The issue of Sound not working on a Windows computer can occur both on Laptops with built-in speakers and also on Desktop computers using Bluetooth and wired external speakers.
There could be various reasons for sound not working on your computer, ranging from the speaker being muted, the correct speaker not being selected as the Output device and other reasons.
No Sound or Audio Problems in Windows 11/10
If there is No Sound on your computer, you can find below the steps to troubleshoot and fix the problem of Sound Not Working in Windows 11.
1. Check Volume Mixer
Open the Volume mixer on your computer and make sure that the right speaker is selected and the volume of the speaker is not set to very low level or muted.
1. Right-click on the Sound Icon in the taskbar (bottom-right) and click on Open Volume Mixer.
2. On the next screen, use the Down-Arrow next to Output Device to select the right Speaker.
Also use the Blue Circle and move it to the right to Unmute the Speaker and increase its volume on your computer.
2. Troubleshoot Sound Problems
Windows 11 comes with a built-in Sound Troubleshooter that can be used to find and fix problems with the speaker on your computer.
1. Right-click on the Speaker Icon in the Taskbar and click on Troubleshoot Sound Problems option.
2. When prompted, enter your Admin Password
3. Wait for Windows to find and fix Sound problems on your computer.
3. Check Audio Output Device
Sometimes, the problem is due to Windows playing the sound through the wrong output device.
1. Right-click on the Speaker Icon in the Taskbar and click on Sound Settings option.
2. On the next screen, use the drop-down Arrow to select the right Speaker as the Output Device on your computer.
3. Update Audio/Sound Drivers
As mentioned above, the problem could be due to the Audio drivers not being updated.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Device Manager.
2. On Device Manager screen, expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers entry > right-click on the Audio Device and click on Update driver option.
3. On the next screen, click on Search Automatically For Driver Software option and follow the instructions to install driver software.
4. Restart Windows Audio Service
Sometimes, the problem is due to the Windows Audio Service getting stuck and this can easily fixed by restarting Windows Audio Service.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on the Run option.
2. Type services.msc in the Run Command window and click on OK.
3. On the Services screen, right-click on Windows Audio entry and select the Restart option.
4. Restart the Computer and see if the Headphones are now working on your computer.
5. Reinstall Audio Drivers
Reinstalling the Audio Drivers to rule out the problem being due to corrupted or improperly installed drivers.
1. Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. On Device Manager screen, expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers entry > right-click on the Audio device and click on Uninstall device option.
3. Next, click on Action tab in top-menu bar and select Scan for hardware changes option in the drop-down menu.
4. Restart your computer and it should automatically install the right drivers.