This device type is not supported, say Realtek

Realtek is one of the best Windows HD audio managers out there. If the Realtek HD Audio Manager says This device type is not supported, it doesn’t make the tool bad. On the contrary, the issue might be way far from the tool or the device itself. In this article, we will look at why you are getting this error and how you can fix it when Realtek says a device type is not supported on your PC.

Warning: This device type is not supported!

Getting audio-related errors on your PC can be annoying are you might not get any audio output on your computer or any other connected devices like headphones, speakers, etc.

Why does Realtek say The device type is not supported?

The main cause of an audio device type not being supported is driver issues. The drivers might be outdated, incompatible, or corrupted. So perhaps fixing this can fix the error and get normal audio output. Other causes of Realtek saying that a device type is not supported are disabled audio services, incorrect sound settings, or the audio peripheral not being plugged in correctly. There can be other hardware issues, which can only be detected or fixed by running a troubleshooter. We have looked at what may trigger Realtek to prompt the message of a device type not supported, let us now see how we can fix all these issues. Read on.

Fix This device type is not supported Realtek error

It’s not easy to pinpoint why Realtek is saying that This device type is not supported. So, to fix this error, you need to run solutions to fix the possible cause that triggers the issues.

Start with preliminary steps
Run the Audio troubleshooter
Update, or reinstall audio drivers

Let us dive deep into these solutions one by one.

1] Start with preliminary steps

Before going to more complex solutions, you can perform some preliminary steps to fix the device if it’s not being supported. These initial steps are:

Restart your PC and router and see.
Check if your device is connected to the right port and that no cables are broken or damaged.
Some simple issues that trigger Realtek Audio Manager to say the device is not supported can be fixed by just restarting your computer.
You can connect the device to another PC and see if the error is fixed. If no issue, then your PC might have issues that need to be resolved.

2] Run the Audio troubleshooter

If Realtek says that the device is not supported, run the audio troubleshooter. In Windows 11/10, you can run the audio troubleshooting in the Settings app. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. Then select the affected audio/sound device. Finally, select Run the troubleshooter.

You can also fix the device if it’s not supported by running the Get Help Audio Troubleshooter using the following steps:

On the search box type Get Help, and select Open on the search results.
On the Get Help window, locate its search console and type audio troubleshooter
Press Enter and wait for the process to finish.

NOTE: If you are using Windows 11, Microsoft will deprecate out the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) inbox troubleshooters and replace them with the Get Help troubleshooters. This will be done by 2025.

Alternatively, you can run the Audio Troubleshooter by running a command line in the Command Prompt. Open your Command Prompt and type the following command line and press Enter:

msdt.exe -id AudioPlaybackDiagnostic

3] Update, or reinstall audio drivers

Updating your Audio drivers can fix Realtek if it says a device is not supported on your PC. Updated drivers fix outdated, incompatible, and corrupted drivers. If the audio driver is updated, you may reinstall it and see if the issue is fixed. You can get the drivers from the manufacturer’s website and reinstall them manually. Many users have reported fixing unsupported audio devices by updating or reinstalling their drivers.

We hope something here helps you fix Realtek if it says that the device is not supported.

Read: How to download and reinstall Realtek HD Audio Manager

Why is my Realtek HD Audio not working?

If the Realtek HD Audio is not working, the drivers might be outdated, incompatible, or corrupted. The best way to fix this is by updating or reinstalling the audio drivers. Mostly, if the audio drivers have issues, there will be no sound from the Realtek Digital Output.

Why can’t I install the Realtek HD Audio driver?

The reason you can’t install the Realtek HD Audio driver is a conflict between the Microsoft universal audio architecture and the drivers you are trying to install. Another reason would be that the audio driver installation is trying to overwrite the default Windows driver. This will definitely give you driver installation errors.