[WIN] "SoundID Reference has stopped working" crash

Hello. I've just fully deleted and then ReInstalled the SoundID Reference after crashing on Win 11.  I also saved my presets, but the new installed App does not see all my Custom Target presets. Even after moving back to th default folder… Could you please help me?

Cheers

Hi. Having followed this advice I'm now trying to run the installer but it doesnt do anything. Please advise

I just did everything exactly how described and now I cannot start the Sound ID installer exe? I am getting this error message popping up: 

ok it seems like you have to re-install the Microsoft Visuals pack yourself first before installing Sound ID again. I don't know why this is not shown in the instruction. However, I still get the error message “Sound ID Reference stopped working”…

Philipp Hagmann I've created a support ticket for you and we'll be in touch! 

@Nykyta Bogdanov  and Peter May It looks like we've addressed your inquiries in a support ticket already. 

Philipp Hagmann the Microsoft Visual Library C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64/x86) library will be automatically reinstalled as a part of the SoundID Reference installer package. I have added this clarification in the article above too, thanks for noting! 

I've uninstalled Sound ID Reference along with all instances of MS Visual C++ packages and tried to reinstall SoundID reference, without any luck. The installer starts, requests permission, then stops. The only thing that I've "achieved" is that all the other software installed on my computer, relying on those C++ libraries crashed too. Now I'll be searching for libraries and try to reinstall them one by one to be able to use my other software. And of course I'm still unable to run SoundID

Hi all, 

I wanted to inform you that we have released a Beta build with a fix for this issue. To try it out, please follow the instructions in these articles: 

1. [WIN] How to uninstall SoundID Reference
2. SoundID Reference Beta software releases

If everything goes as expected, the fix will be available in the upcoming release (TBD). We appreciate your feedback! 

I did everything and I'm still getting the same issue. when I try to click dismiss nothing happens so I'm stuck on this screen 

update I was able to bypass it and get it working again

Dominick Mills very glad to hear that, thanks for letting us know! 

I should clarify that this APO error message is a different issue (not the article subject above). If you're getting any further issues with APO, please see this article instead: [WIN] "APO can't be applied" error
 

STILL NOT WORKING!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!

I am having the same problem: SoundID crashing at startup. Followed all the instructions, but after reinstalling ALL the C++ redistributable libraries from 2005 up to 2025  (lot of work!!!), restart, reinstall…  I still have the problem SoundID crashes at start. Frustrating!!!!!! Please HELP !!!! It was ok last week.

And now I have some programs asking for the redistributable C++ libraries !!!!!!!!

It seems this process is not helping anyone.  I have submitted a ticket and these were the instructions given to me, which I have done twice to no avail.  Sonarworks keeps crashing immediately and will not load.  Has anyone found a fix for this?

Hello,

Any news on this from the team? I have the same issue and re-install is not working.

Hi, you have to delete all the configuration files. Even if you uninstall, the config files are left on the disc. You have to delete them manually and this resolved the problem. I was able to find this solution after the Sonrwork tech support contacted me and suggested a list of troubleshooting articles.

https://support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020091400-How-to-uninstall-SoundID-Reference#h_01K630211QBRB8VV8Y0D2J2D9E

I do not understand why Sonarwork Support Team keep not looking at the threads where users keep saying that the  problem is not resolved. They marked this one like RESOLVED, but users said: 6 out of 38 found this helpful

This means 32 customer are not happy !!! They paid for something that is not working as expected.

I have an UA Apollo that can run SoundID in the UA DSP: perect. Very stable. 

On an iMac, SoundID crashes continuously and I have to restart it two times a day. I gues the Sonarwork Support receive few crash log from me every week. Nothing happen. I was asked"Are you satisfied by the Sonarwork Support?" I exlained why i am not happy, but nothing happend after.

On PC based DAWs I have problems from time to time. (Windows 11).

The plugin version to be used in the DAW are stable: ProTools, Reaper, Logic Pro are ok, but you have to remember to disactivate it when you print files (bounce files).

Sound ID Reference running on GPU is more stable than on CPU in Windows 10 and 11.

Hope this information will help.

I do not know what is your config (op system, DAW, etc) but if you end up with this problem, the solution is to clean ALL and install it from scratch. The standard uninstaller do not clean all the files. If you use a “wise” uninstaller it may resolve the problem.

