No sound in Windows

Windows 8, Windows RT
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Introduction
Step 1: Check hardware
Step 2: Use a troubleshooter
Step 3: Update drivers

Introduction

This tutorial can help you identify and fix common sound problems in Windows, including no sound coming from your speakers or headphones. This tutorial doesn't cover sound problems related to specific programs. Sound problems can be caused by cables that aren't connected properly, damaged drivers, incompatible drivers, sound settings, missing updates, and problems with your sound card.

How to use this tutorial

For best results, complete each step before moving on to the next one. Check for sound after each step before going to the next step.

Step 1: Check hardware

Many sound problems are caused by hardware that isn't set up properly. This step covers checking your sound card, plugging cables into the correct locations, making sure the hardware has power, and checking the volume.

Top of page

1. Check your sound card

Check to make sure your PC has a sound card, or sound processor, and it's working properly.

  1. Open Device Manager by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering Device Manager in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Device Manager. Administrator permission required You might be asked for an admin password or to verify your choice.

  2. Double-tap or double-click Sound, video and game controllers to expand that category. If a sound card is listed, you have one installed. If no sound card is listed, check the info that came with your PC to see if there's supposed to be a sound card installed. If there should be a sound card installed, you'll need to install one according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Notes

    Notes

    • If you think you have a sound card installed but you don't see it under the Sound, video and game controllers category, expand the Other devices category and check the devices listed there.

    • Laptops and tablets don't usually have sound cards. Instead, they have integrated sound processors, which appear in the same category in Device Manager.

If there's a yellow question mark next to the name of the sound card in Device Manager, there might be a problem.

  1. Press and hold or right-click the name of the sound card, and then tap or click Properties.

  2. Tap or click the General tab, and then look in the Device status box to identify problems with the sound card.

    If there's a problem, you might need a new driver for your sound card. For more information, see Step 3: Update drivers.

Top of page

2. Check if the cables are connected properly

Show all

Speakers and headphones

If you're using external speakers, make sure that they are correctly connected to your PC.

Many PCs have three or more jacks that connect to a sound card or sound processor, including a microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jack. Your speakers should be plugged in to the line-out jack. If you're not sure which jack this is, try plugging your speakers in to each of the jacks to see if any of them produce sound.

Picture of microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jackMicrophone, line-in, and line-out jacks on a typical PC

If you're using headphones, make sure they aren't plugged into the line out (headphone) jack of your sound card or PC (unless you want to be listening with headphones rather than speakers). When you plug in headphones, most PCs automatically cut the sound to the speakers.

HDMI cables

If you’re using an HDMI cable to connect your PC to a monitor with speakers that supports HDMI, you might not be able to hear sound. HDMI cables support audio signals, but not all HDMI enabled video cards support audio. You might also need to set the HDMI audio device as the default. To check to see if sound is supported over HDMI follow these steps:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.) Enter Sound in the search box, and tap or click Settings, and then tap or click Sound.

  2. Tap or click the Playback tab and look for an HDMI device; this will appear as a speaker icon and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have an HDMI device, tap or click the device, tap or click Set Default, and then tap or click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your PC.

If you don't have an HDMI audio device, your HDMI monitor should have an audio input, and you might need to connect a separate audio cable from your PC sound card directly to the monitor. If the monitor doesn't have speakers, you'll need to connect the audio signal to a different device, such as external PC speakers or your home stereo system.

Some video cards with HDMI output require you to connect a wire from your video card to the sound device, this usually requires a small wire connection inside your PC from the video card to the sound card. Check the manual that came with your video card for instructions on how this should be done.

If you just installed a new video card it's possible that the video card driver installation app set your video card as the default audio device. In this case, you'll need to set your preferred video card as the default audio device to fix the problem. See the earlier instructions for help setting the default audio device.

USB audio devices

If you’re using a USB audio device and also have an internal audio device installed, try these basic troubleshooting steps:

  • Unplug the USB audio device and restart your audio app. Test for sound using the internal audio device. If you hear sound, there might be problems with the USB audio driver or with Windows not using the USB audio device as the default audio device.

