Window Audio Troubleshooting

Uninstall QuickTime

If QuickTime is still taking over your browser, you might just prefer to uninstall QuickTime from your Windows computer. To do that, go to the Control Panel, choose Add/Remove programs, and uninstall QuickTime from your system.

Minimize Windows Media Player

Although the Windows Media Player is never as compact as the RealPlayer, you can minimize Windows Media Player so that you can listen to audio and view a webpage at the same time. Just click on the "Minimize" icon which is found in the lower bar of the media player (shown here with a red arrow):

After you click on the "Minimize" icon, you will see a much smaller version of the Media Player:

Configuring Internet Explorer

If you are using Internet Explorer as your browser, you can choose to activate or deactivate the various audio players that the browser uses as defaults. From the Tools menu, choose Internet Options, and then click on the Programs tab, and click the Manage Add-Ons button. This will show a list of all the add-on programs that Internet Explorer can activate. Find the program that is causing you trouble (QuickTime, for example), and then click on that program in the list to highlight it. Then click the "Disable" option. You might also check to make sure that RealPlayer appears in the list, and that it is enabled! You will then need to click OK. Make sure you then close all your open browser windows. Then open up a brand-new browser window, and check to see if the change has taken effect. Ideally, the program you disabled will not play, and instead you will be able to hear the audio played by RealPlayer.

If you are using Firefox...

Firefox is notoriously cranky when it comes to RealPlayer. You can find detailed information about Real Player and Firefox at this mozilla-supported website.