No sound on your PC?
Sudden silence after a Windows update is one of the most common driver problems: the manufacturer's audio driver gets replaced by a generic one, or a codec package doesn't match your hardware. A free scan shows what is actually installed and what updates exist.
For Windows PCs
What the free scan shows
- Audio devices present in this system
- Which driver each one is using now
- Available audio driver updates
- Nothing changes until you choose
Does any of this sound familiar?
Sound gone after an update
Audio worked yesterday; after a Windows update the speakers are silent or the output device is missing.
Generic driver took over
Device Manager shows “High Definition Audio Device” instead of the manufacturer's driver, and features like jack detection stopped working.
Crackling or distorted sound
Audio plays but pops, crackles or cuts out - often a driver version mismatch.
Microphone stopped with it
Input and output usually share the same codec driver - when it breaks, both sides suffer.
A free scan can identify the installed hardware and show available driver information.
How it works
1. Scan
The application identifies the hardware installed on your PC and checks the current driver information.
2. Review
See the detected devices, the installed audio driver version and the updates available. Nothing changes during the scan.
3. Choose what to update
Review the results and decide which available updates you want to apply.
See the problem before deciding what to do
- The scan and results are free
- Nothing changes during the scan
- Review detected devices and available updates
- Decide whether you want to apply anything
A license is required only if you choose to apply the available updates.
Why automatic detection is useful when you don't know the exact driver
| Searching manually | Automatic detection |
|---|---|
| Find the exact audio model | Installed hardware is identified |
| Search by Hardware ID | No Hardware ID required |
| Compare versions and architecture | System and driver details are shown |
| Check devices separately | Multiple devices are checked together |
Frequently asked questions
▸Windows says the best audio driver is already installed. Why is there still no sound?
That message only means Windows found no newer driver in its own catalog. A different version - sometimes the manufacturer's package instead of the generic one - may still resolve the problem. The scan shows what is actually installed and which updates are available.
▸Which audio hardware does this cover?
The scan identifies the audio devices present in your system - integrated codecs (Realtek, Conexant, Cirrus), USB audio and HDMI audio outputs - and checks the driver information for each.
▸The microphone died together with the speakers. Is that the same driver?
Usually yes - on most PCs the microphone jack and the speakers run through the same audio codec and its driver. The scan shows the state of that codec, which covers both input and output.
▸What exactly is downloaded?
The button downloads Outbyte Driver Updater, a Windows desktop application. The website itself does not scan your computer in the browser - the check runs in the application after you install and start it.
▸Will anything change without my permission?
No. Nothing changes during the scan. Driver updates are applied only after you review the results and choose what to update.
▸When is a license required?
The scan and results are free. A license is required only if you choose to download and apply the available updates. Current pricing and license terms are shown before purchase.
Supports Windows 11 and 10 · Uninstall anytime via Settings → Apps · If no updates are found, the scan still shows the current driver state of your devices.
No sound on your PC?
Run a free scan to see the audio driver state of this PC before deciding what to update.
Outbyte Driver Updater is developed and distributed by Outbyte Computing Ltd. This website is an independent driver catalog and may earn a commission when a license is purchased through our links. This does not affect which drivers are listed or how driver files are verified. See the affiliate disclosure.