  • Close all audio appss, unplug the USB audio device, wait for the USB driver to be uninstalled (this should happen fairly quickly), plug the USB audio device back in to the USB port, wait for the driver to load, and then start the audio app and check for sound.

  • Check that you have the correct audio device set as the default in Windows and in the app.

  • Check the audio device manufacturer’s website for updated drivers.

Multiple audio devices

Some PCs might have multiple audio devices. An example would be if you bought a new PC and during the purchase, you upgraded to a different video card. You would, in most cases, have an onboard video device (a video chip on the motherboard) as well as a secondary inserted video card. You can check for this scenario by looking on your PC for two sets of audio connections.

Laptops and tablets will normally have one set of audio plugs unless you’re using a USB audio device. Follow these steps to check for and set the correct audio device as the default.

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.) Enter Sound in the search box, and tap or click Settings, and then tap or click Sound.

  2. Tap or click the Playback tab and look for an multiple audio devices; these will appear as speaker icons and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have multiple devices, the default device has a check beside it and is labeled as Default.

  4. If the wrong audio device is listed as the default audio device, tap or click the correct device, tap or click Set Default, and then tap or click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your PC.

Top of page

3. Check power and volume

If you have speakers, make sure they're plugged into a working power source and turned on.

Make sure that your speaker volume or headphone volume isn't muted or turned down too low. This is particularly important for laptops and tablets, which often have small speakers that can be hard to hear.

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.) Enter Adjust system volume in the search box, and tap or click Settings, and then tap or click Adjust system volume.

  2. Move the slider up to increase the volume.

    Make sure the Mute button isn't turned on. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned off, muting is turned off. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned on , tap or click it to turn off muting.
Note

Note

  • Some laptops and tablets have an external volume control on the outside of the case. If you're using a laptop or tablet, check the external volume control to make sure it's not turned all the way down.

In some cases you might have several volume controls to check. For example, if you're using Windows Media Player it has its own volume control, Windows has a volume control, and your external speakers have their own volume control. If any of these volume controls are set to their lowest setting, you won't hear any sound.

Top of page

Step 2: Use a troubleshooter

A troubleshooter is an automated tool that can find and automatically fix some problems with your PC. The audio troubleshooter can diagnose and fix common sound playback and hardware problems.

Step 3: Update drivers

For Windows to recognize your sound card or sound processor, it needs a compatible and properly working driver. An outdated, incompatible, or damaged driver can disrupt communication between the PC and the sound card.

If you recently upgraded from one version of Windows to another, it's possible that the current sound card driver was designed for the previous version of Windows. If you've had recent power outages, viruses, or other PC problems, it's possible that the drivers have become damaged. In the rare case when Windows can't automatically update a sound card driver, you might need to download and install the latest driver for your sound card to help resolve these types of problems.

Here are three ways to find and install a driver:

  • Use Windows Update. Windows Update can automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can update system features and other software that might help fix your sound problems.

  • Install software from the device manufacturer. If your device came with a disc, that disc might contain software that installs a driver for the device.

  • Download and install the driver yourself. You can search for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Try this if Windows Update can't find a driver for your device and the device didn't come with software that installs a driver.

Note

Note

  • In Windows RT, you can update drivers only through Windows Update. Windows Update also automatically installs important and recommended updates as they become available, but you can check for other optional updates.

For more information about updating your sound card driver, follow the steps below. For information about devices that are compatible with Windows, go to the Windows Compatibility Center.

To update the driver using Windows Update

  1. ‌Open Windows Update in Control Panel by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or, if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering Windows Update in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Windows Update.

  2. Tap or click Check for updates.

    If there are any available updates, click the links to see more info about each update. Windows Update tells you if an update is important, recommended, or optional. Each type of update might include drivers.

  3. On the Select the updates you want to install page, look for updates for your sound card, select the check box for the driver that you want to install, and then tap or click OK.

    There might not be any available driver updates.

