What can I do if I get the Audio Renderer Error on Windows 10?.
You keep getting an “Audio renderer” error. Please restart your computer “while watching or trying to watch YouTube on Windows 10? If you haven’t already, do what the message says and try restarting your computer. Then clear your browser cache.
If that doesn’t fix the YouTube audio rendering error (or if it keeps showing up after a while), the problem might be with your audio device software. The fixes below should help you fix this.
Unplug/Replug the Sound Device
Do you have a wired audio playback device (like headphones) connected to your computer? If so, disable it and try playing the YouTube video.
If you don’t encounter the YouTube sound renderer error, you can reconnect the device. That alone could fix the problem forever.
Having multiple external playback devices connected to your computer at the same time can also cause YouTube audio renderer to fail.
In this case, leave the default playback device connected and disconnect the other audio device. Then check if that fixes the situation. Unsuccessful? Read on.
Close Audio Mixing Programs
Audio mixing programs like Mixcraft can take exclusive control of audio drivers, preventing your browser from using them. If you have a similar program running in the background, quitting it completely before watching YouTube can help.
You can also prevent these apps from controlling your audio devices. In Mixcraft, for example, go to File> Preferences> Sound Device and turn off the toggle next to Exclusive Mode.
This can lead to latency issues when using the program, so be sure to enable exclusive mode (or equivalent) if necessary.
Disable/Enable Sound Devices
Disabling and enabling the default audio playback device on your computer is another effective fix that could fix the audio renderer error in Windows 10.
1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Audio Inputs and Outputs.
3. Right-click the default audio device and select Disable Device.
Note. If multiple devices are listed, select the Volume icon on the taskbar to define the default playback device.
4. Select “Yes” to confirm.
5. Right-click the audio device again and select Enable Device.
Run Audio Troubleshooter
If you still see the YouTube audio renderer error, it’s time to use the built-in audio troubleshooter in Windows 10. It can detect and help you fix underlying issues.
1. Open the Start menu, enter troubleshooting options and select Open.
2. Select the “Advanced troubleshooters” option.
3. Select “Play Sound” and then select “Run the troubleshooter”.
4. Follow the instructions and prompts on the screen to solve problems with your audio devices.
Rollback Audio Drivers
Did you get the YouTube audio renderer error after updating any audio playback device or sound card drivers? In this case, try rolling them back.
Note. You cannot use the Roll Back Driver option in the instructions below if you have not updated your audio drivers.
Audio playback device
1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Audio Inputs and Outputs.
3. Right-click the default audio device and select Properties.
4. Click on the “Driver” tab.
5. Select Roll Back Driver.
Sound Card Drivers
1. Expand the Sound, Video and Game Controllers section in Device Manager.
2. Right-click the sound card driver and select Properties.
3. Click the “Driver” tab.
4. Select Roll Back Driver.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 if you see more than one audio driver.
Update Audio Drivers
If you can’t roll back your audio drivers (or if that didn’t fix the YouTube renderer error), do the opposite and update them.
Audio playback device
1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Audio Inputs and Outputs.
3. Right-click the default output device and select Update Driver.
4. Select the “Automatically search for drivers” option to apply the latest driver updates, if available.
Audio card drivers
1. Expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers in Device Manager.
2. Right-click the sound card driver and select Update Driver.
3. Repeat step 2 if you see multiple audio drivers.
Update Windows 10
Have you recently updated Windows 10? An outdated system can cause all sorts of technical glitches and anomalies. If not, do it now.
1. Open the Start menu, type Windows update and press Enter.
2. Select Check for Updates and install any updates if available.
3. Select Optional Updates (located just below the Check for Updates button) to install any sound-related updates, if available.
Update Web Browser
An outdated web browser can also cause problems in web applications such as YouTube. While browsers like Chrome and Firefox are designed to update automatically, it’s always a good idea to double-check.
In Google Chrome, open the Chrome menu, hover over Help, and select About Google Chrome.
In Mozilla Firefox, open the Firefox menu, point to Help, and select About Firefox.
In Microsoft Edge, open the Edge menu, hover over Help & Feedback, and select About Microsoft Edge.
Disable Hardware Acceleration
Your browser uses hardware acceleration to speed things up. However, this feature has been known to randomly cause YouTube-related issues. Disable hardware acceleration and check if that fixes the sound renderer error on Windows 10.
Google Chrome
1. Open the Chrome menu and select Preferences.
2. Expand “Advanced” and select “System”.
3. Set the radio button to “Use hardware acceleration if available”.
Mozilla Firefox
1. Open the Firefox menu and select Preferences.
2. Scroll down the General tab to the Performance section.
3. Uncheck “Use hardware acceleration when available.”
Microsoft Edge
1. Open the Edge menu and select Preferences.
2. Expand “Advanced” and select “System”.
3. Set the radio button to “Use hardware acceleration if available”.
Switch Browsers
Sometimes the YouTube audio renderer error can be browser-specific. For example, if you’re using Chrome, try switching to Firefox or vice versa.
Update BIOS
Forum chatter points to updating the system BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) as a possible solution to the YouTube audio renderer bug, especially on Dell portable devices. However, it can put your entire computer at risk if not done correctly.
If you’d like to continue, we strongly recommend that you read our BIOS update guide for everything you need to know about the procedure.
Start Watching
Hope the above troubleshooting tips helped you permanently fix YouTube audio rendering error on Windows 10. If you know of any other fixes that worked for you, please share it with fellow readers in the comments section below.
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