This script automatically restarts the Elgato Audio Control service by locating its running process, terminating it safely, and then relaunching the executable. It is designed as a quick fix for situations where the Elgato audio service hangs, becomes unresponsive, or fails to initialize devices properly.
- Detects the Elgato Audio Control process automatically
- Safely terminates all matching process instances
- Restarts the application without requiring a system reboot
- Provides clear status output throughout the restart process
- Searches running processes for any that contain
elgatoaudioin the name - Terminates the matching processes cleanly
- Waits briefly to ensure shutdown is complete
- Restarts the Elgato Audio Control executable
- Windows OS
- Python 3.9 or later
- Psutil (Install)
Run the script:
python ElgatoAudioRestart.py- How to identify and manage system processes programmatically using
psutil - How to safely terminate processes while handling exceptions such as access denial or missing processes
- How to automate repetitive system troubleshooting tasks to save time and improve workflow reliability
- How to launch external applications from Python using
subprocess.Popen - The importance of adding delays and checks to ensure smooth process shutdown and restart behavior
This small script taught me how to think about system behavior, not just code behavior — a key concept in systems scripting and automation.
- Add validation and fallback handling to detect if the restart fails and re-attempt it
- Log each restart action to a file for tracking reliability over time
- Add an optional system tray or notification message when the restart is complete
- Convert script to a .exe to allow non-technical users to run it easily
- Add OS safety checks to prevent accidental killing of critical processes
- On Hiatus While I work on my other Scripts