Windows Sound Not Working: Troubleshooting Remote Desktop Connection Issues

Are you experiencing problems with sound not working while using remote desktop to connect to a Windows 10 Pro Creators update host? You're not alone. Many users have reported this issue, but it's relatively easy to troubleshoot and resolve. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to identify and fix the problem.

First, let's rule out any potential audio driver issues. If you have Realtek HDA audio drivers or NVidia audio drivers installed on your host, they shouldn't affect remote desktop sound redirection. However, it's still worth checking to make sure that drive redirection is working properly.

If you're unable to start required services in safe mode, try checking the registry value for fDisableAudioCapture and group policies for RDP sound redirection. Make sure that both the sound service and Remote Desktop service are started.

Another potential cause of the issue could be a problem with your RDP client. Try using different RDP clients, such as Android or Windows Store versions, to see if the problem persists. Also, verify that the RDP client has 'Play on this computer' enabled.

If you're still experiencing issues, try checking the host and client volume control settings. Make sure that the volume level for your current browser is not muted or set too low.

To troubleshoot further, find the sound icon in the system tray and right-click on it. Select the option to open Volume Mixer, which allows you to define volume levels for each app on your computer.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, there are a few additional troubleshooting methods you can try. For example, you can check if the device you want to play sound through is listed in the Playback devices window. If it's not, right-click on the empty space and tick Show Disabled Devices.

Finally, if all else fails, you may need to switch to another browser or wait for an update from your current browser developer.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to identify and resolve any issues with sound not working while using remote desktop.

Windows sound not working