  4. On the Windows Update page, tap or click Install updates. Administrator permission required  You might be asked for an admin password or to verify your choice.

    Windows Update will tell you if the updates were successfully installed.

    Note

    Note

    • Some updates require you to restart your PC.

To download and install a driver yourself

If Windows can't find a driver for your sound card or sound processor, and the device didn't come with driver software, you can look for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such websites.

To locate the driver, find the manufacturer and model name or number of your sound card, and then visit the Hardware and software vendor contact information website. Once you find your manufacturer, go to its website and locate and download the latest driver for your sound card.

If you find an updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the website. Most drivers are self-installing—after you download them, you usually double-tap or double-click the file to begin the installation, and then the driver installs itself on your PC.

Some devices have drivers that aren't self-installing. If you download a driver that isn't self-installing, follow these steps.

You must be signed in as an administrator to follow these steps.

  1. ‌Open Device Manager by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering Device Manager in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Device Manager. Administrator permission required  You might be asked for an admin password or to verify your choice.

  2. In the list of hardware categories, find the device that you want to update, and then double-tap or double-click the device name.

  3. Tap or click the Driver tab, tap or click Update Driver, and then follow the instructions. Administrator permission required  You might be asked for an admin password or to verify your choice.
Previous
Next
Introduction
Step 1: Check hardware
Step 2: Use a troubleshooter
Step 3: Update drivers

Introduction

This tutorial can help you identify and fix common sound problems in Windows, including no sound coming from your speakers or headphones. This tutorial doesn't cover sound problems related to specific programs. Sound problems can be caused by cables that aren't connected properly, damaged drivers, incompatible drivers, sound settings, missing updates, and problems with your sound card.

How to use this tutorial

For best results, complete each step before moving on to the next one. Check for sound after each step before going to the next step.

Step 1: Check hardware

Many sound problems are caused by hardware that isn't set up properly. This step covers checking your sound card, plugging cables into the correct locations, making sure the hardware has power, and checking the volume.

Top of page

1. Check your sound card

Check to make sure your computer has a sound card, or sound processor, and it's working properly.

  1. ‌Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, and then, under System, clicking Device Manager.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  2. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers to expand that category. If a sound card is listed, you have one installed. If no sound card is listed, check the information that came with your computer to see if there's supposed to be a sound card installed. If there should be a sound card installed, you'll need to install one according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Notes

    Notes

    • If you think you have a sound card installed but you don't see it under the Sound, video and game controllers category, expand the Other devices category and check the devices listed there.

    • Laptops don't usually have sound cards. Instead, they have integrated sound processors, which appear in the same category in Device Manager.

If there's a yellow question mark next to the name of the sound card in Device Manager, there might be a problem.

  1. Right-click the name of the sound card, and then click Properties.

  2. Click the General tab, and then look in the Device status box to identify problems with the sound card.

    If there's a problem, you might need a new driver for your sound card. For more information, see Step 3: Update drivers.

Top of page

2. Check if the cables are connected properly

Show all

Speakers and headphones

If you're using external speakers, make sure that they are correctly connected to the computer.

Many computers have three or more jacks that connect to a sound card or sound processor, including a microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jack. Your speakers should be plugged in to the line-out jack. If you're not sure which jack this is, try plugging your speakers in to each of the jacks to see if any of them produce sound.

Picture of microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jackMicrophone, line-in, and line-out jacks on a typical computer

If you're using headphones, make sure they aren't plugged into the line out (headphone) jack of your sound card or computer (unless you want to be listening with headphones rather than speakers). When you plug in headphones, most computers automatically cut the sound to the speakers.

HDMI cables

If you’re using an HDMI cable to connect your computer to an HDMI-capable monitor with speakers, you might not be able to hear sound. HDMI cables support audio signals, but not all HDMI enabled video cards support audio. You might also need to set the HDMI audio device as the default. To check to see if sound is supported over HDMI follow these steps:

  1. Open Sound by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type sound, and then click Sound.

  2. Click the Playback tab and look for an HDMI device; this will appear as a speaker icon and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have an HDMI device, click the device, click Set Default, and then click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your computer.

