Troubleshooting Audio Issues When Your Computer Sleeps

when computer sleeps audio wont work intill restart

Many people have reported issues with their computer audio not working after waking their computer from sleep mode. This issue can be caused by outdated audio drivers, hardware issues, or misconfigured settings. To fix this problem, some users have suggested reinstalling audio drivers, changing power settings, or restarting the Windows Audio service. Additionally, changing the system memory value or using the Playing Audio troubleshooter on Windows 10 may also help resolve the issue.

Characteristics and Values

Characteristics Values
Cause Outdated audio drivers, hardware issues, misconfigured settings, USB selective suspend setting, etc.
Solutions Reinstall audio drivers, change system memory value, use Playing Audio troubleshooter, disable and enable sound device, uninstall and reinstall audio devices, restart Windows Audio service, restart PC

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Reinstall audio drivers

If you're experiencing audio issues with your computer after it wakes up from sleep mode, reinstalling your audio drivers might be the solution. Here's a detailed guide to help you through the process:

Troubleshooting Steps Before Reinstallation:

Firstly, let's try some simpler solutions before proceeding with the reinstallation:

  • If you're using an HDMI audio device, try setting your Power Plan to High Performance. This can be done by going into your Power Options and selecting the High-Performance plan.
  • If you're using a USB audio device, check your "USB selective suspend setting". If it's enabled, try disabling it, as this may resolve the issue.

Reinstalling Audio Drivers:

If the above steps don't work, we can move on to reinstalling your audio drivers:

For Windows:

  • Uninstall the Current Audio Driver: Press the Windows logo key and the R key simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Run box. Type "devmgmt.msc" and click OK to open Device Manager. Expand the "Sound, video and game controllers" category, right-click on your audio device, and select “Uninstall device". Make sure to select the option to delete the driver software for this device if available.
  • Restart Your Computer: After uninstalling, restart your PC. Windows should automatically reinstall the audio driver, especially if your computer is connected to the internet.
  • Install a New Audio Driver (Optional): If the issue persists, you can try installing a new audio driver manually. This requires some technical skills as you'll need to find the exact driver online, download it, and install it step by step. You can use software like Driver Easy to simplify this process, as it automatically recognizes your system and finds the correct drivers.

For Mac:

  • Repair Disk Permissions: Before reinstalling, try resetting the NVRAM and fixing permissions using the instructions provided by Apple Support.
  • Reinstall macOS: If the issue persists, back up your data and then reinstall macOS over your existing installation. This will repair and reinstall all OS components, including audio drivers, without erasing your data.
  • Complete Reinstallation (Last Resort): If all else fails, you may need to perform a complete reinstallation of macOS, but this will erase your hard drive. Before doing so, ensure you have a recent, tested backup.

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Change power plan settings

If you're experiencing issues with your audio not working after your computer wakes up from sleep mode, changing your power plan settings might be a solution. Here are some instructions on how to change power plan settings in Windows 10:

Step 1: Access Power Options

To begin, you need to access the Power Options menu. You can do this in several ways:

  • Right-click or press and hold on the Power icon in the notification area, then select "Power Options."
  • Open the Control Panel (icons view), then click on the Power Options icon.
  • Open the Win+X Power User Tasks menu and click on the Power Options icon.
  • Open Settings, and click on the System icon.

Step 2: Select Your Power Plan

Once you're in the Power Options menu, you'll see the power plans available on your system. Windows 10 provides the following default plans:

  • Balanced: This plan offers full performance when needed and saves power when it's not. It's the recommended plan for most users.
  • Power Saver: This plan saves power by reducing PC performance and screen brightness. It's ideal for laptop users who want to extend their battery life.

Step 3: Change Plan Settings

After selecting your desired power plan, click on the "Change plan settings" link. This will allow you to customize the settings for that particular power plan.

Step 4: Advanced Power Settings

If you need to make more detailed changes, click on the "Change advanced power settings" link. Here, you can adjust various hardware and system settings that impact how your computer uses power. These settings can help you save energy, maximize performance, or achieve a balance between the two.

Step 5: Customize Settings

Now, you can customize the power plan settings to suit your needs. For example, you can adjust the display turn-off time, sleep mode settings, and other power-related options. If you have a laptop or a tablet, you can also set different power plans for when your device is on battery power or plugged into a power source.

Step 6: Test Your Audio Issue

After making changes to your power plan settings, test your audio issue by putting your computer to sleep and then waking it up again. See if the audio works as expected. If not, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps or consider updating your audio drivers.

Remember that changing power plan settings is just one aspect of troubleshooting audio issues related to sleep mode. Other factors, such as USB selective suspend settings, graphics drivers, and Windows Audio service, can also contribute to the problem. It's important to explore various solutions and identify the one that works best for your specific situation.

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Uninstall and re-enable audio devices

If you are experiencing issues with your audio after your computer wakes up from sleep mode, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take.

First, check your Power Plan settings. Returning from sleep mode without audio could be due to something being turned off in your Power Plan. For testing, set your Power Plan to High Performance and see if it helps.

If that doesn't work, try updating your audio driver. Outdated or malfunctioning drivers can cause hardware problems. If updating the driver doesn't work, try reinstalling it. If that doesn't work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows.

