Stereo Mix is a tool that allows the user to record the output stream of a computer such as broadcasting radio, speaker outputs, live streaming audios, even system sounds. Though Stereo mix comes default with some sound cards, the majority of a portion of Windows 10 users don’t enjoy it by default as it is disabled on their computers. If you want to enable the Stereo Mix on your computer, then go for these easy steps.
Method-1 Enable Stereo Mix from Sounds-
If you have the Stereo Mix on your computer by default, you can easily enable it.
1. Press Windows key+R to open Run window.
2. To open the Sounds utility, type, and then hit click on “OK“.
mmsys.cpl
3. When the Sounds window appears on your screen, go to the “Recording” tab.
4. In the Recording tab, right-click on a space and then check the option “Show Disabled Devices“.
You will notice that ‘Stereo Mix‘ is now visible in the list of the drivers.
5. Then, right-click on “Stereo Mix” and then click on “Enable“.
Stereo Mix is now enabled on your computer. You will see a little green beside the ‘Stereo Mix‘ option.
6. After that, you need to click on “Apply” and then click on “OK” to save the changes.
That’s it! You have successfully enabled the Stereo Mix on your computer.
Method-2 Download and install Stereo Mix driver-
If there is no Stereo Mix driver on your computer, then you have to download and install the driver.
1. Right-click on the Windows icon and then click on “System“.
2. You need to check the ‘Device specifications‘ on your computer.
3. Next, you note down the ‘System Type‘. If it is “64-bit” or “32-bit“.
4. Then, go to this Realtek website to download the codec.
5. Now, scroll down and click on the download icon beside the codec according to the system type (64-bit or 32-bit).
6. Next, check the option “I accept to the above“.
7. Now, enter your email address.
8. Then, click on “Download this file” to start the download process.
9. Choose a suitable location to download the codec package.
10. Click on “Save” to save it.
Close browser window.
11. Press Windows key+E to open the File Explorer window.
12. Go to the location where you have downloaded the package. Double-click on it.
13. Now, click on “Next” to initialize the installation process.
14. Finally, once the installation is over, click on “Finish“.
15. Press Windows key+R to open Run window.
16. In the Run window, type “mmsys.cpl” and then hit Enter.
Sounds utility will be opened.
17. In the Sounds window, go to the “Recording” tab.
18. In the Recording tab, right-click on a space and then check the option “Show Disabled Devices“.
You will notice that ‘Stereo Mix‘ is now visible in the list of the drivers.
19. Now, all you have to do is right-click on “Stereo Mix” and then click on “Enable“.
Stereo Mix is now enabled on your computer. You will see a little green sign beside the ‘Stereo Mix‘ option.
20. Finally, click on “Apply” and then click on “OK” to save the changes.
This way you can easily enable Stereo Mix on your Windows 10 computer.
Fix 3 – Turn ON the Microphone access
1. Press the Windows key+I.
2. After that, click on the “Privacy” settings to access it.
3. After that, click on the “Microphone” on the left-hand side.
4. Under the ‘Microphone access for this device’ settings click on the “Change“. Toggle it to “ON“.
5. Then scroll down to ‘Allow desktop apps to access your microphone’ settings.
6. Here, toggle this setting to “ON“.
This should enable the stereo mix again on your system.
Note: -For Windows 11 users
1 – Search Microphone Privacy settings in Windows 11 search box and click on it
2 – Now, turn on the Microphone access.
Fix 4 – See the disabled devices
Sometimes the stereo mix may be disabled on your system.
1. Press the Windows key+R to open up the “Run“.
2. After that, type “mmsys.cpl” and click on “OK“.
3. Go to the “Recording” tab.
4. Then, right-click and check the options “Show Disabled Devices” and the “Show Disconnected Devices“.
You will see the Stereo mix on your computer again.
Fix 5 – Update the audio driver
If nothing so far has worked out for you, try updating the audio drivers on your system.
1. Press the Windows key+R.
2. After that, type “devmgmt.msc” and click on “OK“.
3. After that you have to click on the “Sound, video and game controllers“.
4. Next, right-click on the audio device and click on “Update driver“.
5. After that, click on the “Search automatically for drivers“.
This way Windows will install the latest audio driver on your system. Try to use the stereo mix again on your computer.
Fix 6 – Turn Stereo Mix on Conextant HD Audio
If you are using a Conextant HD Audio device on your computer, we have a special fix for you.
STEP 1 – Find the specific file
To go on with this fix you will need the PSPad installed on your computer. If you don’t have it, follow these steps-
1. Click on the PSPad on your computer.
2. After that, click on the “PSPad portable version” to download it.
3 . After downloading the zip file, open it.
4. Then, click on the “PSPad.exe” to run it on your computer.
5. Once PSPad opens up, click on the “Search” on the menu bar.
6. After that, click on the “Search/ Replace in Files…“.
7. Then, paste this line in the “Text to find:” box.
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01
8. Then, click on the radio button beside “Selected Directory“.
C:/Windows/System32/DriverStore/FileRepository/
9. Finally, click on “OK“.
You will be seeing the file that contains the above-mentioned string.
STEP – 2 Modify the permission of the file
1. Press the Windows key+E.
2. Then, go to this location in the File Explorer screen –
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658
NOTE–
It is possible that your computer doesn’t have the exact ‘CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658’ file. The file name can be slightly different on your system. Try to find the file in this directory-
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository
3. Then, right-click on the “CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658” file and click on “Properties“.
4. You have to click on the “Security” tab.
5. Then, click on “Advanced“.
6. Once the Advanced Security settings appear, click on the “Change” option beside the ‘Owner:‘.
7. When the Advanced Settings window, click on “Add“.
8. After that, click on “Select a principal“.
9. Clik on the “Advanced…“.
7. After that, you need to click on “Find Now“.
8. Then, choose your account name from the list.
9. After that, click on “OK“.
10. Then, check the option “Full control“.
11. Click on “OK” to save it.
Once you have acquired the permission for the file, follow these steps to modify the ‘CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658’ it.
STEP 3 – Modify the file
1. Now, right-click on the ‘CALCC2WA.inf_amd64_07118bd8a2180658’ file and click on “Open with“.
2. After that, choose “Notepad“.
3. Once the file opens on the Notepad screen, press the “Ctrl+F” keys together.
4. Then, type “stereo” in the box and click on ‘Find Next‘.
5. You will see three lines in the file containing the search string ‘stereo’.
;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,Enable,1,01 ;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MixAssocSeq,1,E0,E0 ;HKR,%EPattributePath%\EpSettings\StereoMixEnable,MuteGainSettings,1,00,00
6. Delete the semi-colons from these lines in the notepad.
7. Then, click on the “File” in the menu-bar and click on “Save“.
After saving these changes, close the Notepad screen.
STEP 4 – Uninstall & reinstall the Conexant audio driver
Finally, you have to just uninstall and reinstall the audio driver from your system.
1. Simply press the Windows key+R keys together.
2. After that, write “devmgmt.msc” and click on “OK“.
3. You have to expand the “Sound, video and game controllers” section.
4. Now, to uninstall the particular adapter, right-click on the audio driver and then click on the “Uninstall device“.
5. Simply, click on “Uninstall” to confirm the uninstallation of the driver.
After that, simply restart your computer once. This load the default Conexant audio driver
If the driver still isn’t there, follow these steps-
Open the Device Manager window.
a. In the Device Manager, click on “Action“.
b. After that, click on “Scan for hardware changes“.
This should have fixed the issue with the Conexant audio device on your system. Try to use the Stereo mix again.