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If you have encountered the “No audio device installed” error message or have no sound coming from the speakers connected to your PC, your issues may be related to the multimedia audio controller. If your multimedia audio controller drivers are corrupt or outdated, there is a high chance you will run into sound issues on your computer. In this post, we will tell you how to fix the “no audio device installed” issue in Windows 10.

What Is the Multimedia Audio Controller?

Multimedia audio controller drivers allow your operating system to communicate with the sound hardware such as your speakers, headphones, etc. Thus, if there is a problem with these drivers, your connected audio devices won’t work properly.

How to Remove the ‘No Drivers Installed for this Device’ Error Message?

As there are several issues that can be causing the problem, there are also plenty of ways you can try to fix it. These include:

  • Updating the multimedia audio controller driver
  • Uninstalling the multimedia audio controller driver
  • Checking for available Windows updates
  • Adding a Legacy hardware

We will go over these solutions one by one, starting at the top. If the first option does not work, proceed to the next solution in the list — and so on.

Now, before we get into the steps for each of the above fixes, we suggest you create a System Restore Point to protect your OS in case of the rare occasion that anything goes wrong.

The first thing you will need to do is make sure that System Restore is enabled on your PC.

Typically, this utility is always on by default, but if it has been manually disabled, you will need to turn it back on again. Here’s what to do:

  • In the search bar, type “system restore” (no quotes).
  • Select Create a restore point.
  • Navigate to System Protection.
  • Choose the drive you want to check and click Configure.
  • Make sure Turn on system protection is enabled — this is needed for the System Restore Utility to be turned on.

Now, proceed to creating a System Restore Point:

  • Right-click the Windows icon on your taskbar.
  • Go to Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System.
  • In the left section, select System Protection.
  • On the System Protection tab, select Create.
  • Type a description for the restore point you want to create (you can use a specific date or describe it as “before clean install”, for example).
  • Click Create.

After you have created a restore point, we can proceed to the first solution.

Option One: Update the Multimedia Audio Controller Driver

An outdated driver can be the cause of many problems on your PC. It is, thus, very important to keep your system drivers up to date. There are two ways in which you can go about updating your multimedia audio controller driver: you can do it manually or automatically.

Updating your drivers manually is typically recommended for more experienced users. You will need to locate the outdated drivers yourself, download the latest available versions from the manufacturer’s website, and install them on your PC. This can be quite a time-consuming process. Plus, if you do make a mistake when updating your drivers, this can result in more and bigger issues for your computer.

If you’ve never updated your drivers before and don’t feel like taking any new risks, you can use specialized software to do work for you. A program like Auslogics Driver Updater will run an automatic scan of your system drivers for existing and potential issues, prepare a report on outdated or missing drivers it has detected and then will update them to the latest manufacturer-recommended versions in just one click — and this goes for all types of drivers on your system, not just the multimedia audio controller driver.

Alternatively, go through the following steps:

  • On your keyboard, press Win + R key combo.
  • Type “devmgmt.msc” (no quotes) and hit Enter to launch the Device Manager.
  • Expand Sound, video, and game controllers and locate Multimedia Audio Controller.
  • If you can’t, then go to Other devices.
  • Here, find Multimedia Audio Controller.
  • Right-click Multimedia Audio Controller and click Update.
  • On the next screen, select Search automatically for updated driver software.
  • Wait for the process to complete.
  • If any new drivers are found, make sure to click Install to complete the process.
  • Once finished, select Close and restart your PC to apply the changes.
  • However, if your driver is up-to-date, you will just see a message saying “The best driver software for your device is already installed.”
  • Click Close — there is nothing left for you to do since the drivers are already up-to-date.

If you’re still bothered by the multimedia audio controller driver issue, proceed to the next solution.

Option Two: Uninstall the Multimedia Audio Controller Driver

  • On your keyboard, press the Win + R key combo.
  • Type “devmgmt.msc” (no quotes) and hit Enter to launch the Device Manager.
  • Expand Sound, video and game controllers and locate Multimedia Audio Controller.
  • Alternatively, go to Other devices and right-click Multimedia Audio Controller.
  • Click Uninstall.
  • Click Yes to confirm the uninstallation.
  • Once the process completes, restart your PC.
  • Once the system restarts, Windows will try to automatically install the needed drivers for Multimedia Audio Controller.
  • If this doesn’t work, go to the manufacturer’s website to download the drivers manually.

Option Three: Checking for Windows Updates

  • On your keyboard, press the Win + I key combo.
  • Go to Settings and select Update & Security.
  • In the left-side menu, click Windows Update.
  • Select Check for updates.
  • If updates are available, click on Download & Install updates.

If this does not help, proceed to the final solution.

Option Four: Adding a Legacy Hardware

If none of the above methods have been successful, try adding a Legacy Hardware to fix the problem.

  • On your keyboard, press the Win + R key combo.
  • Type “devmgmt.msc” (no quotes), then click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • In the Device Manager, select Sound, video and game controllers.
  • Go to Action > Add legacy hardware.
  • Click Next.
  • Select the Search for and install the hardware automatically (Recommended) option.
  • Install the needed drivers manually and restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Now you know how to resolve the multimedia audio controller driver issue in Windows 10. Which of the above solutions has been the most successful? Share in the comments below.