• Looking at the Settings for Devices that are connected in Windows 10. Looking at the Settings for Devices that are connected in Windows 10.
• Disable Audio Jack Detection in Windows 10. Whenever you plug an audio device like headphones in your PC, Windows 10 detects the device and starts sending audio to it. But sometimes this automatic audio jack detection might stop working and in that case, even if you have your headphones plugged in, Windows 10 will not detect that.
• In the past I had used headphones (no microphone) with my windows 10 laptop. Back then a popup would come up saying 'what device have you plugged in' every time I plugged them into the jack. However I clicked the 'do not display' icon so now when I want to use my headset (with microphone) to be able to use the microphone to talk to people on.
• Before you can reinstall such a device, you must first find this 'phantom' devnode, and mark it as needing reinstallation. Then, when the device is plugged back in, Plug and Play will reenumerate the device, find the new driver for it, and install the driver for the device. To reinstall an unplugged device: Call the SetupCopyOEMInf function.

Plug and Play (PnP) is a capability developed by Microsoft for its Windows 95 and later operating system s that gives users the ability to plug a device into a computer and have the computer recognize that the device is there. The user doesn't have to tell the computer. In many earlier computer systems, the user was required to explicitly tell.

Realtek HD Audio Manager comes with Realtek's High-Definition (HD) Audio Driver on almost every Windows computer. At times, it doesn't open/function properly for some absurd and unknown reason. Worse, the Audio Manager goes missing, especially after a Windows update or any malware causing the issues.

With the Realtek HD Audio Manager, the audio devices like headphones, speakers, and microphones are easily detected, configured, and controlled by your PC. The Realtek HD Audio Manager gets installed alongside the driver and rests in your PC's system tray, taskbar, or general notification panel.

When you can't find the Audio Manager, or it goes missing, there are two ways to fix the problem.

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Which Device Do You Plug In

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Recover Missing Realtek HD Audio Manager

On previous versions of the Windows OS (Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1), the Realtek HD Audio Manager works just fine. The sound issues with Windows 10 build 1903 have become more rampant than ever.

The Realtek HD Audio Driver boasts of support for Dolby audio, Dolby's Digital Theater Systems (DTS), Surround Sound, six-channel Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), and others to boost your PC's audio performance up a notch.

In the search for a solution, I discovered that many quite a number of Windows 10 users are also going through the same dilemma. Digging deeper, it turns out that the latest version (v2.82) of the Realtek HD Audio Driver is buggy on the Windows 10 platform. That causes HD Audio Manager to hide from the taskbar. On some PC, it doesn't even launch/open the HD Audio Manager at all.

The trick to solving the missing Realtek HD Audio Manager is to uninstall the latest version (v 2.82). After that, you have two choices — reinstall a lower version or the latest version by fetching it from Realtek's website.

Here are the steps involved.

Uninstall Buggy Realtek HD Audio Driver

The first step is to uninstall the audio driver with buggy audio manager.

Step 1: Tap Windows key + X shortcut to launch the Quick Access Menu at the bottom-left corner of the display.

Step 2: Tap Device Manager on the Quick Access Menu.

Step 3: On the Device Manager menu, expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section.

Step 4: Right-click on the Realtek High Definition Audio and select Uninstall.

Step 5: Check the 'Delete the driver for this software' option and tap the Ok button to proceed with the installation.

Reinstall Realtek HD Audio Driver

The next step is to install the bug-free version (v2.81) of the Realtek HD Audio Driver that comes with a functional Audio Manager. The version is no longer available on Realtek's official website, but I was able to download the setup from Filehippo, a trusted website for software downloads.

Download Realtek HD Audio Driver (v2.81) from Filehippo

Download the setup from the link and follow the steps below.

Step 1: Right-click on the downloaded setup and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: Follow the installation prompts and restart your computer after installing the Realtek HD Audio Driver.

The next thing to do now is to put the Realtek HD Audio Manager in place sight on your PC so it doesn't ever go missing again.

Step 3: Launch your File Explorer and navigate to this location — C:Program FilesRealtekAudioHDA.

Alternatively, you can press the Windows + R keys to launch the RUN window and paste this location — C:Program FilesRealtekAudioHDA. Then, tap the Enter button on your keyboard.

This will immediately open the folder where the Realtek HD Audio Manager app is located in your File Explorer.

Step 4: Right-click on RAVCpl64, tap Send to, and select Desktop (create shortcut).

Note: 'RAVCpl64' is the Realtek HD Audio Manager app.

That creates a shortcut for the Realtek HD Audio Manager on your desktop.

