FIX: Sounds Playback Menu Pops UP on Windows 10
A few Windows 10 users from around the globe have reported an issue where the Sound playback and recording device menu pops up every single time they log in. This problem can be quite irritating, as no one wants an unnecessary menu to open up every time they log into their computer. This issue, in almost all cases, is caused by a service or a startup item that is configured to start as soon as you log in. As soon as the culprit service or startup item starts, the Sound playback and recording device menu appears.
Fortunately for you, this issue can be fixed by putting your Windows 10 computer through a clean boot multiple times to identify the culprit, then disabling it. However, resolving this problem may require substantial effort on your part. To resolve this issue, you first need to determine whether a service or a startup item is the cause. Subsequently, identify which service or startup item is creating the problem so you can disable it.
To determine whether a service is the cause of the problem.
Open the Start Menu, type ‘msconfig’ in the search bar, and then open the search result titled ‘msconfig’.
Navigate to the Startup tab and click on ‘Open Task Manager’. In the Task Manager window, navigate to the Startup tab. Individually click on all of the items in the list, then click on ‘Disable’. Once done, close the Task Manager.
Click on OK in the System Configuration window and restart your computer. If the Sound playback and recording device menu pops up when you log into your account after your computer boots up, the culprit behind the problem is not a startup item but a service that starts running on system startup.
To determine if the cause of the problem is a startup item:
Open the Start Menu, search for msconfig and then open the search result titled msconfig.
Navigate to the Services tab, ensure that the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ option is enabled and has a checkmark beside it, then click on ‘Disable All’.
Click on OK and restart your computer when prompted to do so.
When your computer boots up, log into your user account to see if the Sound playback and recording device menu pops up. If the menu pops up, the culprit is not a service that runs on startup and is a startup item instead.
If you have determined that the cause of the problem is a service:
Open the Start Menu, search for msconfig and then open the search result titled msconfig.
Navigate to the ‘Services’ tab, ensure that the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ option is enabled, and verify that it has a checkmark beside it. Then click on ‘Disable All’.
Enable any one service of your choice, click on OK, and then restart your computer.
If the Sound menu does not pop up when you login after your computer boots up, the service you enabled is not the culprit behind the problem.
Keep on repeating Steps 2 and 3, each time disabling all the services and then enabling a different one than the one you enabled before.
Keep on doing so until you finally restart your computer with the culprit service enabled – the service that, after you restart your computer, causes the Sound menu to pop up upon sign-in.
If you have determined that the cause of the problem is a startup item:
Open the Start Menu, search for msconfig and then open the search result titled msconfig.
Navigate to the Startup tab, then click on Open Task Manager. In the Task Manager window, return to the Startup tab. Individually select each item in the list and then click on ‘Disable’.
Enable any one item on the list and then close the Task Manager. In the System Configuration window, click on OK and then restart your computer.
If the Sound menu does not pop up when you login after your computer boots up, the startup item you enabled is not what is causing the problem.
Keep on repeating Steps 2, 3 and 4, each time disabling all the startup items on the list and then enabling a different one than the one you enabled before.
Keep on doing this until you restart your computer with the problematic startup item enabled. This is the startup item that causes the Sound menu to pop up upon sign-in.
Once you have determined which startup item or service is causing the Sound menu to pop up upon login, all you have to do is enable all disabled services/startup items except for the culprit. Then, click on Apply, click on OK, and restart your computer. Since the culprit service or startup item will no longer start when you log in, you will no longer see the Sound menu upon signing in.
