“Failed to play test tone” error occurs when there is no sound on your computer but, you are trying to check if the audio device is working. 

It indicates that there is a problem between the sound device and Windows. Some underlying causes include the damaged Windows files, misconfigured sound settings, outdated audio drivers, etc. 

Having no sound on the system is quite annoying. Hence, users are recommended to resolve it, as it is an essential component for playing test tone. 

If you are also struggling with the same issue, this article is just for you. Here, you will know all the probable fixes to solve this issue immediately. 

How to Resolve “Failed To Play Test Tone Windows 10” Error?

In this solution part, we are going to provide some simple hacks to fix the error failed to play test tone on Windows 10. So, let’s have a look at the methods provided below.  

Before that, you should check the settings of the speaker. According to some users, after updating their OS to Windows 10, the settings of the speaker changed to Quadraphonic. 

So, if you are using the 5.1 speaker system, then open the speaker’s Settings and set them to 5.1 (if they are set in Quadraphonic).

Fix 1: Restart the Audio Service

Before going to perform any complicated solutions, you can perform a simple restart of the audio service. To do this, follow the steps mentioned below: 

1. Launch the Run box by pressing the R and Win key simultaneously. 
2. Type “services.msc” and tap on the OK button to proceed. Else, you can also press the Enter button from the keyboard. 
3. Once you enter the Services window, search for the Windows Audio service by scrolling down the list of options and select it. 
4. Afterward, on the upper pane of the toolbar, you will see the Restart option. So, click on it. 

Wait for a few seconds until the process completes. Exit from the Services window and hopefully, you will get the sound back. 

Some users report that this method helps them to solve “Windows 10 failed to play test tone” problem. But, this is a temporary solution, as they might face the same problem after a while. Hence, you can move on to the next solutions stated below. 

Fix 2: Deactivate All Enhancements

This is another easiest procedure to get rid of this annoying issue. Hence, try to disable all the enhancements by performing the steps as follows: 

1. Open the Control Panel by going to the Start menu. 
2. Now, go to the upper right pane of the screen and tap on the ‘View by’ option. 
3. Choose the ‘Small Icons’ or ‘Large Icons’ option whichever is more convenient for you. 
4. Now, search for the Sound option and click twice on it. 
5. Choose the Speakers and tap on the Properties option. 
6. Go to the Enhancements tab and click on the ‘Disable all enhancements and sound effects’ option. 
7. At last, tap on the “Apply” button and then “OK” button to save the changed settings. 

Now, you will see that the sound is back to normal and you could play the test tone. If it is not, perform another solution stated in this post. 

Fix 3: Remove KB974571 Update 

KB974571 update has been considered as one of the major reasons for causing the ‘failed to play test tone’ error. You can easily solve this by deleting the KB974571 update from the system. 

How to Delete KB974571 Update? 

• First of all, perform the first 3 steps from the previous solution. 
• Afterward, navigate to the ‘Programs and Features’ category. 
• From this window, you will see the ‘View installed updates’ option at the upper left pane of the screen. Click on it. 
• Now, search for the KB974571 update option and tap on it. 
• Next, choose the Uninstall option from the list to delete the update. 

You need to make sure that you have saved the current work, as Windows prompt to restart the computer before the removal process completes. 

Once the computer starts up, you should check if the issue is sorted. Else, you should install the Audio Device Driver having a high definition. 

Fix 4: Install the High Definition Audio Device Driver

High Definition Audio Device driver can be installed to get rid of this error. To try this solution, have a look at the steps mentioned below: 

1. First and foremost, open the Device Manager by going to the Start menu and typing “Device Manager” in the search bar. 
2. Now, you can click on the drop-down button of ‘Sounds, video and game controllers’ option to expand the list. Then, choose the audio driver that you are using currently. 
3. Tap on the ‘Update Driver Software’ option by going to the Action tab. 
4. Click on the ‘Browse my computer for driver software’ option by going to the ‘Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer’ section. 
5. Choose the ‘High Definition Audio Device’ option from the list. Then, tap on the Next button. 
6. Afterward, Windows will prompt the ‘User Account Control Panel’ option. Click on the Yes button from the pop-up box. 

If you see that the driver is not available there, then you can visit the official website of the manufacturer and download the latest version of the sound card.  

Wrapping Up

That’s all. Now, you can fix the Failed to play test tone error by following the above solutions. If none of the fixes work for you, try to update Windows 10 or restore the system to a previous point.  

But, if you face any kind of problem or have any queries regarding this audio error, feel free to ask them in the comment box given at the end of this post.