Step 5: On your desktop, right-click on the RAVCpl64 shortcut and tap the Pin to taskbar option.

After that, the Realtek HD Audio Manager will be pinned to your taskbar. Also, it will appear on your system tray and notification area.

And that's it. The Realtek HD Audio Manager is now back to your PC. You can launch the app from the taskbar, system tray with a single mouse click.

In case you want to try reinstalling the latest Realtek HD Audio drivers (v2.82) then you can grab a copy from the Realtek's website directly.

Which Device Did You Plug In Prompt

Download Realtek HD Audio Drivers

We highly recommend you to check your computer's motherboard maker's site for the latest audio drivers for your motherboard's model. The same thing applies to laptop models as well.

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Effectively Manage Your PC's Audio

Now that you have restored the Realtek HD Audio Manager on your PC, you can effectively manage your PC's sound output and audio devices. You can also use the app to configure your computer's microphone and use special instruments like Noise Suppression, Speaker Fill, Acoustic Echo Cancellation, and more.

Next up: Are the speakers of your Windows PC performing below expectations? Check out how you can boost the maximum volume of your computer in the article linked below.

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read Next2 Ways to Boost Sound Level above the Maximum Mark in Windows

Re Enable Which Device Did You Plug In Windows 10

Also See#audio #windows 10

Did You Know

Microsoft Edge was initially code-named Project Spartan.

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You can pair all kinds of Bluetooth devices with your PC—including keyboards, mice, phones, speakers, and a whole lot more. To do this, your PC will need to have Bluetooth. Some PCs, such as laptops and tablets, have Bluetooth built in. If your PC doesn’t, you can plug a USB Bluetooth adapter into the USB port on your PC to get it.

Before you start, make sure that your Windows 10 PC supports Bluetooth. For more info on how to check, see Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows 10. If you need help adding a device without Bluetooth capabilities, see Add a device to a Windows 10 PC.

Turn on Bluetooth

After you've checked that your Windows 10 PC supports Bluetooth, you'll need to turn it on. Here's how:

In Settings

Select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices, and turn on Bluetooth.

In action center

Action center can be found next to time and date on your taskbar. On the taskbar, select action center ( or ), then select Bluetooth to turn it on. If it's turned off, it might appear as Not connected.

If you don't see Bluetooth in your action center, here's how you can change it:

• Expand quick actions. On the taskbar, select action center ( or ) > Expand. Bluetooth should appear here. It will appear as Bluetooth or Not connected.

• Add Bluetooth to action center. Select Start > Settings > System > Notifications & actions > Quick actions. Go to Add or remove quick actions and turn on Bluetooth.

Note: For more info about how to change the apps and settings that appear in action center, see Change notification and action settings in Windows 10.

To pair a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other audio device

1. Turn on your Bluetooth audio device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer's website to learn how.

2. On your PC, select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth. Choose the device and follow additional instructions if they appear, then select Done.

   Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.

Note: Not seeing your Bluetooth audio device? Learn how to fix connections to Bluetooth audio devices and wireless displays.

To pair a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device

1. Turn on your Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufactur's website to learn how.

2. On your PC, select Start > Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth. Choose the device and follow additional instructions if they appear, then select Done.

To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner

1. Turn on your Bluetooth printer or scanner and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer's website to learn how.

2. Select Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Add a printer or scanner. Wait for it to find nearby printers, then choose the one you want to use and select Add device.

If you’re having installation issues with your printer or scanner, see either Fix printer problems or Install and use a scanner in Windows 10.

To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair

Swift Pair in Windows 10 lets you quickly pair a supported Bluetooth device with your PC. If the Bluetooth device supports Swift Pair, you’ll receive a notification when it's nearby and you put it into pairing mode to make it discoverable.

1. Turn on a Bluetooth device that supports Swift Pair and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn more.

2. If this is your first time using Swift Pair, select Yes when asked if you want to get notifications and use Swift Pair.

3. When a notification appears that a new Bluetooth device was found, select Connect.

4. After it’s connected, select Close.

Before you start, make sure that your Windows 8 PC supports Bluetooth.

1. Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable.
   The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer's website to learn how.

2. Select Start > type Bluetooth > select Bluetooth settings from the list.

3. Turn on Bluetooth > select the device > Pair.

4. Follow any instructions if they appear. Otherwise, you're done and connected.

Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.

Before you start, make sure that your Windows 7 PC supports Bluetooth.

1. Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable.
   The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer's website to learn how.Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable. The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer's website to learn how.

2. Select Start > Devices and Printers.

3. Select Add a device > select the device > Next.

4. Follow any other instructions that might appear. Otherwise, you're done and connected.

Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.