(FIXED) Audio Renderer Error: Please Restart Your Computer

Computer problems are bound to happen every now and then, so you have to be prepared to take action in any scenario. For instance, if there’s no sound coming from your Windows 10 PC, it could be caused by various issues, such as the audio renderer error. But there’s no need to panic since you can troubleshoot this problem by following the instructions below.

Audio Renderer Error: Please restart your computer!

Audio renderer error, please restart your computer is an error message that appears on the screen when your computer fails to play audio tracks. It can occur anywhere, whether you’re trying to watch a video on YouTube or a movie in your media player.

The behavior is strange. Sometimes, audio gets played without any issues until the error suddenly occurs and disables all sounds coming from your computer. It kindly asks you to restart your computer, which seems to solve the issue.

However, PC reboot is just a temporary workaround since the error pops up again eventually. At that point, you are forced to enter a computer restart loop just to keep the sound going. It’s easy to see why it’s so frustrating to users, especially when the root of the problem isn’t clear.

We have tested this problem, chatted with various users, and gathered a list of possible solutions that solves the audio renderer error on most PCs running Windows 10.

How to fix audio renderer error on Windows 10

The audio rendering error can be caused by a problem with your web browser or computer settings. It’s important to arm yourself with patience because it might take a while until you exhaust all options.

Before starting to troubleshoot this annoying issue, it’s wise to set up a system restore point. It allows you to revert Windows 10 to a stable state in case you encounter more problems along the way.

1. Clear browsing cache

Many users report getting the audio renderer error on YouTube. It could be caused by a browser problem, such as saved cache and cookies. A simple way to fix it is by hard-refreshing your web browser. To make this happen, just select the YouTube tab and press Ctrl + Shift + R. Then, check if you still get the error.

It’s only a temporary fix, though, since you still have to clear browser cache the traditional way.

How to clear Chrome cache:

Launch Chrome and open the More menu on the top-right corner
Go to Settings
Jump to Privacy and security on the left side
Click Clear browsing data. Alternatively, you can enter the chrome://settings/clearBrowserData address
Remain in the Basic section
Set Time range to All time
Make sure the following options are enabled:
- Browsing history
- Cookies and other site data
- Cached images and files
Click Clear data
Restart Chrome and try to watch YouTube now

How to clear Firefox cache:

Open Firefox and click the ≡ hamburger button
Select Options
Jump to Privacy & Security and click Clear Data
Check that the next settings are selected:
- Cookies and Site Data
- Cached Web Content
Click Clear
Relaunch Firefox and check for audio errors

How to clear Microsoft Edge cache:

Start Microsoft Edge
Click the More button on the top-right corner
Select Settings
Jump to Privacy, search, and services. Else, you can use the edge://settings/privacy address
At Clear browsing data now, click Choose what to clear
Set Time range to All time
Check the boxes of the following options:
- Browsing history
- Download history
- Cookies and other site data
- Cached images and files
Click Clear now
Restart Edge and try to enjoy YouTube without audio issues

2. Run the audio troubleshooter

Windows 10 comes with an integrated troubleshooter that fixes common audio issues. It’s worth a shot if you got tired of dealing with the audio renderer error.

Right-click the Windows 10 Start button and go to Settings
Select Update & Security
Go to Troubleshoot on the left side
Click Additional troubleshooters
Select Playing Audio and click Run the troubleshooter
Follow the on-screen instructions
Check for audio errors

3. Enable the sound device

If you have connected multiple audio device into your computer, you might have unknowingly messed up the sound device settings and disabled the primary audio adapter. Here’s how to re-enable it:

Click the Start button, type Control Panel, and open this app
Go to the Sound section
Switch to the Playback tab
Select your audio device from the list
Click Properties
In the General tab, set Device usage to Use this device (enable)
Click Apply and exit
Check for audio issues now

4. Restart the Windows Audio service

All sounds coming out of your computer are operated by a background service. If that service isn’t currently running, gets interrupted often, or doesn’t automatically start when Windows boots, then you should expect issues such as the audio renderer error.

But you can fix this problem by restarting the Windows Audio service. Here’s how:

Press the Windows key, type Services, and open this app
Find and right-click Windows Audio
Go to Properties
Remain in the General tab
Set Startup type to Automatic
If Service status says Stopped, click the Start button
Click Apply and exit
Check for audio issues

5. Synchronize the audio frequency (ASIO drivers)

Users with ASIO4ALL drivers have reported conflicts with the system audio settings. More specifically, if the sample rate is not set at the same value in both parts, the computer starts experiencing sound problems. Here’s how to easily solve this issue:

Click the Start button, type Control Panel, and press Enter
Select the Sound area
In the Playback tab, select your audio device and click Properties
Switch to the Advanced tab
Write down the sample rate specified at Default Format
Exit this area
Open the ASIO utility
Switch to the Audio tab
Set Sample rate to the same value as in Windows
Restart your PC and inspect results

6. Run audio tests (HP laptops)

HP users can turn to an audio diagnostics tool called HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI). Here’s how to use it:

Restart your HP laptop
During reboot, quickly press the key that grants you access to HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI)
Go to the Audio section
Click Run once to start evaluating your audio devices
Select Speaker and follow the on-screen instructions
Complete the test and boot Windows
Check for audio issues

You can also download HP Audio Check from the official website and use it to run additional tests.

