Windows 10 keeps automatically changing audio device to a nonexistent

Ornithophilia · 05 Sep 2020

I am having an issue where Windows 10 keeps automatically changing my default audio device to a nonexistent audio device cutting all sound from my laptop, a HP Envy 17 j177nr.

I frequently use a HDMI to VGA cable to use dual display with an Dell E2211Hc monitor for streaming and/or playing Final Fantasy XIV.

However, Windows 10 frequently changes my audio device to "Intel Display" whenever this monitor is plugged into my laptop. Obviously this is NOT an audio device and Windows says "Intel Display" in my audio settings so Windows should know that this is NOT an audio device but it keeps changing to that on its own very frequently if this monitor is plugged in. It does not matter if I have external speakers or headphones plugged into the laptop or not, it changes to the nonexistent audio device anyway.

I can change it back to "IDT High Definition Audio Device" but eventually Windows 10 will automatically change the audio device back to the nonexistent audio device. This usually occurs after I walk away from the laptop for an hour or two. When I come back, it will be switched back to "Intel Display"

The external monitor itself works but Windows 10 seemingly thinks that the monitor is two separate devices, one being an audio device or something.

I Googled 'Windows 10 automatically changes audio device' but only results pertaining to people being unable to change the audio device showed up. There is literally nothing regarding Windows 10 doing it on its own.

Does anybody know what the problem could be and how do I make Windows 10 stop automatically changing the audio device to this nonexistent one?

sandyt · 05 Sep 2020

HDMI cables provide 2 way communication between computer and monitor. So the computer sends a question via HDMI cable to the monitor asking the monitor "do you have speakers?" The monitor sends via HDMI cable back to the computer telling the computer either "yes, I have speakers" or "no, I don't have speakers."

Your HDMI/VGA cable can't send the answer back to the computer because in the history of VGA cable, they never contained audio signal to begin with, so it never had to answer that question.

Your monitor has a DVI port, perhaps a DVI cable will send enough information back to the laptop telling the laptop that the monitor doesn't have speakers.

HeM · 05 Sep 2020

Ornithophilia said:

... Does anybody know what the problem could be and how do I make Windows 10 stop automatically changing the audio device to this nonexistent one?

Hi,

You may go to Control panel => Sound / Playback tab, right click on "Intel Display" and Disable it: