Audio Device Code 10, This Device Cannot Start, Fixed
The message "This device cannot start. (Code 10)" appears in Device Manager on an audio device, with a yellow warning triangle and no sound. Code 10 means Windows tried to start the sound device and could not get it running, and in most cases the audio driver is damaged, mismatched, or missing, so Windows stops the device instead of using it.
Fix it, in order
Restart the PC and recheck. Use Start, Power, Restart, then open Device Manager again and look under Sound, video and game controllers. If Code 10 is gone, the restart cleared a stuck driver state and you can stop here.
Confirm the exact device. In Device Manager, right-click the audio device with the warning, select Properties, and read the Device status box on the General tab. It should say "This device cannot start. (Code 10)". Note the device name, often Realtek Audio, Intel Smart Sound Technology, or High Definition Audio Device.
Update the driver. Right-click the device and select Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers. If Windows finds nothing, move on, since the installed driver is often the problem rather than the solution.
Uninstall the driver and restart. Right-click the device, select Uninstall device, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device if the box appears, and restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the driver on boot, and this clears Code 10 in the majority of cases.
Roll back if it started after an update. In Device Manager, open the device Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver. A new driver from Windows Update is a common trigger for Code 10.
Install the driver from the PC maker. Download the audio driver for your exact model from the laptop or motherboard maker's support site. The maker's driver is the correct replacement when the generic Windows driver will not start the device.
Restart the audio services. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Restart Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, and make sure both are set to Automatic.
Check for the known USB audio issue. Microsoft confirmed in September 2026 that some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices show Code 10 after a Windows 11 security update, with no sound and a volume slider stuck at zero. If your device is a USB headset or DAC, install the latest Windows updates, including any out-of-band update offered, and test the device on another PC to confirm whether the problem follows the device or the update.
Code 10 is different from Code 28, where Windows says the drivers are not installed. Code 10 means a driver is present but will not start, so the fix is a clean reinstall or rollback, not just installing any driver.
If it still happens
If Code 10 survives a clean manufacturer driver install, test the device on another PC. A device that shows Code 10 everywhere has failed hardware. A built-in audio chip that shows Code 10 on one PC only, after a driver reinstall and a Windows update check, points to deeper system damage, and a Windows repair install through Settings, System, Recovery is the next step.
Common questions
What does Code 10 mean on a sound device? Windows tried to start the sound device and could not get it running. The audio driver is usually damaged or mismatched, so a clean driver reinstall is the first fix to try.
Why did Code 10 appear on my USB headset after a Windows update? Microsoft confirmed a known issue where a September 2026 Windows 11 update left some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices showing Code 10 with no sound. Installing the latest Windows updates is the fix, and the issue is limited to that class of USB audio device.
Code 10 or Code 43, which is worse? Neither is worse, they are different reports. Code 10 means the device would not start, Code 43 means the device reported a failure after starting. Both are usually driver problems, and both start with the same clean reinstall.