- (Note: If you just lost your sound controls or some glitch has prevented the sound from operating, please completely shutdown the computer and power it back up, in many cases this is all that was required.)
- (Extra note: If an new Windows update or an new piece of software has potentially caused this issue, you might be able to rollback the update using Add Remove Remove Programs. System Restore may also be able to get the computer back to a state before issues with sound arose.)
- (Extra Extra note: Make sure that you indeed have a Realtek Audio Sound device, in some cases these are devices that license parts of the Realtek hardware but are bound inside Intel Graphics drivers packages as part of a SOC (System on Chip)
If you need to fix/restore sound controls or literally have no audio settings, re-installing the Realtek HD Audio Manager may help, well at least it should be the first step before forking out cash for someone to fix it. Our step-by-step guide explains how to safely download and install the correct Realtek audio driver package from our site which has be sourced from the Realtek.com repository. This guide is optimized for Windows 11 and Windows 10 but is similar for older legacy versions of Windows. As time goes on Microsoft is going to do its best to phase out software like this, and rely on generic controls for audio further allowing them to lock the computer down.
What Is Realtek HD Audio Manager?
Realtek HD Audio Manager is the software control panel that is included with the Realtek High Definition Audio drivers version R2.83. It allows you to:
- Configure speakers and headphones
- Adjust microphone settings
- Enable enhancements and sound effects
- Manage front and rear audio jacks inputs including jack insert detection.
Step 1: Downloading Audio Manager
- Using the Link below the lastest version from Realtek can be accessed, unfortunately these are not updated often. Often OEM's have more updated drivers that have extra functionality, if you are on a brand name computer, check their latest support.
- Realtek Audio Driver R2.83 (Windows 10/11 x64)
Step 2: Check your Windows version.
Before downloading:
- Press Windows + R
- Type
winverand press Enter - Confirm your Windows version and build
Most modern systems use 64-bit (x64) Windows 10 or Windows 11. There many budget newer systems that run arm64 processors, these typically don't have Realtek chipsets, so this isn't usually an issue.
Step 3: Extract the Downloaded File and Run the Install Package.
After downloading:
- Locate the exe file in your Downloads folder
- Right-click the file and run as an Administrator.
Follow the prompts of install location.
Image
Progress of the Realtek HD Audio package being installed.
Step 4: Open Realtek HD Audio Manager
You can access it by:
- Opening Control Panel
- Going to Hardware and Sound
If you do not see it, check:
- System tray (speaker icon area)
- Windows Settings → Sound → More sound settings
Troubleshooting: Realtek HD Audio Manager Not Showing
If it doesn’t appear:
- Update your motherboard audio drivers
- Check Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers
- Reinstall the driver after uninstalling the current version
In some newer systems, Realtek audio control is delivered through the Microsoft Store this can be found by searching for "Realtek Audio Control" be careful however as the are many deseptive applications that are made to look like they are the Audio Controls but they are nothing but bloatware.
Notes:
If you're running Windows 11, make sure Secure Boot and driver signature enforcement are enabled to avoid installation errors.
