How To Fix the “An Audio Stream Is Currently in Use” Error on Windows
Windows' sleep and hibernation modes are great for taking breaks from work when you know you will resume in a short while. With these low-power state modes, you can pick up where you left off while saving the computer’s energy.
However, some Windows users have reported facing an error message that reads “an audio stream is currently in use” when putting their system to sleep or hibernation mode. In this guide, we will examine this problem more deeply and explore some fixes that have helped other users.
What Does the “An Audio Stream Is Currently in Use” Error Mean?
The error under discussion mainly appears when the computer fails to enter sleep or hibernation mode because one of the installed applications is playing audio in the background. But sometimes, you may face this error even if no application is playing streams. In such situations, the error can result due to the following reasons:
Having identified the culprits for the problem, let’s dive into fixes that helped other users eliminate the issue.
1. Change Advanced Power Settings
Apparently, your computer will never enter sleep mode if its timing is configured incorrectly in theAdvanced Power Settings. To fix the issue, you will have to correctly configure the time after which your computer goes to sleep mode. Here’s how to do it:
2. Turn Off Cortana
Cortana is Microsoft’s official virtual assistant that helps you quickly find information and stay on track. But when running in the background, it can use your computer’s audio components and cause the problem at hand.
The solution, in this case, is to use one of the quickerways to disable Cortana on your Windows computer. Here’s how:
That’s it. Check if the problem is fixed or not.
3. Modify the Sound Settings
Line-in is a jack available in computer sound cards that lets you connect external audio devices like CD players, audio mixers, and microphones. If Line-in is enabled under the sound settings, you’re likely to see the “an audio stream is currently in use” error.
You have to disable Line-in to fix the issue. Follow the below structures to do it:
4. Update or Rollback Driver
Outdated or corrupt audio drivers are among the prime reasons behind the problem in the discussion. To fix this, you will have to download the latest audio driver update through the Device Manager. However, if this doesn’t work, you can alsoroll back the drivers on Windows to an older versionand see if it helps.
To update the audio driver, follow the below instructions:
Alternatively, you can also download the latest audio driver update via Windows Settings. Here’s how:
Once the update is installed, restart your computer and check for the problem.
5. Ignore the Problematic Device and Enter Sleep Mode
As aforementioned, the “an audio stream is currently in use” error appears when any program or device is preventing your computer from entering sleep mode. To find out the exact culprit, follow the below steps:
This command will tell you exactly which device or program is causing the problem. It can be an audio card, web browser, or any other application running in the background.
Now that you know which program is causing the issue, you will have to tell the power management system to ignore this program and go to sleep. Here’s how to do it:
So, that’s it. Now you could easily enter sleep or hibernate mode on your computer.
Enter Sleep Mode Without Any More Issues
Sleep mode is a power-saving feature that it’s possible to use when you are away from your device. But if your computer fails to enter sleep mode and shows the “An audio stream is currently in use'' error, you now know what’s causing the problem and how to fix it.
Sometimes, Windows can get stuck in hibernate or sleep mode. Fortunately, it’s very easy to tackle a system that won’t wake up after hibernating or sleeping.
Does your Windows PC struggle to wake up? Here’s how to fix a Windows computer that can’t get out of either hibernate or sleep mode.
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