Who doesn’t want to accomplish a task efficiently and effortlessly? No one.
Volume mixer is one of the significant features of the Windows operating system to control the individual app volume and choose the input/output device connection effortlessly.
Many users encounter the volume mixer not opening or responding issue on Windows 11, and there is no way to control the feature.
However, if you encounter the same issue and look for a solution, this post will help you get rid of it. After following the given methods, I will assure you can resolve your problem without any chaos.
So, keep reading and precisely follow the instructions.
Let’s get started without further delay.
Check out our separate post: 7 Proven Ways to Get Better Audio on Windows 11.
Why Does My Volume Mixer Not Working on Windows 11
Your volume mixer is not opening or working on Windows 11 because of bugs/glitches, outdated sound drivers, or corrupted sound drivers. Also, corrupted system files are one of the reasons for the volume mixer not opening or working on Windows 11.
Now, I will discuss the reasons I mentioned earlier for the volume mixer not opening on your Windows 11/10 PC. The following reasons are the main culprit for occurring the issue.
Here are the reasons for the volume mixer not opening/working on your Windows 11/10 PC:
Bug/Glitch
Bugs and glitches are one of the main reasons the volume mixer is not open on your Windows 11/10 PC. If your system files have bugs or glitches, they may conflict with the system files and create the issue.
Outdated Sound Drivers
Outdated sound drivers are significant reasons the volume mixer is not working/open issue on your Windows 11/10 PC.
When your sound drivers are obsolete, the sound drivers are not working adequately with the apps, so the volume mixer is not working correctly.
Corrupted Sound Drivers
Another common reason for the volume mixer not opening is the corrupted sound drivers.
When the sound drivers are corrupted on your Windows 11/10 PC, the sound drivers start to conflict with the system and create the sound mixer not working/opening issue.
Check out the easiest way to Fix No Audio after Windows 11 Update.
How to Fix Volume Mixer Not Working on Windows 11
The volume mixer is an essential panel that helps control a particular app’s volume level. This panel also helps you choose input and output connected devices on your PC.
But sadly, Microsoft removed the Volume mixer panel from the taskbar sound icon and added an Open volume mixer option in Windows 11. To control the volume mixer, you now need to open the volume mixer option from Windows Settings.
Windows 11 users reported that the volume mixer is not opening or responding correctly on Windows 11, which is pretty annoying. The problem also occurs on Windows 10 devices.
This section will describe some proven and effective methods to solve the sound mixer opening problem on Windows 11 devices.
So, why are you late? Let’s deep dive into the main discussion.
Note: These proven and tested fixes effectively work on Windows 11 and 10 PC. If you face the same problem on your Windows 10 computer, you can apply these fixes to resolve your issue.
Also, check our latest post on the Show Folder Size in Windows 11.
Here are the steps to fix the volume mixer not working on Windows 11:
1. Run Playing Audio Troubleshooter
When you encounter an issue on your PC, you can first run the problem-related troubleshooter to automatically detect and fix the problem.
So, to fix the volume mixer not opening an issue on your device, run the Playing Audio Troubleshooter.
Here are the steps to run the Playing Audio Troubleshooter:
- Open the Windows System Settings.
- Select the System tab on the left-side menu panel.
- Scroll down and select the Troubleshoot option.
- Choose the Other troubleshooters option.
- Under the Most frequent section, you will find the Playing Audio troubleshooter.
- Click on the Run button next to the Playing Audio troubleshooter.
- Wait for a few seconds to detect the problems.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.
- Check to see whether the problem is fixed. If not, try to apply the next solutions.
Follow our guide on How to Fix Blue Screen on Windows 11.
2. Restart the Windows File Explorer Process
The second effective method to fix the volume mixer not opening on Windows 11 is to restart the Windows File Explorer process from the Task Manager.
Here are the steps to restart the Windows File Explorer process:
- Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys on your keyboard.
- Find the Windows Explorer/File Explorer under the Processes tab.
- Click on the Restart button at the bottom of the right-side corner screen. Or, right-click on it and select Restart.
- Check to see whether the problem is fixed. If not, try to apply the next solutions.
Here’s a complete guide on how to install VLC and Make it Default on Windows 11.
3. Update Sound Drivers
Updating sound drivers is another proven and practical method to solve the issue of volume mixer opening/working. So, update your sound drivers to try to solve your problem.
Here are the steps to update the sound drivers:
- Right-click on the Windows Start Menu and select the Device Manager.
- Click on the arrow icon or double-click on the Audio inputs and outputs to expand it.
- Select and double-click on the Speakers / Headphones to open the Properties window.
- Go to the Driver tab and click on the Update Driver.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to update the drivers successfully.
- Check to see whether the problem is fixed.
4. Reinstall Sound Drivers
If updating the sound drivers doesn’t fix the volume mixer not working/opening issue, you may reinstall the sound drivers.
Reinstalling the sound drivers helps you fix your corrupted sound drivers and solve the problem.
Here are the steps to reinstall the sound drivers:
- Right-click on the Windows Start Menu and select the Device Manager.
