The Sound Recorder is an audio recording program included in most versions of Windows operating systems. It is an app that is used for recording sounds, conversations, and lectures. However, if you use an alternative sound recorder and you don’t need to use Windows Sound Recorder anymore. Rather than deleting the app from the system, you can temporarily disable it for one or all the users. In this article, we will show you the methods through which you can disable the Sound Recorder on your system.

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Sound Recorder in Windows

The setting for disabling Sound Recorder can be found in the Local Group Policy Editor. However, the Local Group Policy Editor isn’t available in the Windows Home Editions. Therefore, we have also included the Registry Editor method, which will work the same.

Disabling Sound Recorder through the Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy Editor is used to configure many important settings of the operating system. The administrator can use and modify specific settings for computers or specific users. For Sound Recorder, there is a specific policy setting named “Do not allow Sound Recorder to run” in the Group Policy. By enabling this, you can restrict the access of the Sound Recorder.

Note : If you are using the Windows Home operating system, then skip this method and try to use the Registry Editor method.

  1. Press the Windows + R keys combination on your keyboard to open a Run dialog. Type “ gpedit.msc ” in the dialog and press the Enter key to open the Local Group Policy Editor . Opening Local Group Policy Editor
  2. In the Local Group Policy Editor window, navigate to this path: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Sound Recorder\ Navigating to the setting in GPO
  3. Double-click on the setting named “ Do not allow Sound Recorder to run ” and it will open up in another window. Change the toggle option from Not Configured to Enabled and click on Apply/Ok button to save changes. Enabling the setting
  4. This will prevent the users from using the Sound Recorder on Windows operating system.
  5. To enable the Sound Recorder back, simply change the toggle option in steps 3 to Not Configured or Disabled .

Disabling Sound Recorder through the Registry Editor

The registry is a central hierarchical database that stores information, which is necessary to configure the system. It allows users to create, manipulate, rename, or delete subkeys, keys, values, and value data. We always recommend the users to back up the Registry before making any changes in any path. However, by following the below steps correctly, there will be nothing to worry about.

The value can be added for both the Current User (HKEY_CURRENT_USER) and All Users (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE). The path will be the same for both but the hive will be different.

  1. Press the Windows + R keys combination on your keyboard to open a Run dialog. Now type “ regedit ” and press the Enter key. It will open up Registry Editor and also choose the Yes option for UAC (User Account Control) prompt dialog. Opening the Registry Editor
  2. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SoundRecorder
  3. If the SoundRecorder key is missing, simply create it by right-clicking on the Microsoft key and choosing the New > Key option. Then name the key as SoundRecorder . Creating Sound Recorder key
  4. Right-click on the right pane of the SoundRecorder key and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value . Name this newly created value as “ Soundrec “. Creating a new DWORD value
  5. Double-click on the Soundrec value and change the value data to 1 . Changing the value data
  6. Finally, make sure to restart your computer to let this value work.
  7. To enable it back, you need to change the value data back to 0 or need to delete the Soundrec value from Registry Editor.

How to Fix “Printer is in an error state” Issue?

The “ Cannot change fingerprint or PIN ” problem in Windows 11 happens when the options to change these settings are greyed out in Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options. Even if you are the administrator, you can’t update your Windows Hello credentials. You might also see a message like “ This option is temporarily unavailable. ”

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Can’t disable PIN or Fingerprint on Windows 11

This usually happens because Windows Hello’s stored data (in the Ngc folder) is damaged or not in sync. Other reasons include security rules set by your workplace or school, connected work accounts, or restrictions set in the registry or group policy.

Now that you’re aware of the potential causes, let’s go through some steps that have helped other users fix or work around this problem:

1. Change the PIN or Fingerprint the Conventional Way

If your goal is to remove the fingerprint or PIN without setting up another sign-in method, please note that this is not possible on Windows 11.

Windows 11 requires you to have at least one Sign-in option enabled. The Remove button will remain grayed out if you only have one active sign-in method.

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Can’t disable PIN or Fingerprint on Windows 11

For example, the Remove button for your PIN will stay unavailable until you add a different sign-in option (like Facial Recognition, Fingerprint, or a Security Key).

If you want to stop using your PIN or Fingerprint, you’ll need to set up an additional way to sign in.

Below are step-by-step instructions to set up a new sign-in option and then remove your current one:

  1. Press Windows key + I to open the Settings menu in Windows 11.
  2. Inside the Settings menu, click on Accounts from the vertical menu on the left. Accessing the Accounts menu Note: If the left menu is hidden by default, click the menu button (top-left corner) to reveal it.
  3. Once in the Accounts menu, move to the right-hand section of the screen and select Sign-in options. Accessing the Sign In Options menu
  4. Now, choose which sign-in method you’d like to set as a fallback. Sign-in Options Note: Your available options depend on your device. If your PC doesn’t support facial recognition or you don’t have a security key, you can switch between PIN and fingerprint.
  5. After you pick your new sign-in method, follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.
  6. Once your second sign-in option is set, you’ll be able to click the Remove button to get rid of your previous sign-in method. You can also choose Change PIN or Change Fingerprint to update, rather than remove, your sign-in credentials. Modify the current PIN or remove one of the configured sign-in options

2. Remove PIN or Fingerprint Requirement by Using a Local Account

If you want to completely remove all sign-in options like PIN or Fingerprint, you will have to switch to a local account .

We generally don’t recommend this unless you really need to, as it can limit the functionality of some built-in Windows features (like Windows Update and the Microsoft Store).

If you still want to remove your PIN or Fingerprint sign-in, you’ll need to set up a local account with a password instead. Keep in mind, this means you’ll need to stop using your Microsoft account on your PC.

Important: This method isn’t available if you’re enrolled in the Windows Insider program.

To change from a Microsoft account with PIN or fingerprint to a local password, follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings menu in Windows 11.
  2. In the Settings menu, click on Accounts from the menu on the left. Accessing the Accounts menu Note: If you don’t see the left menu, click the menu icon (top-left corner).
  3. Inside Accounts , click on Family & other users on the right-hand side. Accessing the Family and other users tab
  4. In the Family & other users tab, check for any accounts listed under Other users. If you find any, remove them before moving on.
  5. Next, return to the main Accounts menu and click on Your info on the right. Accessing the Your Info tab
  6. Scroll down to Account Settings and click on Sign in with a local account instead . Sign in with a local account instead
  7. On the next screen, click Next .
  8. When prompted, enter your current PIN or use your fingerprint as requested. Inserting the PIN
  9. Then, you’ll be asked to create a username and password for your new local account, along with a password hint in case you forget. Configure the local account
  10. Finally, click Sign out and finish to complete the switch.