RTKVHD64.sys Realtek Audio Driver Blue Screen in Windows 11

If the Realtek Audio driver (RTKVHD64.sys) is causing a Blue Screen on your Windows 11/10 computer, the solutions provided in this article will help. According to reports, users tried to update or reinstall the Realtek Audio driver after encountering audio issues on their computers. Their computer crashed with a Blue Screen error before the update or installation of the driver was completed.

Realtek Audio driver is causing BSOD on Windows 11/10

The file that failed and caused the BSOD error is RTKVHD64.sys. It is associated with the Realtek Audio driver. Use the following fixes if the Realtek Audio driver is causing BSOD on your Windows 11/10 computer.

Repair system image files
Perform System Restore
Update BIOS and chipset driver
Use the dedicated software to diagnose and fix BSOD
Completely delete the Realtek driver and install it again
Uninstall and install the driver in Safe Mode
Install another available version of the Audio driver
Reset your system or perform a repair upgrade

All these fixes are explained below in detail.

1] Repair your system image files

The installation of the Realtek Audio driver might be failing due to corrupt system image files. Use Windows 11/10 built-in tools, System File Checker, and DISM to scan your system for corrupt system files and fix them.

2] Perform System Restore

Since you are experiencing audio issues on your system and installing the Realtek Audio driver is causing the BSOD error, performing System Restore can help you. System Restore is a built-in tool in Windows 11/10 that takes your system to the previous working state. Run System Restore and select the restore point created on the date before the issue started occurring on your system.

3] Update BIOS and chipset driver

An outdated version of BIOS and chipset driver can also be the cause of this problem. We suggest you update your BIOS and chipset driver (if an update is available). You can download the latest version of your chipset driver and BIOS update from the official website of your computer’s manufacturer.

4] Use the dedicated software to diagnose and fix BSOD

Based on your computer manufacturer, you can use dedicated software to diagnose and fix the BSOD error. Some of the software are:

MyASUS app for ASUS computers
Dell SupportAssist for Dell computers
HP Support Assistant for HP computers

If the software is not available on your system, you can download it from the official website of your computer manufacturer. Launch the software and look for the Blue Screen error troubleshoot option. Run the tool and see if it helps.

5] Completely delete the Realtek driver and install it again

If the issue persists, completely delete the Realtek Audio driver and reinstall it. The following steps will guide you on this:

Open the Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers branch.
Right-click on the Realtek Audio driver (if available) and select Uninstall device.
Select the Attempt to remove the driver for this device option.
Click Uninstall.

Now, restart your computer. Windows will automatically install the missing driver. If this does not work, download the latest version of the Realtek Audio driver from the official website of your computer manufacturer and then install it.

6] Uninstall and install the driver in Safe Mode

If the issue still persists, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Realtek Audio driver in Safe Mode. First, download its latest version from the official Realtek website or your computer manufacturer’s website, then boot in Safe Mode. Now, open the Device Manager and uninstall the driver. After that, run the installer file to reinstall the driver.

7] Install another available version of the Audio driver

If the Realtek Audio driver installation is triggering the BSOD error and you are experiencing audio issues, you can try installing another available audio driver to fix the audio issues.

Use the following steps:

Open the Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video and game controllers branch.
Right-click on the Realtek audio driver and select Update driver.
Now, select the Browse My Computer for drivers option.
Click the Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer option.
Make sure that the Show compatible hardware checkbox is selected. Select the High Definition Audio Device and click Next to install the driver.

8] Reset your system or perform a repair upgrade

The last resort is to reset your system or perform an In-place Upgrade. While resetting your system, select the Keep my files option, as it will not delete your files. However, taking a backup before proceeding is highly recommended. If resetting your system does not work, perform an In-place Upgrade.

That’s it. I hope this helps.

Related: Fix rtf64x64.sys Blue Screen error

Can Windows 11 cause BSOD?

BSOD is not specific to a particular Windows operating system. A BSOD error can occur due to hardware faults or software issues. Therefore, if you encounter a BSOD error, analyze the Event Viewer logs to know the name of the file triggering the BSOD error, so you can troubleshoot it accordingly.

How do I fix corrupted audio drivers in Windows 11?

To fix the corrupted audio drivers on your Windows 11 computer, uninstall and reinstall it. Use the Device Manager to uninstall the corrupted audio driver. After uninstalling the driver, restart your system. If this does not work, download the latest version of the audio driver from the official website and install it manually.