Windows 10: Windows 11 - Volume mixer resetting when application restarted or after a certain moment

I wasn't able to join to post on another thread with the exact same name, started by a different user but wanted to confirm that I have the exact same problem. They are advising him to change all kinds of settings when this is actually a bug in the OS. I am not using a Beta Channel product.None of the solutions in that thread work on any of my systems. I reported this months ago and it's still happening.This is happening to me across three completely different systems that use different apps. This appears to be a software bug in Windows and not related to that user's settings or my systems.

:)

 

Windows 11 - Volume mixer resetting when application restarted or after a certain moment

Hello,

I bought a laptop yesterday and I'm having sound problems. The volume mixer reset when I restart the applications or after a while. It's really boring. I already tried the troubleshoot but it didn't show anything.



I hope someone can help me, please and thank you.

 

volume mixer in taskbar in WIndows 10

Hi Caroline,



The requirement of pinning Volume mixer to the taskbar is currently not available in Windows 10. However, you can view Volume mixer from the volume control icon located in the system tray.



Before we assist further, I would like to ask you a few questions:

• 
  Are you not able to see volume icon or the volume mixer on the computer?
  
• 
  If volume icon, have you enabled the option to show in the system tray?
  

If you want to view Volume mixer on the PC and have enabled volume icon on the system tray, follow the steps below and check if the issue is resolved.

• 
  Right click on the volume icon and select
  Open Volume Mixer from the context menu.
  
• 
  Check if the window is accessible on the computer.
  

Note: The option to pin Volume mixer to the taskbar is not currently available on the computer.



Write to us with the status of pinning Volume mixer on taskbar in the same post for further assistance. Your reply is most important for us to ensure we assist you accordingly.



Thank you.

 

Volume Mixer: Can't Control Individual Application Volume

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for sharing your concern with us today.

I understand that you couldn't control Individual Application Volume. I am glad to offer you help on this issue.

Sometimes you want to adjust an app’s volume for a perfect work environment, but for some odd reason, you can't open the volume mixer. This means you have no control over your volume levels anymore and are stuck with what they were set at before the volume mixer vanished.

Because it’s a bit difficult to identify the exact cause, you might have to try multiple solutions until you fix it. However, even if you are not too tech-savvy, there’s no need to worry. Here are some easy ways to fix the volume mixer not opening on Windows 10.

1. Update Windows

Before going through our list of solutions, make sure you are not running an outdated version of Windows 10. Go to Settings > System > About to check if there is an available update.

Also, you can try restarting your computer as this may be enough to fix the problem.

2. Update the Audio Driver

An outdated or corrupted driver might stop your system from opening the volume mixer. In this case, you should take a look at the audio drivers. Follow these steps to update your audio drivers through Device Manager:

1. Open Device Manager.
   
2. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers list.
   
3. Right-click the audio driver your system is currently using and select Update driver.
   
4. Select Search automatically for drivers.
   

In case Windows finds any available updates, it will download and install them automatically. Once it finishes the process, restart your computer and check if you can open Volume mixer.

3. Restart Windows Explorer

Restarting Windows Explorer might be enough to fix your issue and allow you to open the volume mixer. Here is how you can do it:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   
2. Select the Processes tab.
   
3. Select Windows Explorer.
   
4. Click Restart.
   
5. Check if you can open the volume mixer.
   

4. Check Windows Services

Windows 10 has a built-in service that runs in the background and takes care of all processes involving audio drivers. Usually, Windows can successfully manage services on its own but sometimes these could stop working properly and cause all kinds of issues.

Follow these steps to check the Windows Audio service:

1. Input services in the Start menu search bar, right-click the Best match, and select Run as Administrator.
   
2. From the services list, locate and open Windows Audio.
   
3. Check if the Status is Running.
   
4. Set Startup type to Automatic.
   

If you can’t find anything wrong with the Windows Audio service, you can try restarting it. In the Services window, right-click Windows Audio and select Restart.

5. Configure the Taskbar Notifications Settings

Sometimes you can’t open the volume mixer if you turned off volume taskbar notifications. However, you can easily re-enable them.

1. Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
   
2. Head to Notification area and click Select which icons appear on the taskbar
   
3. Turn on the toggle next to Volume.
   

6. Reset the Sound Settings

There is a chance you can’t open Volume mixer because a third-party app or even another user changed the system’s audio settings. In this case, you should revert these settings to their default values. Here is how you can do it:

1. Click Start > Settings.
   
2. Go to System > Sound > App volume and device preferences.
   
3. Click the Reset button.
   
4. Check if you can now open the volume mixer.
   

7. Check the Speaker Properties

Inadequate speaker settings might cause the volume mixer to stop working properly. Also, sound-related third-party apps can overwrite your settings which could lead to different issues.

Here is how you can check your computer’s speaker properties:

1. Open the Settings menu.
   
2. Click System > Sound > Sound Control Panel.
   
3. Right-click the device you are using for audio output and select Properties.
   
4. Open the Advanced tab.
   
5. Below Exclusive Mode, check the Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device option.
   
6. Click Apply > OK to save the new settings.
   

8. Run the Playing Audio Troubleshooter

Windows has plenty of troubleshooting tools you can use whenever you need to fix something on your computer. So it’s no surprise there is an audio troubleshooter that will automatically look for any hardware issues.

Follow these steps to run the Playing Audio troubleshooter:

1. Press Win + I to access Settings.
   
2. Go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooter.
   
3. Select Playing Audio and click Run the troubleshooter.
   

If you still can't open the volume mixer, you can try using the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. While Microsoft removed it from Windows 10 Settings menu, you can still access it through the command prompt.

1. Input command prompt in the Start menu search bar, right-click the Best match and select Run as Administrator.
   
2. Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic.
   
3. Press Enter to bring up the troubleshooter.
   
4. Click Advanced > Apply repairs automatically.
   
5. Click Next to start the troubleshooting process.
   

9. Run System File Checker Scan

One of the Windows system files might be damaged or corrupted so it stops you from opening the volume mixer. For this case, you can run the System File Checker (or SFC). This will not only scan and identify corrupt or damaged system files, but it will automatically replace them. Follow these steps to run an SFC scan:

1. In the Start menu search bar, search for command prompt and select Run as administrator.
   
2. Type sfc /scannow.
   
3. Press Enter.
   

10. Edit Windows Registry

While this is a more complicated solution, adding a new value to Windows Registry will fix your Volume mixer malfunction. Follow these steps to create a new sub-key:

1. In the Start menu search bar, search for registry editor and select Run as administrator.
   
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE> Microsoft > Windows NT.
   
3. Right-click Current Version and select New key.
   
4. Name it MTCUVC.
   
5. Right-click MTCUVC > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   
6. Right-click the newly created sub-key and select Rename.
   
7. Name it EnableMtcUvc.
   
8. Set Value to 0 and Base to Hexadecimal.
   

(Disclaimer: Generally, modifying registry subkeys or work group is intended for advanced users, administrators, and IT Professionals. It can help fix some problems, however, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For further protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click here to view the article.)

I hope the information provided is useful for you. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support.



Best Regard,

Kevin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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