
  25. Click on Properties.
  26. Make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
  27. Click on Start. If it's already started, click on Stop and then click on Start.
  28. Click on Apply.
  29. Click on OK.

Roll back sound device driver

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Device Manager.
  3. Double-click on Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.
    Sound, video and game controllers in Windows Device Manager
  4. Right-click on the sound device. On my PC, the sound device is Conexant SmartAudio HD, but it might be different on your PC.
  5. Click click on Properties.
    Open sound device properties
  6. Click on the Driver tab.
  7. If there's a Roll Back Driver option, click on it.
    Roll back sound device driver
  8. After the process is completed, you restart your PC.

Make the 'Windows Audio' service log on as Local System account

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Run.
  3. In the 'Run' window, you type services.msc.
    Open Microsoft Windows services
  4. Click on Ok or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  5. In the 'Services' window, you scroll down to the Windows Audio service.
    Microsoft Windows Audio service
  6. Right-click on the Windows Audio service.
  7. Click on Properties.
    Open Windows Audio service properties
  8. Click on the Log On tab.
  9. Check the Local System account option.
    Log Windows Audio service on as Local System account
  10. Click on Apply.
  11. Click on OK.

Uninstall and reinstall sound device driver

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Device Manager.
  3. Double-click on Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.
    Sound, video and game controllers in Windows Device Manager
  4. Right-click on the sound device. On my PC, the sound device is Conexant SmartAudio HD, but it might be different on your PC.
  5. Click on Uninstall device.
    Uninstall sound device in Windows 10 Device Manager
  6. In the 'Uninstall Device' window, you check the Delete the driver software for this device option if available.
  7. Click on Uninstall.
    Uninstall sound device in Windows 10 Device Manager
  8. After the process is completed, you restart your PC.

Uninstall NVIDIA sound device driver

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

The problem started after I updated the NVIDIA GEFORCE driver on my PC.

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

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

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Device Manager.
  3. Double-click on Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.
    Sound, video and game controllers in Windows Device Manager
  4. Right-click on the NVIDIA sound device.
  5. Click on Uninstall device.
  6. In the 'Uninstall Device' window, you check the Delete the driver software for this device option if available.
  7. Click on Uninstall.
  8. After the process is completed, you restart your PC.

This solution fixed my problem.

Windows