To update or uninstall your audio driver:

  • In the search box on the taskbar, type "Device Manager" and select it from the results.
  • Select the arrow next to "Sound, video and game controllers" to expand it.
  • Select and hold (or right-click) the listing for your sound card or audio device.
  • To update the driver, select "Update driver" and then "Search automatically for updated driver software".
  • To uninstall the driver, select "Uninstall device", select the "Delete the driver software for this device" check box, and then select "Uninstall".
  • Restart your computer. This will automatically prompt your PC to reinstall your audio driver.

If you are using HDMI for video but the regular Realtek for audio, you need to disable the Nvidia HD Audio in the device manager so Windows uses Realtek.

If you are using a USB device, the USB selective suspend setting may be the cause of the issue. If this setting is enabled, muting the device can cause audio issues when waking from sleep mode. Disabling this setting may resolve the problem, but it can also cause a "no audio on waking from sleep" problem.

If you are still experiencing issues, try changing the sample rate and then going back to your default setting.

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Update graphics drivers

If you're experiencing audio issues on your Windows computer after it wakes up from sleep mode, updating your graphics drivers might be a solution. Here are some detailed instructions on how to update your graphics drivers on both Windows and Mac systems:

Method 1: Windows Update

The easiest way to update your graphics drivers on Windows is by using Windows Update:

  • Go to the Start menu and type "update".
  • Click on "Check for updates" in the Settings menu.
  • Windows will check for any available updates.
  • If updates are found, click on "Download and Install".
  • Once the updates are installed, click on "Restart Now" to restart your computer and apply the updates.

Method 2: Device Manager

You can also update your graphics drivers using the Device Manager:

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select "Device Manager".
  • In the Device Manager window, locate and expand the "Display adapters" category by clicking on the arrow next to it.
  • Right-click on your graphics driver and select "Update driver".
  • Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software".
  • Windows will search for, download, and install any available updates for your graphics driver.
  • If no updates are found, you can manually download the driver update from the manufacturer's website and install it by selecting "Browse my computer for drivers".
  • After updating, you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Method 3: Graphics Card App

If you have an NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics card, you can use their respective brand-specific apps to update your drivers:

  • Open the app for your graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce Experience app).
  • Follow the instructions within the app to check for and install any available driver updates.

On a Mac, graphics drivers are typically updated automatically as part of the OS X updates. However, if you need to update your drivers manually, follow these steps:

  • Check the manufacturer's website for your graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA) for any available updates.
  • Download and install the appropriate driver update for your Mac model and OS version.
  • If no updates are available, it means that your graphics drivers are already up to date and included in your current OS X version.

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Change system memory value

If your computer audio does not work after waking it up from sleep mode, there are several possible reasons and solutions. One user on Reddit reported that they had to "Don't Allow" and then "Allow" audio on their work computer, but did not experience the same issue on their home computer with the same setup. Another user suggested that the problem might be related to the "USB selective suspend setting". They found that if this setting is enabled, they had to toggle the audio in some way (e.g. switch to mono and then back to stereo) to get the audio working again.

One potential solution to this issue is to restart the Windows Audio (Audiosrv service) in services.msc (Windows + R). However, this solution requires manually restarting the audio service each time the computer wakes up from sleep mode. To automate this process, you can create a scheduled task using Task Scheduler to restart the service whenever the computer wakes up.

Another possible reason for audio issues when resuming from sleep mode could be related to your graphics or video drivers. Updating these drivers may help resolve the problem. Additionally, it is recommended to set your Power Plan to "High Performance" and test if that improves the audio issue.

If you are experiencing audio problems on your Windows 10 PC, you might also consider changing the system memory values. Here's a guide on how to do that:

  • Backup your system: Before making any changes to essential parts of your operating system, it is recommended to back up your operating system and files, including the registry.
  • Access System Properties: Go to Start > Run, type "sysdm.cpl", and click OK.
  • Navigate to Advanced Settings: In the System Properties dialog box, click on the "Advanced" tab. Under Performance, click on "Settings".
  • Adjust Virtual Memory: In the Performance Options dialog box, click on the "Advanced" tab. Find the "Virtual Memory" section at the bottom of the dialog box and click on the Change button.
  • Set Custom Size: In the "Paging file size for selected drive" section, select the "Custom size" option. Here, you can set the Initial size (MB) and the Maximum size (MB) for virtual memory. The initial size can match the maximum size, or you can increase both. Microsoft recommends setting virtual memory to no less than 1.5 times and no more than 3 times the amount of RAM on your computer.
  • Apply and Test: Click on the "Set" button and then OK to close the dialog boxes. Test the changes and adjust the values if you experience any freezes, crashes, or other problems.

By following these steps, you can increase the virtual memory values in your system, which can help improve system performance and stability. However, it is important to note that making changes to system memory values should only be done if you have a valid reason and understand the potential risks involved.

Frequently asked questions

This could be due to outdated audio drivers, hardware issues, or misconfigured settings.

You can try reinstalling or updating your audio drivers, changing the system memory value, or using the built-in Windows Playing Audio troubleshooter.

If your audio works fine before sleep mode, the issue could be related to power settings. Try setting your Power Plan to High Performance to see if that helps.

You can try resetting your audio settings, reinstalling or updating your audio drivers, or using the built-in Windows Playing Audio troubleshooter.

This could be related to your audio settings, drivers, or hardware. Try resetting your audio settings, updating your drivers, or checking for hardware issues.

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