In Windows 10, Google Chrome keeps muting itself in volume mixer

Question

I'm on Windows 10 and just recently I've noticed that Google Chrome starts off muted in the volume mixer and needs to be manually un-mute. When left alone for a while, Chrome automatically mutes itself again.

Here is how it looks in the Volume Mixer:

I have uninstalled and re-installed Google Chrome and it did not fix this issue. All solutions of this issue on the internet say that I need to do something with Google Toolbox, which I don't even have installed.

How can I fix this?

Solution

This is a known issue with several workarounds :
Issue 95435 - Chrome automatically mutes itself in Windows repeatedly.

I list the workarounds that worked for some (but never for all) :

• Disabling and re-enabling the Google Toolbox extension
• Uninstalling the extension Fast Free Converter
• In chrome://plugins/, disable C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\NPSWF32_11_9_900_117.dll and enable the one on C:\C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\
• Deleting the file NPSWF32_11_9_900_117.dll
• Uninstall GigaClick Clawer via Control Panel -> Programs and Features.

There seem to be many causes for this problem. If none of the above solutions apply to your case, you might check if an extension is responsible, by starting Chrome in Incognito Mode or Safe Mode. If this solves the problem, disable/enable extensions one by one until you find the one.

Comments

[SDsolar]

Looks to me that the problem isn't Google Chrome - it is Windows 10 muting all but the two it thinks that are part of the O/S. I think you have found a bug. Have you tried Opera or IE to see if they act the same? Look to the right side of this screen. Apparently you are not alone. That are not all Win10, either. Maybe it really is a Chrome bug. But try some of the others and see how they act. This has never happened to me on my Win7 or Win8 machines.

[SDsolar]

This article says Micro$oft is trying to discourage Chrome entirely: arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/windows-10-s-edge-bing-defau‌​lt

[Michael Levy]

Oh my, this makes me nuts. And today, had more volume slider than fit in the window, and I didn't realize that I had to scroll window to see the mixer sliders that were invisible to the right. Even though I know to look for this issue, I didn't notice the scrollbar and it took me ten minutes to get some youtube audio to play.

[Michael Levy]

Here is some information, but my Chrome is already set to allow sites to play sound - howtogeek.com/324568/…

[Michael Levy]

what is this suggestion based on? All audio works fine.

[harrymc]

@MichaelLevy: Do not change drivers if you don't absolutely have to.

[Michael Levy]

@harrymc - Agreed. I wasn't planning on it since everything works fine.

[Michael Levy]

Hmm. I cleaned up all my chrome extensions. I didn't have any of the culprits named in this list, but removed any that I no longer used audio or seemed audio related.I thought it was fixed, but then the problem occurred again. In my case I think I may be able to correlate the issue to my behavior. I think the problem occurs after I unplug USB headphones. I'll double check. But I think Chrome is doing me the favor of muting itself when headphones are removed so my speakers don't blast. But, I do plug in and remove my headset many times a day as I switch between speakers and headphones.

[harrymc]

Do the headphones unmute if plugged in again? And have you tried Chrome in Incognito Mode?

[maoizm]

I think this answer negatively impacts the mission of superuser.com to collect and distribute knowledge

[Michael Levy]

Thanks for your help. I spent some time this morning trying to figure out a repeatable pattern to make my mute tab problem occur, but with no luck. It still occurs, but not as often as before. Perhaps Windows 10 version 1803 update changed things (Audio options are now integrated into win10 settings?). Perhaps cleaning out old Chrome extension changed things. I don't know. If I'm able to figure out how and when this mute tab issue occurs, I'll post a new question and update here.

[Zach Smith]

This almost seems like a devious attempt at pushing the Edge browser. It took me a while to find the solution... Usually I just opened Edge for convenience sake. I asked another question so that the solution is easier to find: superuser.com/questions/1515398/…