Audio stop working after an windows update

[Bob_Akuroth]

The audio on my laptop stopped working after a Windows update.

The laptop works fine, but the speakers and microphone don’t work at all. I tried to fix it by performing all the classic troubleshooting steps (updating/uninstalling the drivers and rebooting the PC) but nothing worked. I also tried installing the drivers from the HP website, but still no success.

I ran HP’s hardware tests in the BIOS, and the speakers and microphone worked there. I also performed HP’s diagnostics, which reported that everything was working fine. I then uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers from Realtek’s website. This partially fixed the issue (the speakers and AUX worked) but if I restart my laptop, Windows updates the drivers again, and I lose audio.

I know that resetting the laptop might fix the problem, but I’d prefer to avoid that if there’s another solution.

[zoey7886]

@Bob_Akuroth, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding audio issue! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

You can try the following steps:

Run the sound problems troubleshooter

Automatically identify and fix audio errors with the Windows sound troubleshooting tool.

• Right-click the notification area speaker icon , and then select Troubleshoot sound problems.
• Select the device you want to troubleshoot, and then click Next to start the troubleshooter.
• If a recommended action displays, select Apply this fix, and then test for sound.
   

Use Microsoft System Restore to fix the audio problem

If the audio error persists, use Microsoft System Restore to fix the problem.

• Go to HP PCs - Using Microsoft System Restore to restore your computer to a previous state when sound was working.  

Let me know how it goes!

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[Bob_Akuroth]

Hi,

Thank you for your response. The problem has been going on for almost a year now(I think). I first noticed it while I was in class about 3–4 months ago, so using system recovery is not an option.

[Bob_Akuroth]

I fixed the problem by doing the following: Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update.

Finally, my laptop is back to normal! I’ll monitor it for a week to make sure everything stays good before considering the issue fully resolved.