Low frequency issues after Windows 20H2 update: causes, solutions

Many users report that after the Windows 20H2 update, in addition to problems with printers, there are crashes in sound settings, and, in particular, low frequencies. It is not yet known why this error occurs, but it may be due to the incompatibility of the latest patch with audio drivers.

Laptop owners note that along with this problem, others arise. From time to time, the system reports damage to certain files, and in some cases even BSoD (blue screen), forcibly restarting the computer. Since the root cause can be different in each case, below we will consider several methods for resolving this problem.

Solution 1: run the sound troubleshooter

The first step is to try to fix the problem with the built-in Windows tool. Typically, a troubleshooter identifies the causes and successfully repairs corrupted files.

1. Right click on the Windows icon and select Control Panel.
2. Go to the Troubleshooting section.
3. Select Troubleshoot Sound Problems.
4. In the next window, click Next, and wait for the diagnostics to finish.
5. After completing the process, restart your computer and check the sound.

Solution 2. Restart audio service

In some cases, the failure occurs due to an error starting the audio service. Therefore, you need to restart it manually and set it to start automatically.

1. Right-click on the Windows icon and select Run.
2. Enter the command services.msc and click OK.
3. Scroll down the page and find the Windows Audio service responsible for sound settings.
4. Highlight the service and click Restart on the right.
5. Then click on the RMB file and select properties.
6. Check if Startup Type is set to Automatic.
7. If not, install it, click Apply and Ok.
8. Repeat all the steps for the AudioEndpointbuildert service.

Solution 3. Update audio drivers

New patches for Windows may not always be compatible with certain sound drivers. In this case, you should go to the official website of the manufacturer of your audio system and check for the latest updates.

An alternative option is to update drivers automatically with the built-in Windows tool:

1. Go to Device Manager by right-clicking on the Windows icon.
2. Expand the Sound, game and video devices section.
3. Right-click on the driver you have installed and click Update.
4. In the new window, select Search automatically for updated drivers.
5. After the patch is installed, reboot the system.

Solution 4. Reinstall drivers

The fourth method is not much different from the previous version. Here you still have to visit the developer’s site of your device and download the current driver.

1. Then go back to Device Manager and uninstall the old version.
2. Right-click on the driver and select Uninstall.
3. Install a new application and then restart your computer.
4. Check if the sound is working.

Solution 5. Disable all sound effects

How to do it:

1. Right click on the speaker icon in the lower right corner.
2. Select Playback Devices.
3. On the Playback tab, right-click the default device.
4. Then select Properties.
5. On the Enhancements tab, select the Disable All Sound Effects check box and try playing your audio device.
6. If that doesn’t work, select Cancel.
7. Then, under the Playback tab, select another default device, if you have one.
8. Select the Disable All Sound Effects check box and try playing the sound again.
9. Do this for each device.