If you don't have an HDMI audio device, your HDMI-capable monitor should have an audio input, and you might need to connect a separate audio cable from your computer sound card directly to the monitor. If the monitor doesn't have speakers, you'll need to connect the audio signal to a different device, such as external computer speakers or your home stereo system.

Some video cards with HDMI output require you to connect a wire from your video card to the sound device, this usually requires a small wire connection inside your computer from the video card to the sound card. Check the manual that came with your video card for instructions on how this should be done.

If you just installed a new video card it's possible that the video card driver installation program set your video card as the default audio device. In this case, you'll need to set your preferred video card as the default audio device to fix the problem. See the previous instructions for help setting the default audio device.

USB audio devices

If you’re using a USB audio device and also have an internal audio device installed, try these basic troubleshooting steps:

  • Unplug the USB audio device and restart your audio program. Test for sound using the internal audio device. If you hear sound, there might be problems with the USB audio driver or with Windows not using the USB audio device as the default audio device.

  • Close all audio programs, unplug the USB audio device, wait for the USB driver to be uninstalled (this should happen fairly quickly), plug the USB audio device back in to the USB port, wait for the driver to load, and then start the audio program and check for sound.

  • Check that you have the correct audio device set as the default in Windows and in the program.

  • Check the audio device manufacturer’s website for updated drivers.

Multiple audio devices

Some computers might have multiple audio devices. An example would be if you bought a new computer and during the purchase, you upgraded to a different video card. You would, in most cases, have an onboard video device (a video chip on the motherboard) as well as a secondary inserted video card. You can check for this scenario by looking on the back of your desktop computer for two sets of audio connections.

Laptops will normally have one set of audio plugs unless you’re using a USB audio device. Follow these steps to check for and set the correct audio device as the default.

  1. Open Sound by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type sound, and then click Sound.

  2. Click the Playback tab and look for an multiple audio devices; these will appear as speaker icons and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have multiple devices, the default device has a check beside it and is labeled as Default.

  4. If the wrong audio device is listed as the default audio device, click the correct device, click Set Default, and then click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your computer.

Top of page

3. Check power and volume

If you have speakers, make sure they're plugged into a working power source and turned on.

Make sure that your speaker volume or headphone volume isn't muted or turned down too low. This is particularly important for laptops, which often have small speakers that can be hard to hear.

  1. Open Volume Mixer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then, under Sound, clicking Adjust system volume.

  2. Move the slider up to increase the volume.

    Make sure the Mute button isn't turned on. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned off, muting is turned off. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned on , click it to turn off muting.
Note

Note

  • Some laptops have an external volume control on the outside of the case. If you're using a laptop, check the external volume control to make sure it's not turned all the way down.

In some cases you might have several volume controls to check. For example, if you're using Windows Media Player it has its own volume control, Windows has a volume control, and your external speakers have their own volume control. If any of these volume controls are set to their lowest setting, you won't hear any sound.

Top of page

Step 2: Use a troubleshooter

A troubleshooter is an automated tool that can find and automatically fix some problems with your PC. The audio troubleshooter can diagnose and fix common sound playback and hardware problems.

Step 3: Update drivers

For Windows to recognize your sound card or sound processor, it needs a compatible and properly working driver. An outdated, incompatible, or damaged driver can disrupt communication between the PC and the sound card.

If you recently upgraded from one version of Windows to another, it's possible that the current sound card driver was designed for the previous version of Windows. If you've had recent power outages, viruses, or other computer problems, it's possible that the drivers have become damaged. Downloading and installing the latest sound card driver for your sound card can help resolve these types of problems.

Here are three ways to find and install a driver:

  • Use Windows Update. You might need to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can update system features and other software that might help fix your sound problems.

  • Install software from the device manufacturer. If your device came with a disc, that disc might contain software that installs a driver for the device.

