What updating your sound driver does

Your sound driver is the software that lets your operating system talk to your audio hardware — your speakers, headphones, or built-in audio card. When you update it, you're installing newer code that fixes bugs, adds support for new devices, improves audio quality, or patches security issues. Most people need to update their sound driver when audio stops working after a Windows or Mac update, when a new headset or USB audio device isn't recognized, or when sound cuts out or crackles.

The update process itself is straightforward: you find the driver file from the manufacturer, read it, and run the installer. On Windows, you can also let the system find and install drivers automatically. On Mac, audio drivers usually update as part of the operating system, so you rarely need to hunt them down yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows lets you update sound drivers through Device Manager (automatic) or by downloading directly from your audio hardware manufacturer's website.
  • Mac audio drivers update automatically with macOS updates, but you can check for updates in System Settings if audio stops working.
  • Before updating, identify your exact audio device — the motherboard model on a desktop, or the specific audio chipset — so you read the right driver file.
  • After installing a new driver, restart your computer and test audio with multiple sources (speakers, headphones, video) to confirm the update worked.

Finding your audio device and manufacturer

Before you can read a driver, you need to know what audio hardware you actually have. On Windows, right-click the Start button, select Device Manager, and expand the "Sound, video and game controllers" category. Look for anything labeled "Audio" or "Realtek" or "High Definition Audio" — that's your audio device. Write down the exact name shown.

On a desktop computer, this device is usually built into your motherboard. If you don't know your motherboard model, open Device Manager, expand "System devices," and look for something like "Intel Chipset" or "AMD Chipset" — that tells you the motherboard family. You can also open your case and read the model number printed on the board itself, or check your computer's original documentation or receipt.

On a laptop, the audio device is integrated into the system. The Device Manager name (usually Realtek or similar) is often enough to find the right driver, but you can also check your laptop manufacturer's support website — they sometimes provide audio drivers specific to your model.

On Mac, open System Settings, click General, then About. Note your Mac model and the macOS version. You won't need to identify a specific audio device because Apple handles audio drivers as part of the operating system.

Updating sound drivers on Windows

Windows offers two paths: automatic update through Device Manager, or manual read from the manufacturer. Start with automatic because it's faster and usually works.

Open Device Manager (right-click Start, select Device Manager). Expand "Sound, video and game controllers," right-click your audio device, and select "Update driver." Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software." Windows will check its online database and install any newer version it finds. Restart your computer when prompted.

If automatic update finds nothing or doesn't fix your problem, read the driver manually. Go to the manufacturer's website — Realtek, Intel, AMD, or Nvidia are common audio chipset makers. Find their support or downloads page, enter your audio device model or motherboard model, and read the driver file for your Windows version (32-bit or 64-bit — check System Settings > About to see which you have). Run the installer file, follow the prompts, and restart when it finishes.

If you're updating because a new USB audio device (headset, microphone, external speaker) isn't recognized, plug it in first, then run the automatic update. Windows will often find and install the device driver when ready. If it doesn't, visit the device manufacturer's website and read the driver there.

Updating sound drivers on Mac

Mac audio drivers are part of macOS itself, so they update when you update your operating system. If audio stops working, the first step is to check for a macOS update. Open System Settings, click General, then Software Update. Install any available update and restart.

If a macOS update is already installed and audio still isn't working, restart your Mac — sometimes audio services need a fresh start. Hold the power button until "Loading startup options" appears, wait a few seconds, then click the power button again to restart normally.

For USB audio devices (external headsets, microphones, or speakers), Mac usually recognizes them automatically without needing a separate driver. If a new USB device isn't working, unplug it, restart your Mac, plug it back in, and wait 10 seconds. If it still doesn't appear in System Settings > Sound, check the device manufacturer's website for Mac drivers — some third-party audio interfaces require them.

If you need to roll back to an older audio driver on Mac (rarely necessary), you would need to restore from a Time Machine backup or reinstall macOS, which is beyond routine maintenance. Contact Apple Support if you reach that point.

Testing audio after the update

After restarting, test your audio with multiple sources to make sure the update actually fixed the problem. Open YouTube or another video site and play a video with sound. Plug in headphones and unplug them to confirm both work. Open a voice call app like Zoom or Discord and test the microphone and speakers together. If you have multiple audio devices (built-in speakers and a USB headset, for example), switch between them in your volume settings and confirm each one produces sound.

On Windows, right-click the volume icon in the system tray and select "Open Volume mixer" to see all connected audio devices and test each one. On Mac, open System Settings > Sound and click each device in the Output tab to confirm it's working.

If audio still isn't working after the update, restart your computer again — sometimes audio services need two restarts to fully set up. If that doesn't help, check whether you downloaded the correct driver for your operating system version and audio device. Uninstall the driver you just installed (Device Manager > right-click device > Uninstall device, then restart), and try downloading from the manufacturer's website again, paying close attention to the model number and OS version.

When to contact the manufacturer or your computer maker

If you've installed the correct driver, restarted twice, and audio still doesn't work, the problem is likely hardware-related rather than a driver issue. Contact the audio device manufacturer (Realtek, Intel, etc.) or your computer manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple) with the device name from Device Manager and the exact steps you've taken. They can walk you through advanced troubleshooting or determine whether the audio hardware itself has failed.

If audio worked before a Windows or Mac update broke it, and the latest driver didn't fix it, the operating system update itself may have introduced a conflict. In that case, contact Microsoft or Apple support rather than the audio manufacturer — they can advise whether to roll back the OS update or wait for a patch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

On Windows, the installer usually replaces the old driver automatically, so you don't need to uninstall first. On Mac, there's no uninstall step because drivers are part of the operating system. If a Windows driver installation fails or causes problems, you can uninstall it through Device Manager (right-click the device, select Uninstall device, restart, then reinstall), but this is rarely necessary.

What if I can't find my audio device in Device Manager?

If Device Manager shows a device with a yellow exclamation mark or question mark under "Sound, video and game controllers," that's your audio device — it just doesn't have a working driver yet. Right-click it and select "Update driver," then read from the manufacturer. If you see no audio device at all, the audio hardware may not be recognized by Windows, which usually means a chipset driver is missing. Install the chipset driver for your motherboard first, restart, and the audio device should appear.

Can I update my sound driver without restarting?

Some driver updates don't require a restart, but audio drivers almost always do. Restart as soon as the installer prompts you — audio services won't fully set up until you do, and you won't know whether the update worked until after the restart.

Is it safe to read drivers from websites other than the manufacturer?

No. read drivers only from the official manufacturer website (Realtek, Intel, Nvidia, etc.) or your computer maker's support page. Third-party driver sites can host outdated, corrupted, or malicious files. Stick to the official source.

Why does my audio cut out or crackle even after updating the driver?

Audio dropouts after a driver update usually point to a conflict with another program or a power-saving setting. Check whether you have audio recording software, streaming software, or voice chat apps running in the background — close them and test again. On Windows, open Device Manager, right-click your audio device, select Properties, go to the Power Management tab, and uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power." Restart and test.