Audacity is a popular audio-editor program for Windows users. The app can edit, record, and produce music. However, many users find it difficult to listen to their music recordings on the app due to an unanticipated host error. If you are wondering how do I fix error code 9999, there is not much to worry about. In this guide, we will discuss all the possible reasons and methods to fix this issue.
How to Fix the Audacity Error Code 9999 in Windows 10
Here, you will get to know about the solutions for Audacity error code -9999 unanticipated host error on Windows 10 PC.
Quick Answer
Follow the below steps to fix this Audacity 9999 error:
1. Press Window + I keys to open Settings.
2. Choose System > Sound.
3. Under Related Settingsclick on Sound Control Panel.
4. Now, go to the Recording tab.
5. Select Microphoneand then click on Set Default.
6. Finally, click on Apply > OK.
Reasons for Audacity Error Code 9999 Unanticipated Host Error
There are multiple reasons why this error code appears while playing Audacity recordings on your Windows 10 computers. Some of the reasons are mentioned here.
- Glitch with the Audacity application
- Improper loading of the application
- Interference with background applications.
- Disabled microphone access
- Outdated or corrupt microphone driver
- Interference with third-party antivirus program
- Outdated Audacity app version
Below, we will discuss methods to figure out how do I fix error code 9999 in the Audacity application.
Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods
Generally, error code 9999 is not caused by any major problem on your computer, and a few simple basic methods can help you fix the issue. The following are some of the basic troubleshooting methods to fix this issue.
1A. Record Audio Again
The Audacity error code -9999 unanticipated host error mostly appears when a user tries to play a recording on the Audacity application. If this is the case with you, you can try to delete the current recording and start over. Sometimes, simply recording the audio again will resolve this issue.
1B. Restart Audacity
If the issue remains, it can be caused by improper loading of the application on your computer. Again, this is not an issue to worry about, and you can fix it by simply restarting the Audacity application on your computer. You can simply close the Audacity app and then relaunch it after a couple of minutes.
1C. Close Similar Background Applications
If you are running similar recording applications or other applications that may require a microphone in the background, it can interfere with the Audacity processes and cause the microphone to malfunction. It is a good idea to end all the other background processes on your computer before you start recording on the Audacity application to avoid issues like error code 9999. You can read our guide on How to End Task in Windows 10 to know all the steps to close the background applications.
1D. Perform Clean Boot
If the previous troubleshooting methods did not help and you still don’t know how do I fix error 9999 in Audacity, you can try performing a clean boot of Windows on your device. This method will help you erase all the bugs and corrupt files on your computer that may be causing Audacity to fail. You can check out the How to Perform Clean boot in Windows 10 to safely perform the clean boot of your device.
Method 2: Enable Microphone Access
Sometimes, the issue can be a little bit more complicated, and you may need to make changes to the system settings to fix it. If you haven’t enabled microphone access on your Windows 10 computer, you will not be able to use the recording feature in the Audacity application. Therefore, try enabling microphone access on your computer to fix this issue.
1. Press Windows + I keys together to open Settings and go to Privacy.
2. From the left-side panel, navigate to Microphone.
3. Here, locate Allow access to the microphone on this device and click Change.
4. Now, turn on the toggle for Microphone access for this device.
5. Finally, reboot the PC.
Method 3: Set Microphone as Default Device
If enabling microphone access does not help and the issue remains, you can try to set the microphone as the default audio device on your computer. This will make your microphone the default output audio device and will fix the error code 9999.
1. Press the Window + I keys together to open Settings and go to System.
2. From the left-side panel, navigate to the Sound tab.
3. Under Related Settings, click on Sound Control Panel.
4. Now, navigate to the Recording tab.
5. Locate and select Microphoneand then click on Set Default.
6. Finally, click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.
Method 4: Run Recording Audio Troubleshooter
Recording Audio Troubleshooter is a Windows utility that helps you diagnose and resolve recording issues on your Windows computer. You can access this utility from the Control Panel. Since Audacity error code 9999 is a recording issue, you should try running this troubleshooter to fix the issue.
1. Open the Control Panel from the start menu.
2. Now, from the View by drop-down, select Large icons.
3. Scroll down and select Troubleshooting.
4. Now, select Hardware and Sound.
5. Here, select Recording Audio.
6. Finally, click Next to start the troubleshooting process.
Method 5: Update Microphone Driver
One of the most common reasons for this error with the Audacity application is an outdated microphone driver on your computer. An outdated driver can cause various issues with your computer and programs, and can even cause this Audacity error. Therefore, try updating the microphone driver on your computer. Follow our guide on How to Update Realtek HD Audio Drivers in Windows 10 to perform the steps to update the driver on your computer.
Method 6: Reinstall Microphone Driver
If updating the microphone driver does not fix the problem, you can try to reinstall the driver to resolve the error code 9999. You can check out the How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers on Windows 10 guide to safely reinstall the driver on your computer.
Method 7: Disable Third-Party Antivirus
If you are using a third-party antivirus program on your computer to protect yourself against internet threats, you can try disabling it for a while to resolve the error code 9999 issue with the Audacity application. Sometimes, when an antivirus wrongly flags a process as a threat, it can block it. In this case, disabling the antivirus will resolve this issue. You can check out the How to Disable Antivirus Temporarily on Windows 10 guide to resolve this issue.
Method 8: Install Latest Audacity Update
If you are using an old version of the Audacity program on your computer, you should consider installing the latest version of the application to avoid all the app issues. You can directly install the latest version of the app from the official website or install updates from the Microsoft Store.
1. Open the Microsoft Store from the start menu.
2. Here, click on Library from the bottom-left side of the screen.
3. Finally, click on Get Updates to install all the available updates.
Method 9: Reinstall Audacity
If none of the previous methods helps and the issue remains with the Audacity application, you can try reinstalling it on your computer.
1. Press Windows + I keys simultaneously to open Settings and go to Apps.
2. Here, locate and select the Audacity app, then click Uninstall.
3. Click Uninstall again to confirm the action.
4. Open the web browser and visit the official Audacity Download page.
5. Here, click the Download for Windows link.
6. Open the downloaded setup and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.
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We hope this guide was helpful to you and you were able to figure out how to fix the audacity error code 9999 in Windows 10. Let us know which method worked for you. If you have any suggestions or queries for us, please let us know in the comment section.