This error code is usually accompanied by a message that reads, “Can’t play audio. Make sure your computer’s sound and video cards are working.” You’d usually bump into this error while using the Windows Media Player, the Xbox Music App, Groove Music, or the Films & TV app.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can easily tackle this problem.

1. Test Your External Audio Devices

In most cases, audio errors are software-related. But before implementing any of the fixes we’ve covered, it’s best to start by checking your hardware.

To get started, ensure that all your external audio devices are properly connected and are in good working condition. Unplug your audio devices, plug them in again, and then check if this resolves the issue. Also, ensure that you’re using proper ports.

Otherwise, test your external audio devices on another PC to check if the issue is software-related. If the devices work on the other device, then your PC probably has software-related problems. In this case, the other solutions in this article should help you out.

2. Run the Built-In Troubleshooters

If you still suspect that the error is caused by hardware-related issues, then the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter could help. Here’s how you can run this tool:

Press Win + S to open the Start Menu search bar. Type Troubleshoot and then select the Best match. Click the Additional troubleshooters option on the right. Click the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter and then press the Run the troubleshooter button.

If the audio error is caused by system-related issues, then the Audio troubleshooter could help. Here’s how you can run this tool:

Open the Start Menu search bar and the Troubleshoot Settings window as per the previous steps. Click the Playing Audio troubleshooter and then press the Run the troubleshooter button. Finally, restart your PC to apply these changes.

3. Restart Windows File Explorer

Running multiple File Explorer windows could sometimes cause issues on your PC. For example, you might be encountering the audio issue simply because you’ve opened tons of File Explorer windows.

To resolve the problem, try closing a few active programs and then restart the Windows File Explorer.

Now, here are the steps for restarting File Explorer:

Press Win + X to open the Quick Access Menu. Select Task Manager from the options. Right-click on Windows Explorer and then select Restart.

If the issue persists, try restarting File Explorer by following these steps:

Open the Quick Access Menu and the Task Manager as per the previous steps. Right-click on Windows Explorer and select End task. Finally, click the File Explorer taskbar icon. Otherwise, press Win + S, type File Explorer in the search bar, and then select the Best match.

4. Restore the Advanced Speaker Properties Settings to Their Defaults

In some cases, this error appears just after updating Windows. In such instances, restoring some audio settings to their defaults could help.

So, let’s check out how you can restore the Advanced Speaker Properties settings to their defaults:

Right-click the sound icon on the taskbar and select Sounds. Next, navigate to the Playback tab. Right-click on your default playback device and select Properties. Navigate to the Advanced tab and click the Restore Defaults button. Finally, press Apply and then press OK to apply these changes.

5. Configure the Sound Enhancement Settings

You could tackle this audio error by configuring a few sound enhancement settings. Here’s how:

Right-click the sound icon on the taskbar, select Sound, and then navigate to the Playback tab. Right-click on your default playback device and select Properties. Navigate to the Enhancements tab. Check all the relevant boxes, press Apply, and then press OK.

If you want to restore the sound enhancement settings to their defaults, press the Restore Defaults button. Finally, press Apply, press OK, and then restart your device.

6. Repair the Sound Drivers

Just like other audio issues, the Audio Error 0xc00d11d1 (0xc00d4e86) could be caused by corrupted sound drivers. To resolve the problem, you could either restart or reinstall the sound drivers.

To get started, let’s see how you can restart the sound drivers:

Press Win + X to open the Quick Access Menu. Select Device Manager from the menu options. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers option. Right-click on your PC’s Sound driver and select Disable device. Next, right-click on the Sound driver again and select Enable device. Finally, restart your PC to save these changes.

If the audio issue persists, then try reinstalling the sound drivers by following these steps:

Open the Quick Access Menu and the Device Manager by following the previous steps. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers option. Right-click on the Sound driver and select Uninstall device. Next, click the Action tab and select Scan for hardware changes. Finally, restart your device to apply these changes.

7. Enable the Windows Audio Service

The Windows Audio Service ensures that you’re able to play audio without any hiccups. If this service is disabled, then you’re likely to bump into various sound issues like the Audio Error 0xc00d11d1 (0xc00d4e86).

To resolve this problem, enable the Windows Audio service through these steps:

Press Win + S to open the Windows search bar, type Services, and then select the Best match. Locate the Windows Audio service and double-click on it. Next, click the Startup type drop-down menu and then select Automatic. Press the Start button, press Apply, and then press OK.

8. Test Different Audio Formats

As a last resort, try using different audio formats and see if this resolves the issue. So, let’s check out how you can test different audio formats:

Right-click the sound icon on the taskbar and select Sounds. Navigate to the Playback tab. Right-click on your preferred audio device and select Properties. Next, navigate to the Advanced tab in the next window. Finally, test different audio formats in the Default Format drop-down menu.

Easily Tackle the Windows Audio Error 0xc00d11d1 (0xc00d4e86)

The Windows Audio Error 0xc00d11d1 (0xc00d4e86) is quite irritating. But in most cases, you can easily tackle this problem by updating the sound drivers. If the issue persists, then any of the other solutions we’ve covered should help you out.