Follow instructions in the link:

https://support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020091400-How-to-uninstall-SoundID-Reference#h_01K630211QBRB8VV8Y0D2J2D9E

Why Sonarwork uninstaller do not clean completely the system? I do not know. They should look at this problem.

Bye.

Here is what the AI bot here answer to my question:
 

AI agent says:You're totally right—our standard uninstaller doesn't wipe out every single file. To fully clean out SoundID Reference, you need to manually delete leftover drivers, plugins, and user data folders. It's a bit like cleaning out your garage—sometimes you have to dig into the corners to get everything out.

Generated by AI

https://support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020091400-How-to-uninstall-SoundID-Reference?auth_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoiNjczMzcyIiwiYnJhbmRfaWQiOjM2MDAwMjI1ODAwMCwicHJlZGljdGlvbl9pZCI6IjAxS0pHRktSWU1ZUUpNUDFQMUc5WjUzRzNHIiwidmlhX2lkIjo3MCwiYXJ0aWNsZV9pZCI6IjM2MDAyMDA5MTQwMCIsInRva2VuX3R5cGUiOiJnZW5lcmF0aXZlX3JlcGx5X2FydGljbGVfY2xpY2siLCJsb2NhbGUiOiJlbi11cyIsImFydGljbGVfcmVjb21tZW5kYXRpb25fcmFuayI6MSwiZXhwIjoxNzc0ODE5MjU3fQ._0C98fJBBMB4Lj3_WvnNDuwUPgDKfNzyi-4KmrbjNCc&is_gr_tracking=true

Thats funny! He knows about this problem. 

Well, to clean the garage I normally pay an handyman. Should we pay someone from Sonarworks? May be the SoundID project manager ? LOL

Pietro Giunta we already have a direct support thread open for your case, and I see you you've now hit a separate, undocumented install error there too. I'm sure we'll get it resolved ,but in the meantime, on your comment above: I get why the "Resolved" label next to a 6/38 helpful rating looks contradictory, but a few things are worth clarifying:

• Low ratings on troubleshooting articles like this are common even when the fix works. Most users who downvote never come back to update their rating after support resolves their issue - whether that's days or months later. Many don't even contact support; they just downvote and move on, often because a step was missed on the first attemp (the article instructions turn out to be correct).
• There were actually two separate underlying issues here, both fixed via updates (one over a year ago, one more recently). We keep them in one article rather than splitting into near-identical ones, since that would confuse users more than it helps - but it does mean the vote count reflects the article's full history, not just the current fix. Now it seems there are is an additional issue here, and for the same of simplicity for everyone, we're keeping it all in the same article (our expeirence suggests that creating new entries with near identical titles/descriptions only cause confison for everyone involved).
• Some cases are caused by third-party components (drivers, plugins, etc.) rather than SoundID Reference itself, which can still read as "the article didn't work."

In other words, ther are multiple reasons why troubleshooting content of this kind tends to get permantenty downvoted, regardless of how well the instructions are written, or if actual fixes have been delivered, or the quality of direct support provided. None of this is to wave away the problem: we're still committed to getting it fully resolved. Thanks for your patience. If anyone else here is still stuck, please submit a support request and we'll jump on it.

Ok I see your point. It is marked “Resolved” and reports just: was useful or not to that particular issue. I got it. 

Still, I was left with this issue unresolved for years. I got used to restart the App SoundID when it crashes, (and it crashed frequently on my Mac, and three different DAWs with windows 10 and 11). I adapted.

Last week, I decided to fix this problem opening a new ticket. I was suggested to install a new version of SoundID. Reluctantly I did exactly the way it was suggested. Why reluctantly? Because I remembered the last time I updated… the procedure suggested was complicated. But I said to my self: give them a chance to demostrate that Sonrworks improved. I was impressed by the fact that meanwhile SoundID started been distributed as a DSP app integrated in Universal Audio Apollo hardware. Geat! I Bought it immediately. The PC version on Windows and Mac still crashed frequently, but the UA DSP app was stable.
In A nutshell: I tried to install the version SoundID Reference 5.13.3.157.exe  following carefully Sonarworks support instruction, step by step.

It result in days of frustrating manual procedure to remove the previous installation! A hart explant is easier. And I am an electronic engineer and I worked as a programmer back in time. So, I think the main point is still open: why any normal program can be easily uninstalled and your SoundID app require top level convolute rocket science? Can you please fix this problem this way: change the SoundID installation in a way that it will be uninstalled the standard way and installed again with no manual explant. Looking forward to seeing this. Now I will stop writing here. Bye.