[TROUBLESHOOTING] If you're having trouble, please look here first:

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Hi, All!
If you’re experiencing technical difficulties with FxSound, then please run through these troubleshooting tips first.
This is the most recent update (04/12/2023) of my “first-aid-kit” list, with numbered bullet points, for easy reference.
A few days ago, FxSound went open-source on GitHub (you can find @james’ full post here); going forward, when posting a bug report or feature request on the forum, it would be helpful to report the bug or request the feature through the GitHub Issues Tracker as well.

  1. Download and install the latest available update of FxSound, version 1.1.20.0, available from fxsound.com or the Microsoft Store (the version number is shown in the Help section of FxSound’s Settings);

  2. Download and install the latest available updates for your computer, Windows, and sound devices;

  3. In the General section of FxSound’s Settings menu, try changing the setting for automatic switching, and see if this improves anything;

  4. Try running FxSound as Administrator;

  5. If you’re having problems with a specific device, then please first browse its manufacturer’s website for support, and see if you can find a manual and/or troubleshooting suggestions for it, driver updates, software built specifically for that device, a contact form, etc.;

  6. In Windows Sound Settings, try disabling the problematic sound device, and then re-enabling it (done via “Don’t allow” in Windows 11);

  7. If the device is connected via Bluetooth, try completely removing, and then re-adding the problematic sound device;

  8. If the device is connected via USB, try turning off power saving from the device’s Power Management tab in your Device Manager;

  9. In Windows Sound Settings, try changing the frequency settings of all your devices to find an optimal match-up, with “24 bit 48000 Hz” being the maximum supported by FxSound (changing these settings often makes a bigger difference than you’d expect);

  10. In Windows Sound Settings, make sure FxSound is set as the Default Device;

  11. If this doesn’t improve anything, try setting FxSound as the Default Communications Device (this actually sets FxSound as both the Default Device ànd the Default Communications Device simultaneously, but, only shows it as the Default Device);

  12. In Windows Sound Settings, disable all Enhancements including Loudness Equalization for all devices;

  13. In Windows Sound Settings, disable Exclusive Mode for all devices;

  14. In Windows Sound Settings, disable Hardware Acceleration for all devices supporting this option (usually found in the Advanced tab);

  15. In Windows Sound Settings, under the Communications tab, select “Do nothing” as Windows’ response to detecting communication activity;

  16. In Windows Sound Settings, disable all devices you don’t need, including any hidden ones (done via “Don’t allow” in Windows 11);

  17. FxSound’s UI graphics is built on an OpenGL-based framework, so you could check if your graphics hardware supports OpenGL and if OpenGL is enabled, with DirectX Extensions Viewer;

  18. If you are experiencing laggy/choppy audio, and if this issue is CPU-related, then downloading LatencyMon and running a scan while FxSound is alternately On and Off, could help you identify the cause of the issue;

  19. Try uninstalling, and reinstalling FxSound;

  20. Try downloading the program from a different source, and installing that version instead (e.g. if you’ve downloaded from fxsound.com, try downloading from the Microsoft Store and vice versa);

  21. Since the FxSound driver can be removed with relative impunity, you could try performing a manual driver uninstall;

  22. If you’re getting the “Oops! There’s a problem with your playback device settings”-error, then please take a look here first;

  23. There is a way to increase the priority of the FxSound process in Windows Task Manager - please note though, that doing so is at your own risk;

  24. If all else has failed, you could try uninstalling with specialized full uninstaller software;

  25. If the problem is really serious and persistent, then you might want to consider the option to revert your entire computer to an earlier point in time, using Windows’ built-in System Restore function, as an ultimate last resort. However, this is not something to take lightly, and you should take the time to review if the rollbacks made to your system, are worth the gains. (Either way, under normal circumstances, FxSound doesn’t create problems of this magnitude, since it only installs one relatively simple driver.)

  26. Finally, no one is forcing you to use this free software, of course, and you’re always at liberty to switch to another audio enhancer; so here’s a list of alternatives (thanks to @Tarek_Hasan for sharing):

I hope this will be helpful; if you’re still experiencing problems after running through this list, then feel free to create a new thread. This is not one of those annoying and dehumanizing attempts at automating customer service; if you need assistance, just ask. And if you do, please make sure to mention which versions of FxSound and Windows you are running, as well as the brand and model names of the device(s) you’re having trouble with. :nerd_face:

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