Non-working sound is one of the most common problems faced by PC users. There are many reasons for this: from hardware to software. Let’s look at them using Windows 10 as an example and give advice on how to solve them.
The first reason is that the sound is turned down to a minimum or turned off completely.
Let’s start with the most trivial. It is quite possible that you accidentally turned off the sound or turned it down to the minimum. You can easily check this using the taskbar.
The second reason is a bug in the OS or audio service
It also happens that a software bug or sudden shutdown of the audio service prevents the sound output. Therefore, it would be a good idea to reboot your PC or laptop.
The third reason is a malfunction of the audio equipment.
If you use external speakers or headphones, then it is easy to check their functionality – just connect them to another device. For example, to a smartphone, tablet or TV. If they work without problems, then the problem is with the audio jack or the operating system.
Things are more complicated with the speakers built into the laptop. Here, the malfunction is not so easy to detect, so it is worth trying all the software methods for solving the problem, which we will tell you about below. If nothing helps, then the problem is in the speakers, and you cannot do without repairing/replacing them.
Reason 4: Problem with audio jack
Source: Windows Report / Photo of the laptop’s side panel
If your speakers or headphones work with other devices, but are not even detected by Windows when connected to the audio jack, there is a 99% chance that the problem is in it. But to rule out the possibility of software problems, be sure to try everything you read below.
Reason number five is a problem with drivers or sound software.
It happens that old drivers refuse to work correctly after installing the next OS update. Therefore, try updating by downloading the current version from the manufacturer’s website or using Windows. For the latter, do the following:
- Right-click on the Start menu and click on Device Manager;
- In the menu that opens, find the section “Sound, game and video devices”;
- Right-click on each device if there are several, and select “Update Driver”;
- Next, click on “Automatically update driver” and wait until the system finds a more recent version.
It is worth noting that this method is not very reliable, and often Windows notifies the user about the absence of updates, although in fact they are available.
It is also worth remembering that problems may be caused by specialized software. Many sound cards, even if they are integrated, come with software designed for more precise audio settings. Therefore, it makes sense to reinstall the program, having previously deleted the old version.
If none of this helps, you can try to remove the device from the system. Don’t worry – Windows already has a standard set of drivers for audio. Therefore, after rebooting the OS, they will be automatically reinstalled.
To remove an audio device, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Start menu and click on Device Manager;
- In the menu that opens, find the section “Sound, game and video devices”;
Source: CQ / Windows 10 Screenshot
- Right-click on each device if there are multiple devices and select “Remove device”.
Reason 6: Problem with sound enhancers or format
It happens that in an attempt to improve the sound, the user begins to experiment with audio settings, but they in turn turn out to be incompatible with the equipment.
Procedure:
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select “Open Sound Settings”;
- In the Output section, click on Device Properties;
Source: CQ / Windows 10 Screenshot
- Disable Spatial Sound if it is enabled, then click on Advanced device properties;
- Open the “Advanced” tab and uncheck “Enable advanced sound features”;
- Above, change the format to 16-bit or 24-bit, click “OK”.
What to do if nothing helps
It also happens that the problem is software-related and has a specific nature. Therefore, do the following:
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select “Troubleshoot sound problems”;
Source: CQ / Windows 10 Screenshot
- Wait until Windows scans for sound devices and allows you to select the one you need;
Source: CQ / Windows 10 Screenshot
- Click on it, press “Next” and wait for the analysis to finish;
- If problems are detected, the system will offer you to fix them or say that everything is working as expected.
If this doesn’t help you, and there is no doubt that there are no hardware problems, there is the last and most radical solution – a rollback to factory settings:
- Left-click on the Start menu and select Settings;
- Next, open the “Update and Security” section;
- Next, go to “Recovery” and click on the “Start” button next to “Return the computer to its original state”.