What is stereo mix? It is an extension of the Windows 10 sound system that makes records of any audio output from your computer. Most people use this feature to take audio clips from websites, radio shows, and such outlets without having to go through any analog. Usually, you’ll get Stereo Mix Windows 10 on your PC as you buy it, but it will be disabled.
Here’s how you do it!
- Allow Stereo Mix From Sounds:
If you already have the function on your system by default already, then it’s going to be quite simple to learn how to enable Stereo Mix and use it immediately.
- First, you need to use the key combo Windows + R to initiate the Run pop-up window.
- Type in “mmsys.cpl” in the run tab to bring forth the Sound utility. Additionally, you can also open the Sound utility panel by accessing Settings, then go to Systems and select the Sound tab. The Sound Control Panel should be available under the Related Settings category as well.
- Switch to the “Recording” tab to see your currently available recording devices.
- To see all devices, right click within the tab that says “Recording” and check “Show Disabled Devices”. This will make all previously disabled or unactivated drivers visible, including Stereo Mix.
- In order to enable Stereo Mix Windows 10, simply right click it again and select “Enable”. If you see a little green checkmark next to its symbol, you’re on the right track!
- To save your settings, choose “Apply”, and later “Ok”. Most of the time, however, simply pressing “Apply” will also do the trick nicely.
And there we go, it’s super easy to start up Windows 10 Stereo Mix on your PC.
- Install Stereo Mix Driver:
On the off chance that there’s no Stereo Mix Windows 10 on your computer, however, it’s just a few clicks away from downloading and installing it onto your computer.
- Firstly, to make sure that Realtek Stereo Mix is compatible with your Windows version. To check this, use the right button on your mouse to click on Windows at the bottom left of your screen.
- Under the Device Specifications section, look for the System Type line. Knowing if your computer is 32- or 64-bit is crucial in downloading the correct Windows 10 Stereo Mix version. Without the corresponding Stereo Mix Codec, the driver would not work at all.
- Once you’ve found the correct version, click its Download icon to begin the download process.
- Then, examine the “I accept to the above” box and input your email. This allows Realtek to boot the Stereo Mix Windows 10 download directly. In case the process failed, a copy of the file will automatically be sent to your Email address.
- You will then need to choose a download destination for the codec package. Press “Save” to confirm your choice. Realtek Stereo Mix download package is streamlined for personal use, so it shouldn’t take too long to complete.
- Afterward, head to the File Explorer window via the Windows + E combo. Proceed to find your downloaded Codec and initialize the installation procedure by double-clicking the icon.
Once the process is over, press “Finish” to close the Setup Wizard. Even though it had already been installed, you’ll leave Stereo Mix disabled unless you find and activate it for the first time. You can follow the aforementioned steps to enable Stereo Mix from Sounds.
- Switch Microphone Access On:
That said, however, new users may occasionally run into the problem of Stereo Mix not picking up audio from any sources. To fix this, simply turn microphone access on via these easy steps:
- Open the Settings menu via the Windows + I shortcut combo.
- Access the Privacy tab by clicking on it.
- Look for the Microphone tab under the App Permissions category in the left column.
- Select the “Change” command under the “Allow access to the microphone on this device” section and switch it to “On”.
- Next, scroll all the way down until you see the “Allow Desktop apps to access your microphone” section and switch that to “On” as well.
These steps should be sufficient to allow Stereo Mix to work properly again, though you can always carry a test via Skype audio testing or Onlinemictest.com to make sure.
- Examine Disable Devices:
Sometimes things go wrong and leave more than your Stereo Mix disabled again. To examine all your current drivers, follow these steps:
- Pull up the “Run” command via the Windows + R key combo.
We’re back to this pop-up window.
- Open the Sound control panel via the “mmsys.cpl” request.
- Once again, choose the “Recording” tab. This time, make sure to check both “Show disabled devices” and “Show disconnected devices” when right clicking the panel. This will make visible all deactivated drivers.
- Right click Stereo Mix and enable it. Don’t forget to always finish by pressing Apply.
Pro tip: While “OK” and “Apply” may seem to do the same thing, always prioritize choosing “Apply”, as it instantly saves and initializes your selected command, rather than just saving it.
- Update Driver:
On occasions, however, your Stereo Mix driver may need updating, in which case it’s time to search up on the next compatible driver update package.
- Unlike when getting a Stereo Mix download Windows 10 package, you only need to open up the Run command via Windows + R.
- Type in “devmgmt.msc” and click OK. Afterward, look for the “Sound, video and game controllers” category.
- Choose the ones that should be updated and select “Update driver” before choosing “Search automatically for drivers”. Windows 10 will then search the web for your ideal audio driver and then install them for you.
- Use Conexant HD Audio:
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see Windows 10 users with Conexant HD Audio devices utilized within their rig. To integrate Stereo Mix into such systems, there are a few steps to complete.
- Firstly, you’ll need PSPad installed and ready to go. If you haven’t got them, you can simply download them here.
- For it to work best on your computer, select and start downloading the “PSPad portable version”. Once finished downloading, extract the file and initiate PSPad.exe.
- On the menu bar in PSPad, choose “Search” and then “Search/ Replace in Files…”. To start integrating Stereo Mix, use the line: “;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01”
- You can then establish a search directory address by ticking the “Selected Directory” under the Search Scope category. Don’t forget to add the address as “C:/Windows/System32/DriverStore/FileRepository/”. This will now show all files that contain the aforementioned line, allowing for easier work.
- To fully use Stereo Mix on Conexant-installed devices, you must alter the file’s permission. Access File Explore and go straight for “C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658”. Do not fret if you can’t see the “CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658” file, as they can be easily found at the C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository directory.
- Afterward, right click on the file to open the Properties tab, and then you select “Security” and “Advanced” sections. Then, under the Advanced Settings window, you can add your name and new administrators for the files.
- To finish up the process, click on “Select a principal” and then “Advanced”. Press “Find Now” to search for all possible candidates. Always remember to put your name into the Advanced Settings list, as this will allow you to configure Stereo Mix more easily down the line. You can then tick the “Full Control” under the Basic permissions to prepare for the changing of the files.
- Now that you’ve gotten the file “CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658”, it’s time to start working. Open that file with Notepad and find all the “Stereo” used via the Ctrl + F. Eventually, a set of 3 lines will emerge, containing the following content:
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MixAssocSeq,1,E0,E0
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MuteGainSettings,1,00,00
- Don’t forget to remove the semi-colons in these lines on Notepad for the codes to work properly. Lastly, don’t forget to finalize everything with a press of the “Save” button.
At times, you will need a fresh start by uninstalling and reinstalling the audio driver completely from your computer. This may seem to take up a lot of time, when in fact, it’s no longer than quick cigarette smoke.
- To start, press the Windows key+R combo keys together.
- Type in “devmgmt.msc” and press “OK”. These steps are very similar to how you would update a driver, so keep that in mind. However, under the “Sound, video and game controllers” tab, click “Uninstall driver” on the ones you want to get rid of or fix up and confirm it.
- Once the driver has been fully uninstalled, you can simply download and run them again to update your Computer with new driver information.
Outro
And that’s how you install Stereo Mix Windows 10! We hope that this tutorial is helpful for you and your work. May you and any ordeal you have with this awesome audio feature go smoothly. And if you have any questions regarding its use or installments, feel free to reach out to us!
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