Audio Stopped Working After a Windows Update? Roll the Driver Back and Restart Audio

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read January 22, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

Sound was fine until a Windows update installed, and now there’s no audio.

Why: A Windows update can swap in an incompatible or partially installed audio driver, which stops the Windows audio engine from working correctly.

Fix 1: Install all pending updates first

A follow-up update often replaces the bad driver.

Open Start → Settings → Windows Update.
Click Check for updates and install everything offered.
Restart and test sound.

Fix 2: Roll back the audio driver

If the update broke it, reverting to the previous driver is the most direct fix.

Right-click Start → Device Manager.
Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
Right-click your audio device → Properties → Driver tab.
Click Roll Back Driver, follow the prompts, then restart.

If Roll Back Driver is greyed out, there’s no previous version stored — go to Fix 3 instead.

Fix 3: Update or reinstall the driver

In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers.
Right-click your audio device → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
If that finds nothing useful, right-click → Uninstall device → confirm → restart so Windows reinstalls it. As a last resort, download the latest driver from your PC maker’s support site.

Fix 4: Restart the Windows Audio services

Win + R  →  services.msc  →  Enter

Right-click Windows Audio → Restart, then right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Builder → Restart. Test audio afterward.

FAQ

Roll Back Driver is greyed out — what now? Windows didn’t keep the old driver. Reinstall the current one (Fix 3) or grab the latest from your PC maker.

Now the volume icon says “No audio output device is installed”? The update knocked the device offline — re-detect it in Device Manager. See No audio output device installed.

Sound is back but crackles now? A new driver can change the default format — see Crackling or distorted audio.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Fix audio that stops working after a Windows update, Microsoft Support — Update audio drivers in Windows