  • Download and install the driver yourself. You can search for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Try this if Windows Update can't find a driver for your device and the device didn't come with software that installs a driver.

For more information about updating your sound card driver, follow the steps below. For information about devices that are compatible with Windows, go to the Windows Compatibility Center.

To update the driver using Windows Update

  1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button. In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.‌

  2. Click Check for updates.

    If there are any available updates, click the links to see more information about each update. Windows Update tells you if an update is important, recommended, or optional. Each type of update might include drivers.

  3. On the Select the updates you want to install page, look for updates for your sound card, select the check box for the driver that you want to install, and then click OK.

    There might not be any available driver updates.

  4. On the Windows Update page, click Install updates. Administrator permission required. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

    Windows Update will tell you if the updates were successfully installed.

    Note

    Note

    • Some updates require you to restart your computer.

    For more information about Windows driver updates, see Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware.

To download and install a driver yourself

If Windows can't find a driver for your sound card or sound processor, and the device didn't come with driver software, you can look for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such websites.

To locate the driver, find the manufacturer and model name or number of your sound card, and then visit the Hardware and software vendor contact information website. Once you find your manufacturer, go to its website and locate and download the latest driver for your sound card.

If you find an updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the website. Most drivers are self-installing—after you download them, you usually double-click the file to begin the installation, and then the driver installs itself on your computer.

Some devices have drivers that aren't self-installing. If you download a driver that isn't self-installing, follow these steps.

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

  1. ‌Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  2. In the list of hardware categories, find the device that you want to update, and then double-click the device name.

  3. Click the Driver tab, click Update Driver, and then follow the instructions. [shield] If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Previous
Next
Introduction
Step 1: Check hardware
Step 2: Use a troubleshooter
Step 3: Update drivers

Introduction

This tutorial can help you identify and fix common sound problems in Windows, including no sound coming from your speakers or headphones. This tutorial doesn't cover sound problems related to specific programs. Sound problems can be caused by cables that aren't connected properly, damaged drivers, incompatible drivers, sound settings, missing updates, and problems with your sound card.

How to use this tutorial

For best results, complete each step before moving on to the next one. Check for sound after each step before going to the next step.

Step 1: Check hardware

Many sound problems are caused by hardware that isn't set up properly. This step covers checking your sound card, plugging cables into the correct locations, making sure the hardware has power, and checking the volume.

Top of page

1. Check your sound card

Check to make sure your computer has a sound card, or sound processor, and it's working properly.

  1. ‌Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, and then, under System, clicking Device Manager.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  2. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers to expand that category. If a sound card is listed, you have one installed. If no sound card is listed, check the information that came with your computer to see if there's supposed to be a sound card installed. If there should be a sound card installed, you'll need to install one according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Notes

    Notes

    • If you think you have a sound card installed but you don't see it under the Sound, video and game controllers category, expand the Other devices category and check the devices listed there.

    • Laptops don't usually have sound cards. Instead, they have integrated sound processors, which appear in the same category in Device Manager.

If there's a yellow question mark next to the name of the sound card in Device Manager, there might be a problem.

  1. Right-click the name of the sound card, and then click Properties.

  2. Click the General tab, and then look in the Device status box to identify problems with the sound card.

    If there's a problem, you might need a new driver for your sound card. For more information, see Step 3: Update drivers.

Top of page

2. Check if the cables are connected properly

Show all

Speakers and headphones

If you're using external speakers, make sure that they are correctly connected to the computer.

Many computers have three or more jacks that connect to a sound card or sound processor, including a microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jack. Your speakers should be plugged in to the line-out jack. If you're not sure which jack this is, try plugging your speakers in to each of the jacks to see if any of them produce sound.

Picture of microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jackMicrophone, line-in, and line-out jacks on a typical computer

If you're using headphones, make sure they aren't plugged into the line out (headphone) jack of your sound card or computer (unless you want to be listening with headphones rather than speakers). When you plug in headphones, most computers automatically cut the sound to the speakers.

