Enabling Audio Output on Windows VPS

This document will walk you through the steps for enabling audio output from your Windows VPS once you are logged into the VPS via remote desktop.

For Windows Server 2012

1. Open the Start screen, click Administrative Tools and select the Services shortcut (see Screen 1).

(Screen 1)

2. Double click the Windows Audio service and set its Startup Type to Automatic (see Screen 2). Repeat this process for the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service.

(Screen 2)

NOTE: To use audio immediately, click the Start button in the Properties window of both services in addition to changing the Startup type.

3. Start RDP on your client machine. Click the Options button, navigate to the Local Resources tab and be sure the Remote Computer Sound is set to ‘Bring to this Computer’ (see Screen 3).

(Screen 3)

4. Reconnect to your VPS and audio output from the remote server should now be active on your local machine.

For Windows Server 2008R2/2008 Standard/2003

The steps for earlier versions of Windows Server are the same through Step 3:

1. Click the Start button, select Run from the menu and run the command services.msc.
2. Scroll through the list of services and right-click Windows Audio. Select Start to enable the Windows Audio service and begin the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service (see Screen 4).

(Screen 4)

3. Right-click Windows Audio again and select Windows Audio Properties from the menu. Click the General tab and set the Startup type to Automatic. Do this for both services (see Screen 5).

(Screen 5)

4. Reconnect to your VPS and audio output from the remote server should now be active on your local machine.

If the above steps fail to enable audio redirection then you may need to manually enable this via the Group Policy Editor:

• Open the Group Policy Editor (Shortcut – WIN + R)
• Enter ‘gpedit.msc’ then click ‘OK’
• Expand – Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Service > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device Resource Redirection
• Double click on ‘Allow audio and video playback redirection’ and set to ‘Enabled’
• Click ‘OK’
• Log out of the server and then log back in

For Windows Server 2003, 2008 Standard Only

1. Click the Start button. Select Administrative Tools / Terminal Services / Terminal Services Configuration.
2. In the Terminal Services Configuration window, right-click the RDP-TCP connection and select Properties.
3. Select the Client Settings tab, untick the Audio box in the Redirection settings, click Apply and then OK (see Screen 6). You will see a notification that the new settings won’t apply to the current session.

(Screen 6)

For Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Only

1. Click the Start button. Select Administrative Tools / Remote Desktop Services / Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration (see Screen 7).

(Screen 7)

2. In the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration window, right-click the RDP-TCP connection and select Properties.

3. Select the Client Settings tab, untick the Audio and video playback box in the Redirection settings, click Apply and then OK (see Screen 8). You will see a notification that the new settings won’t apply to the current session. Close the Configuration window and logoff your VPS.

(Screen 8)

For Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Only

1. Select the Client Settings tab, untick the Audio and video playback box in the Redirection settings, click Apply and then OK (see Screen 8). You will see a notification that the new settings won’t apply to the current session. Close the Configuration window and logoff your VPS.

(Screen 9)

2. Reconnect to your VPS and audio output from the remote server should now be active on your local machine.