If you see a red X above the volume icon in the system tray, you can't use your audio device. Even though the audio device is not disabled, users still see this error when running the program Fix audio problems. The computer will say “High Definition Audio Device is installed,” but when you hover over the icon, you will see “No audio output device is installed.” output which sound is installed). This is a very strange issue and users cannot use any type of audio service due to this error.
If you are seeing a red X on the sound icon, this means your system is not making sound. Many other Windows users have also complained about the same problem. See how to fix the speaker icon with a red X listed below.
Ways to fix the speaker icon with a red X, the computer has no sound
Why is there a red X on the audio icon?
This question must have been on your mind ever since you lost sound and found the scary sign on your sound icon. You should know that there are many different things that can cause the problem. Here are some potential reasons:
- Your audio device is faulty or not connected properly
- Audio service is not running
- Your audio driver is outdated or corrupted
- Some errors and application conflicts are affecting the audio driver
No matter what the cause of the problem is, you will eliminate it after applying the right remedy.
Method 1: Restart the system
There are many problems that a system reboot can solve. Restarting your system can resolve lingering issues, including those affecting your audio devices.
Some applications may be using an audio service that has encountered problems, resulting in no system sound. In other cases, the processor may not be able to communicate properly with the audio adapter driver. When you reboot the system, these problems will be eliminated and the red icon will disappear.
Method 2: Edit Registry
Step 1: Press the key Windows + R then type regedit and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
Step 2: Navigate to the following key register:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices
Step 3: Click on MMDevices and then select Permissions.
Step 4: In the Permission window, select Full Control give SYSTEM, Administrator and user.user.
Step 5: Click Apply Already OK to save the settings.
Step 6: Now again navigate to the following registry key:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio
Step 7: Continue steps 4 and 5 to control all Admin, users and SYSTEM.
Step 8: Close Registry Editor and restart the computer. This method will fix the speaker icon with a red X in Windows 10, but if this doesn't fix your problem, go to the next method.
Method 3: Make sure the Windows Audio service is available start up
Step 1: Press the key Windows + R then type msc and press Enter.
Step 2: Scroll down until you find it Windows Audio and right click then select Properties.
Step 3: Make sure the service is running by clicking Start and then setup Startup type wall Automatic.
Step 4: Click Apply and OK.
Step 5: Follow the same steps for service Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
Step 6: Close all programs and restart your computer to save changes.
Method 4: Update the audio driver
Step 1: Press the key Windows + R then enter msc and press Enter to open Device Manager.
Step 2: Expand section Sound, video and game controllers and right click Audio Device then choose Enable (If already enabled, skip this step).
If the audio device is already enabled, right-click Audio Device then select Update Driver Software.
Step 3: Now select “Search automatically for updated driver software” and end the process.
Step 4: If the graphics card cannot be updated, select Update Driver Software.
Step 5: This time choose “Browse my computer for driver software”.
Step 6: Next, select “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer”.
Step 7: Select the appropriate driver from the list and click Next.
Step 8: Wait for the process to complete and restart the computer.
Step 9: If the appropriate driver cannot be found, visit the manufacturer's website and download the latest driver.
Method 5: Uninstall Realtek High Definition Audio drivers
Step 1: Press the key Windows + X then select Control Panel.
Step 2: Click Uninstall a Program and then search for the item Realtek High Definition Audio Driver.
Step 3: Right click on it and select Uninstall.
Step 4: Restart the computer and open Device Manager.
Step 5: Click Action then select “Scan for hardware changes”.
Step 6: The system will automatically fix the error of the speaker icon with a red X.
If all the above methods don't work, try this method to fix the red crossed speaker icon error.