No sound on Windows: how to fix it

Your Windows PC is on, but nothing comes out of the speakers or headphones. Work through the quickest checks first, then the output device, audio settings and drivers.

Before you start

Most "no sound" problems come from the wrong device being selected, a muted volume or a loose cable. A broken speaker is much less common. The checks below take about 12 minutes in total, and none of them delete anything. Stop as soon as you hear sound.

Play something with sound first, such as a video in your browser, so you can tell when it works.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check volume, mute and cables

This takes about 2 minutes.

1. Select the speaker icon at the right end of the taskbar. If it shows a line through it, select it to unmute, then drag the slider up.
2. Check the volume in the app you are using. A video player or browser tab can be muted on its own.
3. Look at your speakers or headphones. Make sure they are switched on, their own volume dial is up and any mute button is off.
4. Push the audio cable in firmly. On a desktop PC, speakers normally plug into the green jack. Laptops often have one combined headphone jack.
5. Restart your PC. Choose Start, then Power, then Restart. Sleep is not a restart.

Fix 2: Choose the right output device

Windows can send sound to the screen's speakers, a Bluetooth device or a headset you forgot was connected. This is the most common cause. It takes about 3 minutes.

1. Open Settings then System then Sound.
2. On Windows 11, look at the list of devices under Output. On Windows 10, open the drop-down box under Choose your output device. Select the one you want to hear, such as your speakers or headphones.
3. Check that the volume slider is up and the device is not muted.
4. Play your test sound again. If you still hear nothing, select a different device in the list and try again.

On Windows 11, you can also select More sound settings, open the Playback tab, right-click your device and select Set as default. On Windows 10, select Sound Control Panel under Related settings, then on the Playback tab select your device and choose Set Default.

Fix 3: Run the audio troubleshooter

This takes about 3 minutes. It checks for common problems and applies fixes for you.

1. On Windows 11, open Settings then System then Troubleshoot then Other troubleshooters. In the Audio section, select Run.
2. On Windows 10, open Settings then Update & Security then Troubleshoot. Under Find and fix problems, select Playing audio, then Run the troubleshooter. If you do not see it, select Additional troubleshooters first.
3. Apply any fix it offers, then test your sound again.

Microsoft also offers an audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Menu names can change between releases.

Fix 4: Turn off audio enhancements

Audio enhancements are sound effects added by Windows or your PC's maker. A faulty one can silence everything. This takes about 2 minutes.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings then System then Sound.
2. Under Output, select your device.
3. Under Advanced settings, set Audio enhancements to Off.

On Windows 10

1. Open Settings then System then Sound and select Sound Control Panel under Related settings. On the Playback tab, right-click your default device and choose Properties.
2. On the Enhancements tab, select Disable all enhancements, then select OK. If there is no Enhancements tab, select Advanced and turn off any audio effects listed.

Fix 5: Restart the audio services

Windows plays sound through background programs called services. If they stop, sound stops. This takes about 3 minutes.

1. Select the search box on the taskbar, type Services, and open the Services app. If Windows asks for permission, select Yes.
2. Find Windows Audio in the list. Right-click it and select Restart. If Restart is unavailable, select Start.
3. Do the same for Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
4. Check that the Status column shows Running for both. Then test your sound again.

Fix 6: Install updates and reinstall the audio driver

A driver is the small program that lets Windows talk to the sound hardware. Problems often start after a Windows update. This takes about 10 minutes.

1. Install any waiting updates. On Windows 11, open Settings then Windows Update and select Check for updates. On Windows 10, open Settings then Update & Security then Windows Update. Restart if asked. If an update will not finish, see Windows Update stuck or failing.
2. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
3. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
4. Right-click your audio device and select Uninstall device. If you see a box to remove the driver software, leave it unticked for now.
5. Restart the PC. Windows normally finds the device again and installs a driver by itself.

If the device does not come back, open Device Manager, right-click Sound, video and game controllers and select Scan for hardware changes. For more help with this tool, see how to fix driver problems in Device Manager.

If it still does not work

• Try a different pair of headphones or speakers, or plug your speakers into another device. This shows whether the fault is the PC or the speakers.
• If only one app is silent, check that app's own sound settings. If only one side is silent, see headphones not detected or silent on one side.
• For Bluetooth headphones, see Bluetooth headphones: one side or low volume.
• If sound failed right after an update, open Device Manager, right-click your audio device, choose Properties and look for Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab. It is greyed out when there is nothing to go back to.
• Use the support page on your PC maker's website for your model. It lists the right audio driver and known problems.

Frequently asked questions