7. Set the default audio device

Windows sometimes has trouble identifying the default sound device. And this is also why it could show the audio renderer error, whether you get it on YouTube or anywhere else. To fix this annoying problem, you just have to set your favorite audio device as default again. Here’s how:

Press the Win key, type Control Panel, and open this app
Click Sound
Choose your audio device from the Playback tab
Click Set Default
If the Set Default button is greyed out, select any other device to set it as default, then go back to your first option
Click Apply and exit this area
Check for audio issues

8. Reinstall the audio adapter

Your audio adapter might not be properly connected to your computer. However, you can effortlessly reinstall it without harming your PC in the process. Here’s what you need to do:

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager
Extend the Audio inputs and outputs group
Identify your main audio device, right-click it, and select Uninstall device
Select any entry from the list
Open the Action menu and click Scan for hardware changes
Restart your computer. Windows will auto-reinstall the missing audio driver
Check for sound problems

9. Update the audio driver

Even if your sound adapter is correctly installed, perhaps it’s equipped with an obsolete driver that’s no longer supported by Windows 10. It would certainly explain the audio renderer error. However, you can easily update the audio driver:

Click the Start button, type Device Manager, and press Enter
Expand the Audio inputs and outputs category
Right-click your primary audio adapter and select Update driver
Click Search automatically for updated driver software
If you see the The best drivers for your device are already installed message, click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update
Reboot your PC and check for additional audio issues

It’s possible that Microsoft fails to find a newer audio driver using Windows Update. In that case, you should head over to the manufacturer website of your sound adapter, then find, download, and install a newer driver that’s compatible with your OS configuration.

However, if you don’t want to go through that trouble as well as risk installing an incompatible driver that could cause more problems, we suggest opting for a driver updating software solution. You can use it to keep all your device drivers in check.

10. Roll back the audio driver

If you have recently updated your sound driver, perhaps you installed an incompatible version that’s throwing you the audio renderer error. To fix it, you should roll back to the previous driver version. Here’s how:

Head over to Device Manager
Right-click your audio device and go to Properties
Select the Driver tab
Click Roll Back Driver and follow the given instructions
If the button is greyed out, it means that your operating system doesn’t have the previous driver version, so you can skip this solution
Restart your computer and inspect results

11. Check the audio cable

It’s a good idea to check your audio cable to see if there’s anything wrong with it since hardware problems can cause audio renderer errors, too. If you have multiple audio inputs on your computer, try sticking the audio jack somewhere else in case you have malfunctioning jacks.

In fact, if you have several external playback devices plugged into your machine, it’s a good idea to remove the ones you’re not currently using. Furthermore, make sure that you didn’t accidentally swap the audio and microphone jacks in the process.

12. Disable audio mixing software

Certain audio mixing tools are not fully compatible with the Windows 10 sound drivers, resulting in conflicts and the audio renderer error message. As soon as you start an audio mixing tool and configure sound drivers, the application overrides the system settings, causing various problems.

To fix this problem, you just need to disable your audio mixing tools when trying to watch a movie offline or a clip on YouTube.

13. Update your web browser

If you’re getting the audio renderer error message on YouTube when trying to enjoy a video, it’s a good idea to update your web browser to the latest version.

How to update Google Chrome:

Open the More menu on the top-right corner
Visit the Help submenu and click About Google Chrome. Alternatively, you can visit the chrome://settings/help address
Wait until Chrome downloads and installs any available updates
Click Relaunch and try to watch YouTube

How to update Mozilla Firefox:

Open the ≡ hamburger menu on the upper-right corner
Select the Help section and click About Firefox
If Firefox finds any updates, give it time to install them
When it’s over, restart the web browser and check for audio issues

How to update Microsoft Edge:

Click the More button on the top-right corner
Go to the Help & feedback menu and click About Microsoft Edge
Else, you can go to the edge://settings/help address
Wait until Edge finds and installs any updates
Restart the browser and inspect results

14. Disable hardware acceleration

Modern web browsers take advantage of your computer’s hardware acceleration to improve the page loading speed and enhance your overall browsing experience. However, users report that it has interfered with the audio driver, causing rendering errors. To fix this issue, you have to turn off hardware acceleration for each browser.

How to disable hardware acceleration in Google Chrome:

Open the More button and go to Settings
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Advanced
At System, turn off Use hardware acceleration when available
Relaunch Chrome and check for audio errors

How to disable hardware acceleration in Mozilla Firefox:

Click the ≡ hamburger button and go to Options (or visit the about:preferences address)
In the General tab, scroll down to Performance
Uncheck Use recommended performance settings
Also uncheck Use hardware acceleration when available
Restart Firefox and check for audio errors

How to disable hardware acceleration in Microsoft Edge:

Open the More menu and head over to Settings
Jump to the System section on the left side (or visit edge://settings/system)
Turn off Use hardware acceleration when available
Click the Restart button
Watch YouTube and check for audio errors

15. Disable your ad blocker

Many YouTube users who have encountered the audio renderer error said that they managed to fix this problem by deactivating the ad blocker built into the web browser. Otherwise, you should whitelist YouTube to make sure that video ads are permitted.