HDMI cables

If you’re using an HDMI cable to connect your computer to an HDMI-capable monitor with speakers, you might not be able to hear sound. HDMI cables support audio signals, but not all HDMI enabled video cards support audio. You might also need to set the HDMI audio device as the default. To check to see if sound is supported over HDMI follow these steps:

  1. Open Sound by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type sound, and then click Sound.

  2. Click the Playback tab and look for an HDMI device; this will appear as a speaker icon and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have an HDMI device, click the device, click Set Default, and then click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your computer.

If you don't have an HDMI audio device, your HDMI-capable monitor should have an audio input, and you might need to connect a separate audio cable from your computer sound card directly to the monitor. If the monitor doesn't have speakers, you'll need to connect the audio signal to a different device, such as external computer speakers or your home stereo system.

Some video cards with HDMI output require you to connect a wire from your video card to the sound device, this usually requires a small wire connection inside your computer from the video card to the sound card. Check the manual that came with your video card for instructions on how this should be done.

If you just installed a new video card it's possible that the video card driver installation program set your video card as the default audio device. In this case, you'll need to set your preferred video card as the default audio device to fix the problem.

USB audio devices

If you’re using a USB audio device and also have an internal audio device installed, try these basic troubleshooting steps:

  • Unplug the USB audio device and restart your audio program. Test for sound using the internal audio device. If you hear sound, there might be problems with the USB audio driver or with Windows not using the USB audio device as the default audio device.

  • Close all audio programs, unplug the USB audio device, wait for the USB driver to be uninstalled (this should happen fairly quickly), plug the USB audio device back in to the USB port, wait for the driver to load, and then start the audio program and check for sound.

  • Check that you have the correct audio device set as the default in Windows and in the program.

  • Check the audio device manufacturer’s website for updated drivers.

Multiple audio devices

Some computers might have multiple audio devices. An example would be if you bought a new computer and during the purchase, you upgraded to a different video card. You would, in most cases, have an onboard video device (a video chip on the motherboard) as well as a secondary inserted video card. You can check for this scenario by looking on the back of your desktop computer for two sets of audio connections.

Laptops will normally have one set of audio plugs unless you’re using a USB audio device. Follow these steps to check for and set the correct audio device as the default.

  1. Open Sound by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type sound, and then click Sound.

  2. Click the Playback tab and look for an multiple audio devices; these will appear as speaker icons and will be labeled Speaker, followed by the name of the device.

  3. If you have multiple devices, the default device has a check beside it and is labeled as Default.

  4. If the wrong audio device is listed as the default audio device, click the correct device, click Set Default, and then click OK.

    Changing the audio device might require you to restart your computer.

Top of page

3. Check power and volume

If you have speakers, make sure they're plugged into a working power source and turned on.

Make sure that your speaker volume or headphone volume isn't muted or turned down too low. This is particularly important for laptops, which often have small speakers that can be hard to hear.

  1. Open Volume Mixer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then, under Sound, clicking Adjust system volume.

  2. Move the slider up to increase the volume.

    Make sure the Mute button isn't turned on. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned off, muting is turned off. If the button looks like this: Picture of the Mute button turned on , click it to turn off muting.
Note

Note

  • Some laptops have an external volume control on the outside of the case. If you're using a laptop, check the external volume control to make sure it's not turned all the way down.

In some cases you might have several volume controls to check. For example, if you're using Windows Media Player it has its own volume control, Windows has a volume control, and your external speakers have their own volume control. If any of these volume controls are set to their lowest setting, you won't hear any sound.

Top of page

Step 2: Use a troubleshooter

A troubleshooter is an automated tool that can find and automatically fix some problems with your PC. The audio troubleshooter can diagnose and fix common sound playback and hardware problems.

Step 3: Update drivers

For Windows to recognize your sound card or sound processor, it needs a compatible and properly working driver. An outdated, incompatible, or damaged driver can disrupt communication between the PC and the sound card.

