Are you looking for a solution to fix Stereo Mix not showing on Windows 10 PC? Your desktop or laptop provides the ability to record the audio coming from its own speakers. For instance, if you want to record the Skype call audio, you can then do so but this needs your sound card to support the option in the first place. If you don’t have the Wave Out or Stereo Mix option in your Sounds window, it is just because of driver issues or perhaps your sound card can’t support it. If it’s the former, you can then resolve the missing wave out or stereo mix option by resolving your drivers.
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Causes:
Constantly Windows is getting rid of features they feel are unwanted and Stereo Mix may just be another one. There are various causes that can cause it to go missing so check various reasons for more info:
- Inaccessible microphone – When your microphone device is inaccessible for audio recording, Stereo Mix will be turned off as well. You should allow apps to access your Microphone in Windows 10 Settings.
- Stereo Mix is simply listed as turned off– Stereo Mix may just be turned off as a virtual audio device in Sounds settings so make sure you just re-enable it to fix the issue.
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Stereo Mix Not Showing – How To Fix It
Here are different ways to fix stereo mix not showing in Windows PC:
Method 1: Make Sure Your Microphone Is Accessible
This issue can also appear when your microphone is unavailable for access. This automatically turns off the use of Stereo Mix. This solution is the easiest and it can save you hours of effort so make sure you don’t ignore this solution while troubleshooting the Stereo Mix missing issues on Windows 10.
- Tap the cog icon in the lower-left section of the Start menu to simply open the Settings app. Also, you can look for it.
- Dive down until you view the Privacy section and make sure you tap on it. From the left side of the window, you should then view the App permissions section. Dive down until you reach Microphone and then tap on this option.
- Initially, check when the Microphone access for this device option is enabled. If it’s not, tap on Change and then set the slider to on.
- Then switch the slider at the bottom of the “Allow apps to access your microphone” option to On. Then dive down into the list of installed applications on your PC. Switch the slider located next to the apps you want to provide access for on the list to on.
- Restart your PC to view whether the issue still appears!
Method 2: Show Devices That Are Disabled
It is possible that Windows 10 can automatically turn off the Stereo Mix feature as a virtual sound device. Come let’s fix it!
- Right-tap on the Volume icon under the right part of your screen. Then select the Sounds option. Another way would be to open the Control Panel on your computer and then set the View by option to Large icons. Then, locate and tap on the Sounds option to simply open the same window.
- Head over to the Recording tab of the Sound window as it’s just opened up.
- Right-tap anywhere in the center of the window. You can then check the boxes located next to the Show Disconnected Devices or Show Disabled Devices options. However, Stereo Mix should now appear. Right-tap on it and select the Enable option from the context menu that will appear.
- Make sure you try it out to check if it works!
If you still face the same issue ‘Stereo Mix not showing on Windows 10 PC’ then dive down below to the next fix!
Method 3: Audio Driver Issue
Lots of users have claimed that they managed to fix the issue simply by reinstalling their audio device drivers. This is a simple method to perform and it’s definitely worth your time. Check it out below!
- Tap the Start menu located under the lower-left part of the screen. Then input in “Device Manager” afterward, and choose it from the list of available results by just tapping the first one.
- Also, you can hit the Windows Key + R key combination to bring up the Run dialog box. Input in “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and then tap OK to run it.
- As you want to update the driver for your headphones. Then expand the Video, sound, and game controllers section. Right-tap on your headphones in the list and select Update driver from the context menu.
- Select the Search automatically for updated driver software option from the new window and wait to view if the utility can find the latest drivers. If you still face the same issue ‘Stereo Mix not showing on Windows 10 PC’ then dive down below to the next fix!
That’s all!
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Method 4: Turn On Stereo Mix For Conexant HD Audio
If the audio device inside your PC is a Conexant HD Audio device, the instructions below might help you to fix the Stereo Mix issue in Windows 10. Just follow the set of instructions below carefully as there is some advanced troubleshooting. Good luck while fixing the issue!
Note: If you can’t follow the below steps because you can’t find the file “CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658” then maybe the file has a different name on your system. If you want to find the file, please download or install the portable variant of PSPad from (here) and run the PSPad.exe file.
- Tap Search
- Select “Search / Replace in Files”
- From the Text to Find (field) input the following text
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01
- From the Selected Directory field, input the following path
C:/Windows/System32/DriverStore/FileRepository/
- Tap OK. And you can then view the files containing the above string in the “Search in File Results” tab below.
Further;
- Head over to Libraries entry on the problematic system. Then open any folder on the PC and tap the This PC option from the left side menu.
- Head over to the following location on your PC to add the file which needs to be edited to allow Stereo Mix on Windows 10:
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658
- Also, you want to take ownership of the ‘CALCC2WA.inf’ file inside the folder provided above before moving further. Right-tap the file, tap Properties, and then tap the Security tab. Then tap the Advanced button. The “Advanced Security Settings” window will appear. Here you want to change the Owner of the key.
- Tap the Change link located next to the “Owner:” label The Select User or Group window will appear
- Choose the user account through the Advanced button or simply input your user account in the area saying ‘Enter the object name to select’ and tap OK. Add the Everyone account.
- Then tap the Add button below and follow it up by tapping the Select a principal button located at the top. Choose the user account through the Advanced button or simply type your user account in the area saying ‘Enter the object name to select‘ and tap OK. Add the Everyone account.
- From the Basic permissions section, make sure you select Full control before applying changes that you have made.
- Once you successfully changed ownership and grand permissions for the ‘CALCC2WA.inf’ file. Now it’s time to edit it. Right-tap on it and select to open it with Notepad. Simply use the Ctrl + F key combination and then make sure you input ‘stereo in the Find what box before tapping the Find Next button.
Solution 4 Continue:
- You should be able to view three lines in the file. The lines seem like this:
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MixAssocSeq,1,E0,E0
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MuteGainSettings,1,00,00
- Erase the semi-colons in front of each line by removing them. Tap File >> Save to save the changes or simply use the Ctrl + S key combination. Exit Notepad and proceed further with the instructions below.
- Now try to reinstall the audio driver. Tap the Start menu button located under the lower left part of the screen. Input in “Device Manager”, and choose its entry from the list of available results by tapping the first one.
- Also, you can use the Windows Key + R key combination to bring up the Run dialog box. Input in “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and then tap OK to run Device Manager.
- As you want to reinstall the driver for your sound devices. Then expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section by left-tapping the arrow located next to the name. Right-tap on the Conexant HD Audio entry in the list and then select Uninstall device from the context menu.
- Confirm any dialogs prompting you to confirm the uninstallation. Don’t mark the box labeled “Delete the driver software for this device”.
- Restart your PC and check to view if the issue resolved or not!
I hope you can now easily fix the issue (Stereo Mix Not Showing)!
Conclusion:
Here’s all about ‘Stereo Mix Not Showing Issue’. Is this article helpful? Do you know any other alternative method to fix the Stereo Mix issue? Share your thoughts with us in the comment down the section below. Also, for further queries and questions let us know in the comment section below!
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