For example, if you’re using Adblock Plus, here’s how you can whitelist YouTube:

Go to the Adblock Plus settings panel
Jump to the Whitelisted websites area
Type youtube.com and click Add website
Go to YouTube and check for audio rendering issues

16. Try using a different web browser

An unforeseen number of browser settings can interfere with multimedia features, so it’s a good idea to change your web browser. Switch to an application that has default settings. You can import your bookmarks and other website data, but make sure to leave the browser configuration untouched.

Then, head over to YouTube or the platform that throws the audio renderer error to test it out. If it works, you can stick to the new browser for audio and use your preferred application for everything else.

17. Update Windows 10

It’s essential to keep Windows 10 updated to the latest edition so that you can take advantage of the newest features, hotfixes, and security patches. If there’s a known problem with the audio, it will likely get fixed in the upcoming system update.

How to run Windows Update:

Press the Win key, type Check for updates, and press Enter
Click Check for updates and wait
If it finds any updates, click Download
Leave your PC unattended while it’s busy with updates. It might restart several times
Check for audio rendering issues

18. Uninstall system updates

On the other hand, a recent Windows update may have compromised your entire operating system, causing various problems like the audio renderer error. When this happens, you have to uninstall the malfunctioning update. Here’s how:

Press the Win key, type control panel, and hit Enter
Go to Programs and Features
Click View installed updates on the left side
Click the Installed On column to sort the updates (newest first)
Right-click the first update in the list and select Uninstall
Click Yes to confirm
Restart your PC and check for audio errors

19. Sign in with a different PC account

Windows 10 sometimes experiences issues due a lack of permissions caused by your account. To solve this problem, you can try signing in with a different profile. For example, if you’re currently logged in with the Microsoft account, switch to a local user account (or the other way around).

How to sign in with a Microsoft account:

Right-click the Start button and select Settings
Go to Accounts
Click Login to your Microsoft account
Enter your email address and password
Click Verify to confirm your identity
Log out of Windows 10
Log back in using the Microsoft account
Check for audio renderer errors

How to create a local user account:

Right-click the Start button and go to Settings
Select Accounts
Click Sign in with a local account instead
Specify your computer password or PIN
At Enter your local account info, set a new username and password
Click Next and then Sign out and finish
Log back in to Windows 10 using the new local account
Check for audio issues

20. Reset BIOS

DELL users have reported that they were experiencing the audio renderer error due to incorrect BIOS settings. And they were able to solve it by restoring BIOS to default settings. Here’s how you can easily do that:

Restart your computer
During reboot, rapidly press the key displayed on the screen to access BIOS
Locate and access the advanced BIOS options
Enable the setting that resets BIOS configuration data
Save the current BIOS settings and exit
Wait until Windows boots, then check for audio issues

21. Update BIOS

Another way to deal with BIOS issues on DELL systems is by updating it to the latest version since an obsolete BIOS is known to cause system stability and even audio problems. Here’s how:

Press the Win key, type System Information, and open this app
Go to the System Summary section
Write down the info displayed at BIOS Version/Date
Go to the website of your BIOS manufacturer
Find and download a newer BIOS version that’s compatible with your PC
Unzip the BIOS setup file to a USB flash drive
Restart your computer and access BIOS
Back up the current BIOS version to the pen drive
Start BIOS setup
Don’t turn off or restart your PC during setup
Boot Windows as normal and check for audio issues

22. Use System Restore

If the audio renderer error was caused by a software event that you can’t pinpoint, you can fix it by rolling back Windows 10 to a previous restore point. Here’s how to do its easily:

Make sure you’re logged in to Windows 10 with admin rights
Press Win key + R, type control panel, and press Enter
Go to the Recovery area
Click Open System Restore
Select a system restore point from the list
Click Next and follow the on-screen instructions
Restart your PC and check for audio issues

The Audio renderer error can be fixed

To review, you can stumble upon the audio renderer error when trying to watch a video on YouTube, in your media player, or anywhere else. It’s caused by a hardware or software issue which you should be able to fix.

For instance, you can clear browser cache, run the audio troubleshooter, make sure the sound device is enabled and set as default, restart the Windows Audio service, synchronize the sample rate for ASIO drivers, as well as run audio tests on HP laptops.

It’s also a good idea to reinstall the audio adapter, update the audio driver or roll back to a compatible version, check the cables and remove extra peripheral devices, disable any audio mixing software, update your web browser, as well as disable hardware acceleration.

Furthermore, you can turn off your ad blocker, try using a different browser, update Windows 10 or uninstall unstable system updates, sign in to Windows 10 using a different account, reset BIOS and update it to the latest version, as well as roll back Windows 10 using System Restore mode.

How did you manage to finally get rid of the audio renderer error? Did we miss any essential steps? Let us know in the comment area below.

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Elena Constantinescu

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