If you recently upgraded from one version of Windows to another, it's possible that the current sound card driver was designed for the previous version of Windows. If you've had recent power outages, viruses, or other computer problems, it's possible that the drivers have become damaged. Downloading and installing the latest sound card driver for your sound card can help resolve these types of problems.

Here are three ways to find and install a driver:

  • Use Windows Update. You might need to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can update system features and other software that might help fix your sound problems.

  • Install software from the device manufacturer. If your device came with a disc, that disc might contain software that installs a driver for the device.

  • Download and install the driver yourself. You can search for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Try this if Windows Update can't find a driver for your device and the device didn't come with software that installs a driver.

Follow the steps below to update drivers.

To update the driver using Windows Update

  1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  2. Click Check for updates.

  3. To see if updated drivers are available, click View available updates. Windows Update will list any updated drivers that are available for devices installed in your computer.

  4. If updates are available, click the driver that you want to install, and then click Install. Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Note

Note

  • Some updates require you to restart your computer.

To download and install a driver yourself

If Windows can't find a driver for your sound card or sound processor, and the device didn't come with driver software, you can look for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such websites.

To locate the driver, find the manufacturer and model name or number of your sound card, and then visit the Hardware and software vendor contact information website. Once you find your manufacturer, go to its website and locate and download the latest driver.

If you find an updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the website. Most drivers are self-installing—after you download them, you usually double-click the file to begin the installation, and then the driver installs itself on your computer.

Some devices have drivers that aren't self-installing. If you download a driver that isn't self-installing, follow these steps.

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

  1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  2. In Device Manager, locate the device you want to update, and then double-click the device name.

  3. Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver and follow the instructions.

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Introduction
Step 1: Check hardware
Step 2: Use a troubleshooter
Step 3: Update drivers

Introduction

This tutorial can help you identify and fix common sound problems in Windows, including no sound coming from your speakers or headphones. This tutorial doesn't cover sound problems related to specific programs. Sound problems can be caused by cables that aren't connected properly, damaged drivers, incompatible drivers, sound settings, missing updates, and problems with your sound card.

How to use this tutorial

For best results, complete each step before moving on to the next one. Check for sound after each step before going to the next step.

Step 1: Check hardware

Many sound problems are caused by hardware that isn't set up properly. This step covers checking your sound card, plugging cables into the correct locations, making sure the hardware has power, and checking the volume.

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1. Check your sound card

Check to make sure your computer has a sound card, or sound processor, and it's working properly.

  1. ‌Open Device Manager by clicking Start, pointing to Control Panel, clicking System, clicking the Hardware tab, and then, clicking Device Manager.

  2. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers to expand that category. If a sound card is listed, you have one installed. If no sound card is listed, check the information that came with your computer to see if there's supposed to be a sound card installed. If there should be a sound card installed, you'll need to install one according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Notes

    Notes

    • If you think you have a sound card installed but you don't see it under the Sound, video and game controllers category, expand the Other devices category and check the devices listed there.

    • Laptops don't usually have sound cards. Instead, they have integrated sound processors, which appear in the same category in Device Manager.

If there's a yellow question mark next to the name of the sound card in Device Manager, there might be a problem.

  1. Right-click the name of the sound card, and then click Properties.

  2. Click the General tab, and then look in the Device status box to identify problems with the sound card.

    If there's a problem, you might need a new driver for your sound card. For more information, see Step 3: Update drivers.

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2. Check if the cables are connected properly

Speakers and headphones

If you're using external speakers, make sure that they are correctly connected to the computer.

Many computers have three or more jacks that connect to a sound card or sound processor, including a microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jack. Your speakers should be plugged in to the line-out jack. If you're not sure which jack this is, try plugging your speakers in to each of the jacks to see if any of them produce sound.

Picture of microphone jack, line-in jack, and line-out jackMicrophone, line-in, and line-out jacks on a typical computer

If you're using headphones, make sure they aren't plugged into the line out (headphone) jack of your sound card or computer (unless you want to be listening with headphones rather than speakers). When you plug in headphones, most computers automatically cut the sound to the speakers.