- Click on the arrow icon or double-click on the Audio inputs and outputs to expand it.
- Select and double-click on the Speakers / Headphones to open the Properties window.
- Go to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device.
- Select Uninstall to confirm the uninstallation process when Uninstall Device window is prompt on the screen.
- Restart your PC to install the audio drivers automatically on your device.
- Check to see whether the problem is fixed.
5. Update Windows
Updating the Windows is another effective method to solve the sound mixer not responding or working issue on your Windows 11 device.
To perform an update on your system, it can fix bugs, glitches, update drivers, and more. So, it can be possible to resolve the issue by updating Windows.
These are the steps to update the Windows 11:
- Open the Windows System Settings.
- Select the Windows Update tab on the left-side menu panel.
- Click on the Check for updates button.
- Wait for some time to check the new updates. If any new updates are available, the system will automatically start to download the latest updates. After completing the download process, click on the Install button to install the latest updates.
- Wait until the installation process is finished.
Follow our epic guide to Fix Installation Failed Error 800f0830 on Windows 11.
6. Reset your PC
The last method to solve your sound mixer not responding or opening issue is resetting your PC.
If none of the previous methods are not working, you need to reset your PC to solve the problem. By performing a system reset process, it can remove all the corrupted system files and install the new fresh system files.
Here are the steps to reset your PC:
- Open the Windows System Settings.
- Select the System tab on the left-side menu panel.
- Scroll down and select the Recovery option.
- Click on the Reset PC button next to the Reset this PC option under the Recovery options sections.
- Choose an option based on your preference to start the process.
- Wait until the process is complete. After completing the system resetting process, the issue of the volume mixer not opening/responding is wholly gone.
How to Fix Volume Mixer Keeps Resetting on Windows 11
On Windows 11, the volume mixer keeps resetting is another critical issue for Windows users.
Some users are reported that sometimes the sound mixer automatically keeps resting while using the PC. The problem is fixed by restarting the computer, but the issue appears again after a while.
So, if you encounter this issue, and need to fix it, then follow the steps below.
Here are the steps to fix the volume mixer that keeps resetting on Windows 11:
1. Change Sound Settings
Changing your device’s sound settings is the first and most effective method to fix the volume mixer that keeps resetting on Windows 11.
Here are the steps to change the sound settings:
- Right-click on the Audio/Sound icon in the right-side taskbar and choose the Sound settings option.
- Click on the Speakers/Headphones option under the Output section.
- Scroll down and look for the Enhance audio option under the Output settings section.
- Click on the Advance to open the Speakers/Headphones Properties window.
- Check the Disable all sound effects checkbox, and click on the Apply and OK button to save the changes.
- Check to see whether the problem is fixed. If not, try to apply the next solutions.
2. Uninstall and Reinstall Sound Drivers
If your volume mixer keeps resetting continuously, you can try to uninstall and reinstall your sound drivers on your Windows 11/10 PC.
Here are the steps to reinstall the sound drivers:
- Right-click on the Windows Start Menu and select the Device Manager.
- Click on the arrow icon or double-click on the Audio inputs and outputs to expand it.
- Select and double-click on the Speakers / Headphones to open the Properties window.
- Go to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device.
- Select Uninstall to confirm the uninstallation process when Uninstall Device window is prompt on the screen.
- Restart your PC to install the audio drivers automatically on your device.
How to Get Back the Classic Volume Mixer in Windows 11
On new Windows 11, Microsoft permanently removes the volume mixer panel, which Windows 10 regular users do not accept.
This design decision is not good because the volume mixer panel is a more convenient way to control the volume level for a particular app and to choose input/output connected devices on your PC
However, the good news is if you love the Windows 10 classic volume mixer panel and want to get back, then you can restore the volume mixer panel on your Windows 11 by following the few simple steps.
Let’s see the way to restore the Windows 10 volume mixer panel.
Here are the steps to get back to the classic volume mixer on Windows 11:
Create a Volume Mixer App Shortcut
The first way to restore the classic volume mixer is to create a volume mixer shortcut in the taskbar.
Here are the steps to create a volume mixer shortcut:
- Open the Windows Run program by pressing the Win+R on your keybaord.
- Type exe and hit the Enter key to run the Volume Mixer app.
- Right-click the Volume Mixer app icon on the taskbar and select the Pin to taskbar option.
- The Volume Mixer app is now pinned into the taskbar. Now, you can open the volume mixer panel with just a click.
Final Thoughts
The volume mixer not opening or working is a common problem on Windows 11. I describe six proven and effective methods to fix it. Apply them one by one until you find the right one.
Sometimes, the volume mixer keeps resetting automatically on Windows 11/10 devices. Changing the sound settings on your PC and reinstalling the sound drivers can help you solve the problem.
We already know that Microsoft removes many features and functionality from Windows 11. In these circumstances, they also remove the volume mixer panel on Windows 11. But if you want to get back the volume mixer panel on Windows 11, follow the steps I described earlier.
Are you applied all of the methods that I described? Which methods work for you? Please leave a comment to let us know if you want. I hope this post is helpful for you.
Have a good day. Peace!
