Audacity is a great free tool for editing audio files. However, some users have reported encountering problems when trying to record or open files with Audacity, with an Error opening sound device message appearing. So how can this problem be fixed?
You're probably already familiar with the features Audacity offers and how great this audio editing program is. You can play, record, and edit all kinds of music files. The program also allows you to perform many different complex tasks on your music files.
Download the latest version of Audacity here:
Audacity is completely free, and you can understand why some errors and problems might occur from time to time. One of the "familiar" issues with Audacity is the "Error Opening Sound Device." If you see that message, you're not alone. In this article, TipsMake will point out some of the causes of the problem and, more importantly, share how to fix the Audacity error when opening your sound device.
When this message appears, you'll be asked to review the playback or recording device options and sample rate of your Audacity projects. If the message indicates an issue with the recording device, it means the problem is related to your operating system, the audio device's recording settings, or Audacity itself. These error messages may relate to the audio device or its driver. Perhaps you're even using the device for an action outside its intended purpose.
This includes recording on more channels than the device allows or using the device to overwrite (playing an audio file and overwriting it) when the program can only perform one action at a time (playback or recording).
The biggest cause of recording device errors on Windows is when some audio device inputs are unresponsive to Audacity. Simply put, this means it's not allowing Audacity to start recording.
1. Check the external audio device.
Make sure your computer recognizes the audio device you connect, such as headphones or speakers. This might sound silly, but first you need to check that the cables are properly and securely connected. Then see if your computer recognizes your device by looking at the system tray.
If you see a red X on your audio device, try disconnecting and reconnecting it. If the problem persists, open the playback devices by right-clicking the speaker icon in the system tray. Make sure Speaker/Headphones are enabled. For laptops, right-click the speaker icon in the system tray, select Open Volume Mixer > System Sounds > Recording , and right-click the microphone to enable it.
2. Check the audio driver.
Your computer's built-in audio device should always have the latest drivers for your operating system, provided by your motherboard or computer manufacturer. A PCI or sound card should always have the latest drivers and firmware provided by the device manufacturer.
You might encounter this error in Audacity if your driver is not up-to-date. The solution offered here is to update the driver manually or using third-party software.
3. The error originates from Audacity itself.
While recording, you should not enable Software Playthrough in Audacity. This can cause errors. You can disable it as follows:
- Open Audacity and click on Edit located in the upper left corner of the program.
- Select Preferences > Recording > uncheck Playthrough and press OK to confirm.
You should also check your audio device settings to see if they are configured correctly by doing the following:
- Open Audacity and select Edit .
- Click Preferences > Devices .
- The Host field should be Windows WASAPI . If not, set it to WASAPI .
- Click OK to confirm.
Above are some of the main causes of Audacity errors when turning on audio devices and the accompanying solutions. Simply follow the solutions shared above to resolve the issue. Additionally, you can refer to the guide on how to fix microphone delay errors in Audacity here.