Realtek HD audio driver is a commonly used audio driver on Windows. Some users are reporting that the Realtek HD audio manager is not working or showing on Windows 11/10. If you face this issue, then this post will help you.
Realtek HD audio driver helps us play audio on our Windows PC. Imagine that you are playing an audio clip and you are unable to hear anything. The speakers are working fine, the audio is playing fine. We try to fix it by increasing or decreasing volume and troubleshooting the Realtek audio driver. What if you cannot find the Realtek HD audio driver in the Device Manager? How can you fix it? Let’s see the ways to fix the issue.
Realtek HD Audio Manager not showing up in Device Manager
If the Realtek HD Audio Manager is not working, showing, or missing from the Device Manager in Windows 11 or Windows 10, you can fix the issue using the following methods.
- Update the Realtek HD audio driver
- Show hidden devices
- Add legacy hardware
- Reinstall the drivers
- Reset BIOS to default
Let’s get into the details of each method.
1] Update the Realtek HD audio driver
If the Realtek HD Audio Manager is not working on your PC, it might be due to outdated drivers or missing files. The first fix you should try is to update the Realtek HD audio drivers in the Device Manager. Also, check for Windows Updates in the Settings app using which we can update the drivers automatically.
2] Show hidden devices
If you are not seeing the Realtek HD Audio Manager, there are chances that the Realtek HD Audio Manager or the devices associated with it are hidden by mistake. You have to select the option to show hidden devices in the Device Manager. The devices that are hidden will be visible and you might find the Realtek HD Audio Manager in them.
3] Add legacy hardware
If the Realtek HD Audio Manager is missing from the Device Manager, you can fix it using the feature to Add legacy hardware. Open Device Manager on your PC and select Sound, video and game controllers. Then, click on Action in the menu bar and select Add legacy hardware.
Then follow the on-screen instructions and select Search for and install the hardware automatically (Recommended) and follow the steps and install the device manually.
This can fix the issue you are having with Realtek HD Audio Manager.
4] Reinstall the drivers
If the issue is still not fixed, you have to uninstall the Realtek HD audio driver and reinstall it manually to fix the issue. It will fix the issue and you can easily play audio using the Realtek HD audio devices.
5] Reset BIOS to default
Sometimes, the changes that you make or occur in the BIOS settings might affect the devices that you use on your PC. The only way to fix the issues that occur on that instance is to reset the BIOS to default. After that, you will be able to use Realtek HD Audio Manager without any issue.
Fix common issues with Realtek HD Audio
Let us talk about some common issues that users face with the Realtek HD Audio Manager.
1] Audio Distortion and Cracking when using Realtek HD Audio
If you experience distortion and cracking audio when using the Realtek HD Audio, you need to turn off Audio Enhancement for your speaker. In order to do the same, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Hardware & Sound > Sound.
- Go to the Playback tab, right-click the current device, and select Properties.
- Either click on Advanced and untick Enable audio enhancement or click on the Enhancements tab, and select the Disable all enhancements check box (you will see either of the two options depending on the version of Windows you use).
Finally, check if the issue is resolved.
2] Realtek’s drivers conflict with Microsoft’s native drivers
We have noticed that sometimes Realtek’s drivers conflict with Microsoft’s native drivers due to which the user experiences system failure and instability. In order to resolve it, we need to keep all the audio drivers updated. If that is to no avail, we need to remove the existing copy of the driver and install a fresh copy of the same.
3] Realtek Audio Manager missing from the computer
On some systems, it has been noticed that the Realtek Audio Manager is absent. If that’s you, the first thing you need to check is if you have Realtek Audio as Realtek is not the only company working on audio. You can find this information on your product specification page.
However, if you know you have Realtek Audio, there are a few things we need to do. First of all, check if Realtek Audio is disabled in the Task Manager. So, open the Task Manager, go to the Startup tab, and look for a process related to Realtek, for me, it was RtkAudUService64. Finally, make sure that the process is enabled. If it’s disabled, you can right-click on the process and set it to Enabled. Finally, reboot your computer and check if the issue is resolved.
If the service is running fine or is missing from the Startup tab, your last resort should be to download and install the Realtek Audio Manager. The app is most likely missing from your computer or corrupted due to a virus or glitch, but thankfully, we can install it again and resolve the issue.
Why is my Realtek not showing in Device Manager?
There might be many reasons why Realtek devices do not show in the Device Manager. They might be hidden, the drivers outdated or corrupted, or some settings in the BIOS affected them. You can easily fix the issue using the above methods.
Realtek HD audio manager “No driver was supported in this driver package” issue
When you see the “No driver was supported in this driver package” error while trying to use the Realtek HD audio manager, you have to update the drivers or reinstall them if necessary to install the right drivers for your PC.
Related read: How to use Realtek HD Audio Manager to boost PC Sound.