USB audio devices

If you’re using a USB audio device and also have an internal audio device installed, try these basic troubleshooting steps:

  • Unplug the USB audio device and restart your audio program. Test for sound using the internal audio device. If you hear sound, there might be problems with the USB audio driver or with Windows not using the USB audio device as the default audio device.

  • Close all audio programs, unplug the USB audio device, wait for the USB driver to be uninstalled (this should happen fairly quickly), plug the USB audio device back in to the USB port, wait for the driver to load, and then start the audio program and check for sound.

  • Check that you have the correct audio device set as the default in Windows and in the program.

  • Check the audio device manufacturer’s website for updated drivers.

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3. Check power and volume

If you have speakers, make sure they're plugged into a working power source and turned on.

Make sure that your speaker volume or headphone volume isn't muted or turned down too low. This is particularly important for laptops, which often have small speakers that can be hard to hear.

  1. Click Start, point to Control panel, and then click Sounds and Audio Devices.

  2. Under Device volume, move the slider to the right to increase the volume.

    Make sure the Mute checkbox isn't selected.

  3. Click Speaker Volume, and make sure the sliders aren't set to Low.

Note

Note

  • Some laptops have an external volume control on the outside of the case. If you're using a laptop, check the external volume control to make sure it's not turned all the way down.

In some cases you might have several volume controls to check. For example, if you're using Windows Media Player it has its own volume control, Windows has a volume control, and your external speakers have their own volume control. If any of these volume controls are set to their lowest setting, you won't hear any sound.

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Step 2: Use a troubleshooter

A troubleshooter is an automated tool that can find and automatically fix some problems with your PC. The audio troubleshooter can diagnose and fix common sound playback and hardware problems.

Step 3: Update drivers

For Windows to recognize your sound card or sound processor, you need a compatible driver. Most sound cards and sound processors require driver software to work properly. Outdated, incompatible, or damaged sound card drivers can disrupt communication between the computer and the sound card.

If you recently upgraded from one version of Windows to another, it's possible that the current sound card driver was designed for the previous version of Windows. If you've had recent power outages, viruses, or other computer problems, it's possible that the drivers have become damaged. Downloading and installing the latest sound card driver for your sound card can help resolve these types of problems.

Here are three ways to find and install a driver:

  • Use Windows Update. You might need to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can update system features and other software that might help fix your sound problems.

  • Install software from the device manufacturer. If your device came with a disc, that disc might contain software that installs a driver for the device.

  • Download and install the driver yourself. You can search for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Try this if Windows Update can't find a driver for your device and the device didn't come with software that installs a driver.

Follow the steps below to update drivers.

To automatically update drivers using Windows Update

  1. ‌Open Automatic Updates by clicking Start, pointing to Control Panel, and clicking Automatic Updates.

  2. Click Automatic, and then select the day and time to download updates.

  3. Click Apply.

Notes

Notes

  • Windows will automatically download available updates and drivers on the next day and time you selected. Check to see if your sound problems are resolved after that first update takes place.

  • You might need to update Windows XP to the most current version available before you can use Windows Update. For more information about updating Windows and resolving problems with Windows Update, see Windows Update.

To download and install a driver yourself

If Windows can't find a driver for your sound card or sound processor, and the device didn't come with driver software, you can look for a driver on the manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such websites.

To locate the driver, find the manufacturer and model name or number of your sound card, and then visit the Hardware and software vendor contact information website. Once you find your manufacturer, go to its website and locate and download the latest driver for your sound card.

If you can't find the manufacturer and model name or number of your sound card, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.

  2. Type dxdiag, and then click OK.

  3. Click the Sound tab.

  4. In the Device section, next to Name, copy or write down the name of the device. In the Drivers section, next to Provider, copy or write down the manufacturer of the device.

  5. Click Exit.

    Once you know the name and manufacturer of your sound card, you can look for a driver on the device manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such websites.

    If you find an updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the website. Most drivers are self-installing—after you download them, you usually double-click the file to begin the installation, and then the driver installs itself on your computer.

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